2026 Hyundai Palisade: A Boxier Redesign

The Hyundai Palisade is getting a major redesign for the 2026 model year.

• The mid-size SUV will feature a more boxy design, inspired by the Santa Fe.
• The interior will be upgraded with a larger digital display and more advanced tech.

Hyundai has been undergoing a design renaissance lately, with edgy new products like the Kona, Elantra, Santa Cruz, and its entire Ioniq EV lineup successfully standing out from an arguably mundane crowd.

Next up for an aesthetic overhaul is their largest and hot-selling SUV, the mid-size Palisade. As our sleuths behind the lens reveal, the 3-row crossover trades smooth lines for a boxy new look. Curious for more details? We’ve decoded the camouflage to offer you the most revealing preview yet.

A Boxy Beaut

The outgoing Palisade was quite an attractive thing, yet its replacement ups the ante with a squared-off appearance that takes the best elements of the new Santa Fe and melds them into an astoundingly visually dominant package.

Upscale Interior

The interior largely mirrors Hyundai’s upcoming Ioniq 7 electric SUV and has a light and airy ambience with ovoid-themed door panels, door handles, and other trim elements. A seven-seat configuration and a second-row captain’s chair arrangement are available.

A gigantic curved digital instrument cluster and infotainment display dominate the dashboard, and leather-trimmed seats, door cards, and the dashboard add a touch of luxury. Three USB-C charging ports are located in a semi-floating center console arrangement ahead of the cupholders. Tech goodies include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, intelligent cruise control, a 360-degree camera system that doubles as a blind-spot camera, and ambient lighting.

The Important Bits

Reports from South Korea last year suggested the new Hyundai Palisade would ditch its existing 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and 3.8-litre V6 gasoline engines with a pair of turbocharged replacements to fill the gap. Under the bonnet, expect a 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo gas engine paired with a hybrid system. There will also be a larger, turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that will easily surpass the 291 hp (217 kW / 295 PS) of the current naturally aspirated 3.8-liter engine. It will also grow to provide more space for second and third-row occupants.

Rivals and Reveal

Key rivals, aside from its corporate sibling the Kia Telluride, include the VW Atlas, Toyota Grand Highlander, Mazda CX-90, Honda Pilot, Subaru Ascent, Ford Explorer, and Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Expect the new Palisade to debut late this year or early next as a 2026 model, since the current version already occupies the 2025MY slot. The new Palisade will be joined by a three-row electric SUV, possibly named Ioniq 7 or Ioniq 9. Built on Hyundai’s new E-GMP platform, this SUV will serve as Hyundai’s counterpart to the Kia EV9.

What do you think of the Palisade’s boxier aesthetic? Tell us in the comments below.