2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid review: Here at last

Mitchell Weitzman
15 hours ago
5 min read

The long-awaited hybrid option for the Palisade has arrived

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy review | The Road Beat

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid review with The Road Beat

Words and pictures by Mitchell Weitzman

If there was a single defining weak link in the Palisade since its original introduction, it was the engine. Despite boasting 3.8 liters of displacement from its smooth-running V6, that engine was hampered by poor fuel economy and a lack of flexible performance. This has completely changed with the arrival of the Palisade Hybrid and its electrically assisted turbocharged powertrain.

Where the Palisade has gained, however, the latest model is not without fault while introducing questionable design choices.

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Bearing the trim name "Calligraphy," Hyundai clearly wants buyers to view this Palisade as something more luxurious than the average family crossover. Mission accomplished, because the Palisade in Calligraphy trim feels and is genuinely upscale inside.

It's not just the padded armrests or the excellent leather steering wheel. It's the sheer quality of the leather and soft materials used throughout the cabin and the absence of cheap-feeling plastics on frequently touched surfaces or mechanisms like the glovebox. The touchpoints impress, the design captures attention, but feel remains the true sign of luxury, and the Palisade delivers that in abundance.

Comfort is superb up front thanks to supportive seats with extensive adjustability, but the hospitable accommodations extend well beyond the first row. Rear-seat passengers enjoy generous space and genuinely comfortable captain's chairs.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy interior

For road trips and keeping screen-needy passengers occupied during a continuous multi-hour daze and 6-7 stupor, USB ports are abundant and conveniently placed throughout the cabin.

Also noteworthy are the electronic controls for easily raising and folding the second- and third-row seats, something even a $90,000 Volvo still requires clunky manual controls to accomplish. There will be more on that later, however.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy rear seats third row

On the road, the Palisade is vast, but it rarely feels that large when changing direction. In fact, you can hustle this 200-inch land yacht through corners at surprising speeds thanks to modern chassis and tire engineering. Ride quality remains soft and composed wherever you go, and road noise is impressively subdued.

Past Palisades equipped with the standard V6 never managed better than 19 MPG overall in my testing, but this new hybrid powertrain returned 24 MPG after a week of mixed driving. An excellent and meaningful improvement.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid calligraphy green exterior rear three quarter

Real-world performance is also greatly enhanced. The combination of turbocharging and electric assistance fills in the low end of the rev range, precisely where the old V6 struggled. As a result, even if output rises only modestly to 324 horsepower, the Palisade never feels caught between gears and is readily available to work.

Even if the price raises eyebrows at $60,625 as-tested, that's directly comparable to a Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Platinum. The difference is that the Palisade feels considerably richer inside, with superior materials and a greater sense of occasion.

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Fuel economy has certainly improved, and so has usable performance, but this powertrain is no match for Toyota's formidable Hybrid MAX system available in higher-end Grand Highlanders.

Not only has the Toyota delivered better fuel economy in previous testing, it's also noticeably quicker and more responsive in every scenario. When you bury the throttle, the Hybrid MAX delivers a genuine punch. Hyundai's hybrid system also isn't as seamless during transitions between electric and combustion power. An improved hybrid powertrain from Hyundai, but Toyota's remains the benchmark.

Other faults include the complete lack of proximity-sensing keyless entry on the rear doors, a feature reserved only for the front handles. That's a surprising oversight because once you've experienced this convenience elsewhere, its absence becomes impossible to ignore. It's very typical of this to be included on SUVs, let alone one with such luxury aspirations. For example, opening a rear door while carrying groceries shouldn't require extra effort or steps. And at this price point, it's difficult to excuse.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy interior dashboard

For Mother's Day, I picked up my own mom in the Palisade before heading to a Sacramento River Cats game, and she wasn't particularly fond of the interior design. Specifically, she disliked the chunky gear selector that hangs above the driver's right knee and the high, imposing dashboard.

The more time I spent with the vehicle, the more I agreed. Despite the Palisade's spacious cabin, the dashboard sits unnecessarily high and creates a bulkier, more confined feeling than necessary. It may be attention-grabbing and initially even dazzling to some, but it comes as excess instead of actual substance or thought. Also, it's important to point out that the nearly white leather was pretty soiled and stained on one of the back seats, so don't expect it's crispness to last long.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy exterior front three quarter green paint

Army Green is certainly not the color for a Palisade, but regardless of paint choice, the styling feels unnecessarily ostentatious. Large lighting elements, excessive grille detailing, and an abundance of visual mass make it look heavier than it actually is.

Sometimes less is more, and the Palisade has taken 'inspiration' too far in bluntly copying Land Rover and their popular Range Rover model line-up. Heck, even the name Calligraphy feels like a cheap shot at the Autobiography trim reserved for select Range Rovers.

I also can't ignore the stop-sale that affected Palisades earlier this year after concerns involving the power-folding rear seats. The feature, while undeniably convenient, was found capable of continuing its closing operation despite an occupant being present, with tragic results.

Hyundai's remedy was a software update, and the issue has luckily reportedly been addressed. Still, when discussing a feature intended to operate around children and families, some buyers may reasonably need time before placing full trust in the system.

The best Palisade, but it could be better

It's difficult to criticize a vehicle for something as subjective as design because many buyers may genuinely love the look, both inside and out. For this reviewer, however, both are negatives because they could have been executed better. The cabin quality is excellent, but what stings most is that Hyundai's sibling brand appears to have gotten the styling formula more right; The revised Kia Telluride is simply the more attractive vehicle in every possible area.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy front seats

The introduction of a hybrid powertrain was long overdue for this segment, and it does transform the Palisade into a far more compelling vehicle than before. Better fuel economy, stronger low-end response, and a genuinely luxurious cabin make this the best Palisade yet on the road.

The problem is that strong competition already exists. Toyota's Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX offers more space, better fuel economy, and superior performance, while Kia's Telluride appears poised to deliver a more attractive interpretation of the same formula of the Palisade.

Even with such a commendably luxurious interior, that leaves the Palisade Hybrid in an unusual position. It's finally become the vehicle it always should have been mechanically underneath, yet it still falls just short of being the segment benchmark.