Five Reasons the Hyundai Palisade Is an Amazing Three-Row SUV

Three-row SUVs are among the most impressive vehicles available today, as they seamlessly combine the elegance and functionality of a midsize model with the spacious interior and ample seating of a full-size SUV. It’s no wonder these vehicles have been gaining popularity lately, and the Hyundai Palisade is a terrific example of that.

Whether you’re already interested in a Hyundai Palisade for sale near Clinton or you’ve just started checking out what this SUV has to offer, we’re here to help you find everything you’re looking for. Even when you compare the all-new, second-generation 2026 Palisade to a popular alternative like the 2026 Honda Pilot, it’s clear that Hyundai gives you more to enjoy each day.

#1 – Incredible Performance With Two Engine Options

There’s a lot to be said for the Hyundai Palisade and everything it brings to the road, but we thought the performance it delivers is the perfect place to start. After all, other great features don’t count for much if your SUV feels awful every time you get behind the wheel and hit the road.

Fortunately, Hyundai understands this well, and the 2026 Palisade is available with two engines, offering impressive performance. The standard powertrain features a 3.5L V6 engine that produces 287 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, providing ample power as you drive around Clinton. By comparison, the 2026 Honda Pilot, refreshed and updated this year, comes with a 3.5L V6 that offers 285 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque—nearly identical.

Where Hyundai pushes the limits on what we expect, however, is with the addition of an available hybrid option to enhance your daily time on the road. If you opt for a Palisade hybrid model, you’ll get a 2.5L turbocharged I-4 hybrid engine that delivers an impressive 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. 

You can see that’s a considerable boost over its standard engine and what Honda offers; there’s no second powertrain available for the Pilot, which showcases just how well Hyundai understands what we want in a three-row SUV these days. The standard engine is excellent, and Honda has impressed us by matching it, but the available hybrid takes things to another level that the Pilot simply can’t reach.

#2 – Plenty of Great Trim Levels

One of the things we love about the Hyundai lineup is that it offers a wide range of models and options to choose from. Even when you’ve narrowed things down to the all-new 2026 Palisade, you still have a lot of terrific trims available. In fact, with the standard powertrain, Hyundai offers seven different trim levels. 

The standard SE is a great place to start if you’re shopping on a budget, while the high-end Calligraphy model delivers stunning luxury and much more. And if you prefer the performance of a hybrid model, Hyundai still offers four different Palisade models to choose from, with a streamlined selection. 

Looking at the updated 2026 Pilot, Honda offers six trim levels, including the Black Edition; however, there are really five main options. That’s not bad, but we prefer the freedom that Hyundai provides, allowing you to get exactly what you need without missing a thing.

#3 – Fantastic Fuel Efficiency

Although a powerful engine is essential with large SUVs like the Palisade and Pilot, it’s just as vital that you can take care of everything you need to do around Clinton without too many stops for gas. Hyundai’s engineers understand this well, and they have worked diligently to ensure the Palisade is a three-row SUV that serves as a fantastic daily driver with excellent fuel economy. 

When considering a 2026 Palisade equipped with its standard engine, you can expect an estimated 19 MPG in the city, 25 MPG on the highway, and 21 MPG in combined fuel efficiency with front-wheel drive (FWD). Going with all-wheel drive (AWD) lowers the fuel economy slightly to 18 MPG in the city, 24 MPG on the highway, and 20 MPG combined.

We don’t have fuel economy numbers for the 2026 Pilot yet, but we can examine the gas mileage of the 2025 model to get a decent idea, as it shares the same engine. The 2025 Pilot achieves an estimated 19 MPG in the city, 27 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG in combined fuel efficiency, numbers very similar to those offered by the Palisade, which is no surprise. 

Again, Hyundai goes further thanks to its hybrid option, which achieves an estimated 33 MPG in the city, 35 MPG on the highway, and 34 MPG of combined gas mileage with FWD—approximately 29 MPG of combined gas mileage with AWD instead. Since Honda isn’t giving the Pilot a hybrid engine for the 2026 update, we doubt it will come close to what the Palisade can do.

#4 – Beautifully Spacious Interior

Since this is a three-row SUV, you get a lot more seating inside the Palisade than with many other models out there. Hyundai has designed its interior beautifully to ensure you and your passengers have plenty of room. 

You can choose from a model with a second-row bench to achieve eight-passenger seating, or opt for a pair of captain’s chairs in the middle for seven-passenger seating instead. Either way, you get more than 41 inches of headroom and 44 inches of legroom up front, plus about 40 inches of second-row headroom and 43 inches of legroom. 

Folks in the back still get more than 37 inches of headroom and 32 inches of legroom, so you’ve got room for your whole family to pile in. And with about 19 cu.ft of rear cargo space and more than 86 cu.ft of total cargo volume behind the front row, there’s plenty of space for everything you need.

#5 – Advanced Tech Features and Options

We love seeing the exciting tech features and options available in the auto industry these days, especially when looking at Hyundai models (no surprise). Although we don’t have all the details of the 2026 Pilot just yet, since Honda is still releasing more information as the launch approaches, some specs are available. 

Honda has increased the size of the infotainment display to 12.3 inches, paired with a 10.2-inch Digital Instrument Cluster that’s also significantly larger than the screen in last year’s model. We’re sure there will be several available options and upgrades, including a good sound system, but we haven’t seen any details yet.

Inside the 2026 Hyundai Palisade, you’ll find similar features along with some enhancements that provide a superior experience every day. A 12.3-inch infotainment display is standard in the Palisade, the same size as the one in the Pilot, along with a 4.2-inch Multi-Information Display. This is smaller than the driver’s screen in the Pilot. 

Still, every trim level beyond the starting Palisade comes with a larger 12.3-inch Digital Instrument Cluster, which is larger than what Honda offers, making it easier to read at a glance. Other available options, like a wireless charging pad and a 14-speaker Bose Premium sound system with Centerpoint technology, ensure you have a terrific time driving around Clinton each day.

The Perfect Three-Row SUV for Clinton Drivers

As you can see, Hyundai has gone above and beyond to make the all-new 2026 Palisade everything we look for in a fantastic SUV. You get a spacious interior for your passengers, excellent tech features to enhance your time on the road, and your choice of two powerful and efficient engines. 

No matter what you’re looking for in your family’s next three-row SUV, the Palisade is ready to deliver. The Honda Pilot is a fine vehicle and improved for the 2026 model year, but it still can’t compete with the Palisade. Once you’re ready to see this SUV and everything it has to offer, we’re here at Rusty Wallace Hyundai to show you what it can do.

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