12-02-2025
2026 Hyundai Palisade Will Add a 334-HP Turbocharged Hybrid Option
Hyundai has detailed the powertrains that the new 2026 Palisade will offer in Korea.
The standard engine is a 281-hp 2.5-liter turbo-four, and a hybrid version joins the lineup and offers 334 horsepower.
We expect to see the U.S. version of the new Palisade soon, along with a redesigned version of its Kia Telluride sibling.
Hyundai first revealed the new 2026 Palisade at the end of 2024, and we now have more details about the powertrains that this new three-row SUV will offer in its home market of Korea. A hybrid model will join the lineup for the first time, and a turbocharged four-cylinder will replace the outgoing model's naturally aspirated V-6. While Hyundai has only detailed the Korea-spec version so far, we think this provides good indication of what the new Palisade—and its Kia Telluride sibling—will offer once it comes to the U.S.
The standard engine is a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four with 281 horsepower, presumably the same engine found in the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, among other models. Hyundai hasn't said what transmission it has, but we hope it will be different from the dual-clutch unit that pairs with this engine in other applications, as this gearbox is clunky in operation and gave us issues in our long-term Kia Sorento with this powertrain.
The new addition is a hybrid drivetrain that also uses this turbo 2.5-liter gas engine. Hyundai claims a total output of 334 horsepower, a big uptick from the current model's 291-hp 3.8-liter V-6. This combined power output would also make it more powerful than many of the other hybrid mid-size SUVs on the market, though it would still trail the 362-hp Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. The hybrid version of the Palisade has all-wheel drive, and Hyundai says that adaptive dampers are available.
Some of the Korea-spec Palisade's more out-there features, including the front bench seat that brings passenger capacity to nine, may not make their way to the U.S. market. But we wager that most of what you see here, from the exterior styling to the upscale interior materials in the Calligraphy version (pictured above), indicate what the U.S.-spec car will look like. Expect Hyundai to confirm the 2026 Palisade's U.S. details within the next few months, as we expect it to go on sale here by the end of the year.
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