The Hyundai Palisade has always been one of those ‘if you know, you know’ type of SUVs. It doesn’t whisper ‘quiet luxury’ because it undeniably has road presence, almost seemingly screaming wealth in your face when you see it drive past you down the street. I say so because it’s somewhat flown under the radar since it arrived here.
You can’t blame the brand or the car, though—by the time the Palisade made its way to the Philippines, buyers loaded enough to get one already had other, more established options to choose from. The likes of the Ford Explorer or even the Toyota Alphard have long been available. Heck, if their pockets were deep enough for a Palisade, a Land Cruiser 200 or a Nissan Patrol might even be in their options.
But times have changed since. The Korean car brand has been overhauled in our market, and along with the new management, it’s got a new-and-improved lineup. Most of its models have now been electrified, the Palisade included.
It’s gone hybrid for this new generation, and the best part is that its price tag hasn’t ballooned. Despite that, however, it’s still got its work cut out for it, especially with newer generations of the go-to premium SUVs already here. That’s why it’s still a question: For those eyeing a more upmarket ride, is the Hyundai Palisade worth considering in 2026?
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Styling
I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it for as many times as I need to: Hyundai’s current design game is on point. Its new models have gone boxier and classier, and the Palisade gets the same treatment. And on this big SUV, that design language looks good.
The large horizontal slats emphasize just how large this vehicle is, and it ties everything together quite well—the horizontal trim on the grille, the shape of the front lip, and even the matching taillights at the rear. I’m also a fan of how the front fascia of the Palisade looks a bit Genesis-like with that wide crest. I don’t know if that was intentional, but it’s a way of saying that this promises a level of luxury higher than your typical Hyundai.
I dig the fitment on the Palisade, too. The massive wheels and low-profile tires with the small wheel gap work excellently for the overall look, as well as the 3D-like pattern on the spokes. The Robust Emerald Green exterior finish is also quite lovely to look at—emphasis on ‘look at’ because this color is a pain to photograph.
Interior
Damn, where do I begin? This is, quite honestly, one of the best Hyundai cabins I’ve ever been in. The Ioniq 5 and 6 are nice and all, but the sheer amount of space you get in the Palisade is just unmatched across the lineup. Except, perhaps, in the Ioniq 9, but I digress.
Anywhere you sit inside the Palisade, you’ll be comfortable because there’ll be more than enough legroom, headroom, and elbow room to go around. This applies even to third-row passengers. All of the seats are plush and comfortable, especially the captain seats in the middle, but more on that later.
Up front, the cockpit is as roomy as it gets, yet it doesn’t feel overwhelming from behind the wheel. Everything is still within reach and easily accessible, from the large storage compartment in the middle to the controls on the right-hand side of the dash. You might have to lean a bit for some of the knobs and buttons on the far end, but that’s it.
It’s not just ergonomics and space where the Palisade’s interior shines, mind you—the design in and of itself is worth mentioning. Like the Ioniqs, it’s so clean that it doesn’t even have a Hyundai badge on the steering wheel. The stitched leather is minimalist, and there are only a few tasteful contrasting plastic trims and a touch of fabrics here and there that add flavor to the look. There are also some textured panels on the dash and the center console that I think have been laid out quite nicely.
As mentioned, captain seats are available in the second row, and these get butterfly headrests, foldable armrests, and ventilation and heating functions. Massage functions, interestingly enough, are only available for the driver and not anywhere else. Perhaps Hyundai kept the chauffeur’s comfort in mind when they built this car, no?
Even with all the creature comforts, the Palisade can still somewhat double as a utilitarian vehicle, too. All rear seats fold flat, and it can be done with a push of some buttons at the back. I did find the third-row seats wonky at times, though, with the headrest failing to flip downward as the actual seats folded, and it was a good thing the movement could be easily stopped and reversed. Then again, I figured that outside of testing purposes, this is something that won’t be used as often, anyway, so this should be a small compromise would-be owners can make.
Engine performance
Of all the upgrades that the Palisade has gotten, this might arguably be the best one. This full-size SUV now comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with dual electric motors. This setup is capable of 329hp and 422Nm of torque is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Now, those figures may seem a bit small for such a large vehicle, but I’ll be the one to tell you that this SUV has plenty of power on tap. Whether you’re strolling around the city or getting up to speed on the highway, this engine accelerates smoothly. The pedal feels precise, as if you’re always getting just the right amount of power that you ask for. There’s enough oomph for overtakes, and cruising on the highway will be like a walk in the park.
But pulling power aside, what’s really most impressive about the Palisade is its fuel economy it delivers. This easily does 18-20km/L on an open expressway and drops to about 8-9km/L in the city with occasional traffic. Over the course of 1,000km, the vehicle consistently did about 13-14km/L. Good luck getting similar numbers in a different non-hybrid SUV that’s this big and heavy.
Ride and handling
This isn’t a luxury vehicle, but when you’re being driven around in it, it will feel like one. The ride is supple no matter where you’re sitting in the cabin. You won’t feel undulations whether you’re behind the wheel or in the third row. The Palisade just eats up road imperfections with ease. You will feel some vibrations every now and then because the tires underneath are quite thin, but not enough to the point that it’s already disturbing for other passengers.
The Palisade also handles well. Really well. This and the excellent ride comfort actually have a little something to do with the hybrid powertrain. See, the electric motors aren’t there just for propulsion. They also assist in reducing pitching when accelerating or decelerating, as well as bounce when driving over road imperfections and speed bumps. The motors also apply torque vectoring when cornering to improve traction and enhance stability. It’s not something you’ll understand without reading up on it, but the system works seamlessly all the same, and that’s the beauty of it—you won’t feel the intervention as you drive.
In the city, however, the Palisade can be a chore to maneuver. It helps that it has cameras all around, but none of those will make this massive vehicle shrink. Just hours before I picked up the unit from BGC, I already found myself reversing out from a very tight alley because the Palisade didn’t fit the exit. Fortunately, I had the option to drive out from the entrance where the vehicle actually fit. But imagine if I didn’t have that luxury?
All that being said, I’d still have no problems daily driving this thing. I took it out every single day for an entire week, and I just planned my trips accordingly to avoid difficult situations. I was also strategic with my parking—I only picked the carparks that I was sure would fit the Palisade easily. I did run into another narrow street in Caloocan where I relied on both my passengers and the 360-degree camera to get through safely, but that was an isolated case. My usual routes aren’t anything like that, anyway.
Extra features
To quote myself from earlier: “Damn, where do I begin?” This is one of the most feature-packed Hyundais in the lineup today, and you’d need extensive kilometers to properly appreciate all the tech.
The easiest one to enjoy, of course, is the pair of 12.3-inch displays up front. One is the instrument cluster and the other is the infotainment system that comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both displays aren’t any different from what you get in other Hyundais, but at least the head unit one supports wired CarPlay. This is a good thing, given some wireless-only systems—I’m looking at you, Elantra and Creta—can get wonky at times. The head unit is paired with a 14-speaker Bose sound system that’s as premium as premium setups can get.
There’s also a new-meets-old kind of layout on the center console. Up top are buttons and knobs that look a bit old-school, while below is a touch panel flanked by knobs with digital displays. It’s a mix of retro and modern touches. I’m not a fan of touchscreen controls, so I’ll take all these any day of the week over having A/C settings buried deep in the head unit.
The heads-up display is a neat bonus here, too. It’s quite helpful, especially when you’re using the advanced driver-assist systems like the adaptive cruise control. This, by the way, is one of the best cruise-control setups I’ve used yet, because the system can detect vehicles up ahead, including those in other lanes.
Imagine you’re on the highway and you’ve set cruise to 100kph, but you’re tailing someone at 80kph. In the adjacent lanes, there are also vehicles cruising at 80kph but are a bit farther up ahead. In other adaptive cruise control systems, when you switch lanes and the road ahead ‘clears up’ even for just a bit, the vehicle will immediately accelerate to get your set speed, only to decelerate shortly after once you’ve closed in on the car up ahead. In a similar scenario with the Palisade, it’ll know that the road isn’t exactly ‘clear’ and it’ll only speed up by a bit, avoiding any abrupt movements. This is something you expect from a vehicle fully equipped with LiDAR, which the Palisade isn’t.
On top of these, the Palisade also gets lane-keeping and lane-following assist, a blind-spot view monitor, and parking-distance warning with reverse parking collision-avoidance assist. Multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad are also equipped inside the cabin for added convenience. And in true post-pandemic Hyundai fashion, there’s a UV-C sterilization tray as well.
Verdict
To go back to my question at the start of this review, is the Palisade worth considering in 2026? Heck yes it is. I say this with a lot of conviction: This is one of the best SUVs I’ve driven so far, from Hyundai or otherwise.
There’s plenty of tech, an abundance of space, and a cabin that just screams luxury. It’s comfortable whether on the expressway or in the metro, and it packs quite the punch under the hood. It’s incredibly fuel-efficient, too. Sure, that might not matter to buyers of a P3.98 million SUV, but when you’re out on a long drive and you rarely have the need to stop for gas, you’ll realize that you’re not just saving up on money but on time, too.
Sure, it’s a massive vehicle that’s hard to fit in a lot of carparks, but you can always look for alternative parking lots or simply plan out your drives. Now, if the roads in your area aren’t big enough for something like this, you wouldn’t even be considering getting one in the first place, so that shouldn’t be an issue for the target market.
The Hyundai Palisade Hybrid is simply the complete package. Hypothetically speaking, if I were in the market for a comfortable SUV that I know I’ll never need to take off-road, I’d probably get this over a Land Cruiser or a Patrol. There, I said it. It’s just that good.
SPECS: 2026 Hyundai Palisade 2.5T HEV Calligraphy 6AT AWD
Price: P3,980,000
Powertrain: 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 + dual electric motors
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 329hp (combined power)
Torque: 422Nm (combined torque)
Layout: AWD
Seating: 6
Score: 10/10
More photos of the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid:
