Hyundai introduces next generation of popular Palisade SUV with more tech, hybrid model

For transporting big families, you need a big vehicle. That's what has made the three-row Hyundai Palisade a popular choice since it was first introduced in 2019.

Now, there's a second-generation Palisade for 2026.

For a car company, hitting a home run with a new model is quite the payoff. That's what happened in 2019 when Hyundai launched the Palisade, the company's largest SUV. Dealers couldn't keep the three-row crossover in stock, even with the factory building as many of them as possible.

Now, the follow-up has arrived in the form of the new 2026 Palisade. It's definitely different looking, both inside and out, but retains the attributes that made the first generation so popular -- namely, plenty of room inside for families. The base MSRP for the new Hyundai SUV is $41,035.

As technology marches forward, we're treated to the ubiquitous trend in the automotive industry, a wide touch screen. V6 power continues under the hood, though the engine can feel like it's struggling with a full load on board, it is still smooth and quiet overall.

To give the new Palisade a push, Hyundai created a clever ad campaign around electric actress Parker Posey.

For this generation of Palisade, Hyundai decided it should get more than just a makeover, but also new choices to attract a wider variety of buyers.

XRT Pro is a new variation of Palisade -- basically the off-road version of the vehicle, as long as you don't go too far into the true wilderness. It has special wheels and tires, a bit more ground clearance, high-tech traction aids, bright red recovery hooks -- just in case -- and style points all over the place. It has a starting price of just over $55,000.

Going the other direction, and also new for Palisade, there's a hybrid model for the first time. The hybrid has four-cylinder power and electric power instead of the standard V6, with the payoff being improved fuel economy. The EPA rating for two-wheel drive is 33 city, 35 highway, and 34 combined -- about a 50% improvement over the V6. The trend of increasing hybrid popularity in the industry means the model could do very well. The Palisade Hybrid is priced from a tad under $46,000 to just over $60,000 for the most loaded-up version with all-wheel drive.

It's too soon to tell whether the new Palisade will be a sales home run like the previous one was, but with new looks and familiar attributes, not to mention new choices, you probably wouldn't want to bet against that happening.