How the 2026 Hyundai Palisade beats the Grand Highlander at its own game

Three-row household SUVs are designed to excel at house, consolation, and on a regular basis versatility, and the Toyota Grand Highlander has rapidly turn into one of many phase’s strongest benchmarks. It guarantees beneficiant passenger room, environment friendly powertrains, and the form of practicality trendy households demand. However in 2026, a well-recognized rival is quietly outperforming it within the very areas that matter most to consumers searching for most worth.

The Hyundai Palisade raises the bar by combining upscale inside design with user-friendly know-how and a extra premium really feel at an identical worth level. Hyundai has refined the Palisade’s components to deal with consolation and options, whereas Toyota continues to emphasise effectivity and popularity. The result’s a comparability the place the Palisade wins on perceived luxurious, customary gear, and general cabin expertise.

For customers selecting between two of essentially the most succesful three-row SUVs available on the market, this shift is critical. The 2026 Palisade reveals that beating a phase chief doesn’t require reinventing the components, simply executing it higher the place households really feel it most.

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The brand new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid affords higher worth than each earlier than

Cheaper and sleeker than the Grand Highlander

Because it first hit streets again in 2020, the Hyundai Palisade has been the most effective three-row SUVs that cash should purchase. It typically undercut its core opponents whereas delivering a extra refined expertise. The one factor that was lacking was a hybrid possibility. For 2026, Hyundai has lastly introduced a hybrid variant of the SUV to market, and it simply dominates its phase. It’s so good, in actual fact, that it received the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year Award.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid trims and pricing

Now we’re not claiming that the Palisade Hybrid is reasonable. A beginning worth of slightly below $45,000 places it on the excessive finish for a mainstream automobile. Nevertheless, contemplating the quantity of house, tech, and luxury options that you simply get customary, it’s a fairly whole lot. It additionally begins barely cheaper than a few of its most direct rivals, such because the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid.

We expect that the SEL Premium affords the very best bang-for-your-buck. It seems like an entry-level luxurious automotive relatively than a mainstream one, with this specific trim stage coming with some good options with out the worth inflating by an excessive amount of. It comes with a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree digicam, and heated and ventilated entrance and second row seats. It is usually rated to be extra environment friendly than the 2 trims above it.

What’s new for 2026?

Credit score: Hyundai

The hybrid powertrain is not the one factor new for the 2026 mannequin 12 months. This marks the beginning of the second technology for the Palisade nameplate. Its wheelbase has been stretched, that means barely extra space on the within. It is styling has additionally been up to date to raised align with the remainder of the present Hyundai lineup. On the within, every little thing typically feels slightly extra premium than the outgoing mannequin.

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Faster and extra environment friendly than the non-hybrid mannequin

The hybrid Palisade is best in most methods

Credit score: Hyundai

The non-hybrid Palisade carries over its stoic V-6 for the 2026 mannequin 12 months. Whereas there is not something inherently improper with this setup, it does gulp down gas. The brand new hybrid mannequin solves this drawback with an efficient powertrain that may prevent a good sum of money on gas. On high of this, it’s really fairly a bit extra highly effective than the gas-only V-6 mannequin.

Efficiency specs

The brand new hybrid Palisade comes outfitted with a fairly potent setup. Underneath the hood you will discover a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This four-pot pairs with two electrical motors that are mounted contained in the case of the usual six-speed computerized. Entrance-wheel drive is customary equipment, however each mannequin could be upgraded to all-wheel drive.

Placing down an estimated 329 mixed horsepower, the usual Palisade Hybrid comes fairly near the output of the way more costly non-obligatory Hybrid Max powertrain within the Toyota Grand Highlander. It’s a lot faster off the road than the bottom Grand Highlander, with a 6.6 second zero to 60 time being greater than lots for a three-row SUV.

The Palisade will not be the sharpest or most participating automotive to drive, however it’s snug. The experience high quality right here is on par with what you’ll get from some luxurious automakers.

Gasoline financial system figures

The SEL and SEL Premium trims are thought-about the Blue fashions, and are rated to attain larger ranges of effectivity than the remainder of the lineup. That being stated, 29 to 31 miles per gallon mixed is fairly respectable for an SUV this measurement, a lot larger than what the typical new automotive manages.

The Grand Highlander with the usual hybrid setup is barely extra environment friendly, being rated for 36 miles per gallon mixed, although it’s a lot much less highly effective. The Grand Highlander with the extra highly effective Hybrid Max setup, nevertheless, solely manages 27 miles per gallon. Thus, the Palisade Hybrid feels fairly aggressive.

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The Hyundai Palisade Hybrid pulls additional forward with a luxurious and spacious cabin

Fairly upscale for a mainstream SUV

Credit score: Carl Anthony | How-To Geek

Hyundai has actually discovered their design area of interest within the final couple of years. All of their most up to date fashions really feel exceptionally distinctive and are typically extra snug and extra premium than most of their direct rivals. The up to date Palisade demonstrates this with a unbelievable cabin that feels more luxurious than you might expect.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid inside consolation

The Palisade has all the time been one of the vital spacious choices in its phase. With the brand new technology that includes an extended wheelbase, it feels much more cavernous inside. The entrance two rows are distinctive, with greater than sufficient room to stretch out. The third row is most fitted for youths, however you can match two adults again there in a pinch. A second row bench is customary, however this may be swapped out for captain’s chairs. There’s a good quantity of cargo house behind the third row, although you possibly can fold these seats right down to rise up to 46.3 cubic toes of house.

The Palisade feels neat and retro, discovering a great steadiness between character and luxury. The cabin actually does really feel like nothing else available on the market. Supplies used all through are good and the construct high quality could be very strong, serving to it really feel that little bit extra plush. There are many upscale options on provide right here too, together with leather-based seats, heating for the third row seats, leather-based upholstery, a dual-panel sunroof, tri-zone computerized local weather management, and a UV-C sanitizing tray.

Infotainment and know-how

Credit score: Hyundai

Embedded into the dashboard of each 2026 Palisade Hybrid is a big curved show, combining two 12.3-inch screens. One in all these screens acts because the digital gauge show, with the opposite working the infotainment system. Customary options embody wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an on-board Wi-Fi hotspot, in-dash navigation, and Amazon Alexa.

There are a ton of non-obligatory tech options that elevate the cabin of the Palisade hybrid even additional. This consists of issues like a totally digital rear-view mirror with Homelink built-in. Additionally non-obligatory is a heads-up show in addition to customizable ambient inside lighting, with 64 colours to select from. Audiophiles may also have an interest within the 14-speaker Bose sound system out there on high trims.