2026 Hyundai Palisade dares to take on Range Rover luxury

Hyundai's full-size family hauler will receive a major refresh for the 2026 model year. Not many details are known yet, but official photos reveal an obvious theme.

JayLeno

Dec 31, 2024 - 11:31

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2026 Hyundai Palisade dares to take on Range Rover luxury

These days, most Range Rover buyers wouldn't dare to even imagine taking their beloved luxo-utes away from paved roads. Their contemporary value lies in their timeless style, comfortable and plush interior environments, abundance of space, and effortless power. Hyundai aims to capture a similar sense of magic with their next-gen Palisade.

The all-new Palisade's styling is the first clue at the model's luxurious intent

Somehow, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade manages to look more rugged and determined than its previous generation, while simultaneously retaining its signature friendliness.

It's a design that playfully admits it wants to be like a Range Rover, but still possesses the distinct angular charm of current Hyundai design language. It's certainly making a solid effort to be presentable and modern, but doesn't try too hard to be 'futuristic'.

If the Range Rover is a hedge fund manager in a Savile Row suit, the 2026 Palisade is a software engineer wearing Uniqlo. It’s sophisticated, yet sensible. It's far more casual than the much more expensive Range Rover, but it's an SUV that looks just as at home in the office parking lot as it does at weekend soccer practice.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade has some old-school tricks up its sleeve

It's not often these days you see cars that still have front-row bench seating. A staple of classic American station wagons and full-size sedans, a forward bench seat means you can fit up to three people in the front row, albeit quite snugly.

While not yet officially confirmed, this means that the all-new Hyundai Palisade could seat up to nine total occupants. Just don't tell the other parents on your kid's soccer team, or you'll very quickly find yourself on weekly team pickup duty.

The Palisade's all-new interior also boasts a refreshing aesthetic upgrade over its previous generation, with an updated steering wheel similar to the one found in the new Santa Fe, and a wider infotainment screen that integrates a digital gauge cluster. A center console can be folded down in lieu of the front-row bench seat which contains cupholders and an optional wireless cell phone charging pad.

A potentially revamped powertrain should add power and increase efficiency

Currently, Hyundai uses a naturally-aspirated, 291 horsepower, 3.8L V6 to power the full-size crossover, but the next-generation model will likely use a revised powertrain. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid options are likely, which would add a significant power boost and maximize fuel efficiency, but we're eager to see if the no-nonsense, naturally-aspirated V6 will remain as the model's most basic offering.

Since the Ioniq 9 has taken the place of the full-size crossover offering in Hyundai's electric lineup, it's unlikely we will see a full-EV version of the 2026 Palisade. Thus, where the Ioniq 9 leans towards a softer, more understated charm, the 2026 Palisade leans into its more old-school, rugged nature both in terms of styling and its amenities.

Final thoughts

Hyundai's simple recipe – a really, really big crossover that isn't an SUV – proved successful with the previous generation Palisade, especially in the North American market where it has become so popular that it has inspired other manufacturers to invent new models just to compete.

Toyota has since released its Grand Highlander, Kia's popular Telluride shares the Palisade's platform, and Chevrolet has massively updated the Traverse, which previously used a similar recipe albeit with poor execution.

The next-generation Palisade isn't just proof that Hyundai has come a long way in just a few years. It's proof that Hyundai made it this far because they understand the value of affordable, high quality products in the eyes of buyers. The next-gen Palisade will be no exception, and we can't wait to get our hands on one to see how its improvements pay off in the real world.

Final thoughts

Does the 2026 Hyundai Palisade pique your interest, or does it look too much like a cheap Range Rover knock-off? Are you excited about the inclusion of front-row bench seating, or are you more interested in potential plug-in hybrid powertrains? Let us know what you think in the comments – we love to hear your voice!