Reviews
2026 Hyundai Palisade
Price
Starting at $89,990 (excl. on road costs)
3 Things We Love
* Interior That Feels Truly Designed * Steering Wheel Lights with a Clever Touch * A Third Row Adults Can Actually Use
3 Things We Hate
* The Column-Mounted Gear Selector * The Odd Blank Panel on the Back of the Centre Console * Rear Seat Pockets That Snap Back
Intro
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Hybrid arrives as a major statement from Hyundai. Once known mainly for affordability and reliability, Hyundai now wants to be seen as a brand capable of taking on established luxury names, and the new Palisade makes that ambition very clear. Priced at $89,990 before on-road costs, this flagship Calligraphy model is no longer a cheap family SUV. Instead, it aims to deliver premium design, strong technology, hybrid efficiency, and proper three-row practicality. With a 2.5-litre turbocharged hybrid powertrain producing 245 kW and 460 Nm, all-wheel drive, and a 0–100 km/h time of 7.5 seconds, the Palisade has the numbers to back up its luxury ambitions.
Exterior
The new Palisade is a completely different beast compared with the previous generation. Its boxy shape, stacked LED headlights, large chrome grille, and upright stance give it a far more premium and commanding look. Up front, the stacked LED lighting design gives the Palisade a strong identity, while active vents in the grille help with cooling. Along the side, the 21-inch alloy wheels, aluminium roof rails, and long aluminium trim strip running from the windscreen across the roofline add to the upscale feel. The rear design continues the boxy luxury theme, with stacked LED tail-lights, a rear spoiler, Palisade lettering, and no fake diffuser. There is definitely a Range Rover flavour to the rear styling, but in a good way. The Palisade looks expensive, confident, and properly premium.
Salvatore Gerace
MotorMarvel Journalist
Interior
The interior is where the Palisade makes its biggest impression. The cabin feels far beyond what many people might expect from Hyundai, with a design that feels genuinely luxurious and full of character. The dashboard has a wave-like design with timber, cloth, leather, and aluminium trim layered together. There is ambient lighting throughout the cabin, a two-tone leather steering wheel, and four illuminated dots in place of a traditional Hyundai badge, representing “H” in Morse code. The roof lining is finished in a suede-like Alcantara material, adding even more to the premium feel. Hyundai also deserves credit for keeping physical knobs and buttons for climate and audio controls. Instead of forcing everything through a giant screen, the Palisade uses two clean 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, connected services, a head-up display, digital rear-view mirror, fingerprint scanner, wireless phone charging, and a 14-speaker Bose sound system. Comfort is excellent. The front seats are heated, ventilated, electronically adjustable, and include massage functions. There is also a heated steering wheel, dual sunroofs, multiple USB-C ports, a UV-C sterilising console, large storage areas, and a very practical cabin layout. The second row is spacious and family-friendly, with plenty of knee room, good headroom, sliding and reclining seats, integrated blinds, roof-mounted air vents, USB-C charging, heated and ventilated outboard seats, ISOFIX points, and top tether points. The third row is also surprisingly usable for adults, with decent space, cup holders, USB-C charging, heated outboard seats, and easy power-adjustable access.
Specifications
Engine
2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol hybrid
Power
245 kW
Torque
460 Nm
0 - 100 kph
7.5 seconds
Transmission
6-speed automatic
Drive Type
All-wheel drive
Fuel Economy (Claimed)
6.8 L/100 km
Fuel Economy (As Tested)
8 to 9 L/100 km
CO2 Emissions (Claimed)
154 g/km
Fuel Tank
72 L
Weight
Just under 2,300 kg
Offroad Dimensions & Versatility
Ground Clearance
187 mm
Approach Angle
18.6°
Departure Angle
21.1°
Wading Depth
N/A
Payload
3,000 kg
Brake Towing Capacity
2,000 kg
Vehicle Dimensions
Length
5,060 mm
Width
1,908 mm
Height
1,805 mm
Wheelbase
2,970 mm
On the Road
On the road, the Palisade feels extremely comfortable and well sorted. The Australian suspension tuning helps it deal with rough roads very well, even with 21-inch wheels and low-profile tyres. It feels smooth, quiet, and easy to live with. Despite being a large SUV, it is easy to manoeuvre thanks to good visibility, a 360-degree camera, a digital rear-view mirror, and plenty of glass around the cabin. The steering has a nice weight to it, and in “My Drive” mode the car feels better balanced than in Eco mode, which can feel too front-wheel-drive biased. The hybrid system is one of the Palisade’s strongest points. Unlike some hybrids where the petrol engine and electric motor feel like they are fighting each other, this system works seamlessly. The transition between petrol and electric power is smooth, and the six-speed automatic works very well with the powertrain. There is no full EV mode, and the car decides for itself when to use the electric motor. There also are not multiple regen braking levels, which is a positive here, because the system feels natural and unobtrusive. Fuel economy is claimed at 6.8 L/100 km, while real-world use sits closer to 8 to 9 L/100 km, which is still impressive for something weighing just under 2,300 kg. When pushed harder, the Palisade is quick enough, with 0–100 km/h completed in 7.5 seconds. However, it is not a sports SUV. There is some body roll, some understeer, and the engine noise is not especially pleasant under load. It has enough power to get out of sticky situations, but it is not designed to be a weekend warrior.
Safety Tech
The Palisade comes loaded with safety technology, including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection, front, side and rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring with blind spot view cameras, parking collision avoidance with auto braking, highway driving assist, smart cruise control with steering and speed adaptation, forward collision avoidance, intelligent speed limit assist, lane keep assist, surround-view camera, and tyre pressure monitoring. Some of the safety systems can be annoying, especially driver attention monitoring and speed sign recognition. However, Hyundai makes it easier to disable key systems through steering wheel shortcuts, including the favourite button and lane-keeping button. The blind spot view monitor remains one of the best features, showing a live camera feed in the driver’s display when indicating left or right.
Our Verdict
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Hybrid is a massive leap forward for Hyundai. The previous Palisade was practical, reliable, and good-looking, but this new model feels like a genuine luxury SUV. It has a striking exterior, a breathtaking interior, excellent family practicality, a smooth hybrid system, strong technology, and impressive comfort. It is not a proper performance SUV, and it is not designed to thrill enthusiasts on a winding road, which is why it earns a 7.8/10 Motor Marvel rating. As a family SUV, though, it is outstanding. It feels premium, drives well, offers real eight-seat usability, and makes a strong case for its $90,000 price tag. For buyers wanting something luxurious, practical, and full of character, the Palisade earns a 9/10 overall rating.
Overall Rating
