2026 Hyundai Palisade Is Way Better as a Hybrid

However, I also had the opportunity to drive the Palisade Hybrid a couple of hundred miles through the rolling hills outside of Austin, Texas. The Hybrid’s smooth, linear power and accessible torque flattened out many of the small hills without requiring a downshift from the transmission. And when one was required, the six-speed automatic quickly dropped a single gear, unlocking enough power to glide up and over the next crest. I applaud Hyundai for using a six-speed transmission, as its well-sorted gearing means that it never drops more than two gears or hunts around for the best gear while cruising. Transmissions with eight, nine or 10 speeds can shift too often, making the vehicle feel both restless and underpowered as it can seem like it’s never in the right gear.

The Palisade’s hybrid system is also nearly seamless in its operation, especially at higher speeds. On country roads with speed limits ranging from 50 mph to 70 mph, the Palisade Hybrid’s turbocharged four-cylinder would be quietly switched off and the electric drive motor would take over, sometimes for a few seconds on flat ground and sometimes for much longer while descending a grade. The electric handoff was so subtle that I had to watch the tachometer to see when it read 0 rpm and when it read a normal engine speed. While a few seconds of electric-only propulsion doesn’t seem like it would save a lot of gas, its sneaky and almost constant operation adds up to some serious fuel savings when compared to its V6 counterpart.

In its most fuel-efficient form, the Palisade Hybrid delivers an EPA-estimated 34 mpg, which, when combined with its 18-gallon fuel tank, promises a cruising range of over 600 miles. Even when equipped with all-wheel drive and the large 21-inch wheels, the Hybrid is still rated to return 29 mpg combined. For comparison, the best a V6-powered Palisade can do, according to the EPA, is 21 mpg — and that’s for the front-wheel-drive model on the smallest wheels and tires.