Hyundai’s Korean market just announced the new 2026 Hyundai Palisade. At the moment, there’s no word about the U.S. spec Palisade, but we suspect it will be unveiled in 2025. Living in the U.S. isn’t always rewarding.
Something Out of Star Wars
The Korean-spec Hyundai Palisade takes the mid-size SUV game to the next level. The redesign is not only elegant and classy from the outside but also prettier on the inside. Yes, just like the recently announced Hyundai Ioniq 9, the Hyundai Palisade also looks like something out of Star Wars.
In these times, engine sizes are shrinking with every newer model worldwide, while grilles are increasing in size. The new Palisade’s headlights sit hidden on the grille, but the Daytime running lamps are more than visible.
Prominence
The fender arches are prominent on the side. Still, their prominence is humbled by the 21-inch wheels, which are suspected to be Genesis products. The identical LED taillights perfectly complement the DRLs. The stylish trim that extends along the rear roof pillars links with the roof rails, adding another elegant visual detail.
Inside the Palisade
The interior seems very warm, welcoming, and fine. There’s no bling or shiny trims anywhere, just a functional, minimalist dash with physical buttons. Hyundai has added something called “ubiquitous curved digital display” to modernize the interior a bit. We don’t know how we feel about this as we are facing some difficulty pronouncing the word accurately.
A Mid-Size SUV with 9 Seats
Yes, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade has nine seats despite being a mid-size SUV. The current model has a wheelbase of 114.2 inches, but the 2026 model looks bigger. If you want to accommodate more people, Hyundai says the front center console lifts to create a three-across configuration.
Who doesn’t love a bench seat? We’ll have to wait and see if that feature is also offered on the U.S. version. The current Hyundai Palisade is powered by a 3.8l V6 that produces 291 hp. Hyundai will probably switch to a plug-in hybrid powertrain or decrease the engine size for the 2026 Hyundai Palisade.