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We love being proven right. Last year, we named the Hyundai Palisade as our favorite family vehicle in any segment. Now that the three-row SUV has scored its first Top Safety Pick+ award since the 2023 model, it only confirms what we already knew, that this car simply can't be beat as the all-around best vehicle on the road for families.
The funny thing about this award, though, is that it comes with a catch. Hyundai upgraded the Palisade's rear seatbelts last November, and the Top Safety Pick+ award only applies to the 2026 models that were built since then (you can check the sticker in the door jamb to check the production date). Even so, with this new award under its belt, we think the Palisade has earned an updated overview. Here's why it's still the best family car on the market.
Versatile, Roomy, Reliable, And Even Good-Looking
Anything you could reasonably want in a family car, the Hyundai Palisade delivers. To reiterate much of what we stated when we first declared the car a favorite last year.
The Palisade Hybrid Addresses Our Fuel-Efficiency Complaints
One of our biggest criticisms of older Palisades was that they could be a bit thirsty, and that's definitely a problem when gas is over five bucks a gallon in some areas. The 2026 model year solves that problem with the addition of a hybrid model. Checking in with the EPA to see what these SUVs cost to refuel, assuming front-wheel drive, and 15,000 miles driven each year, here's what we get. The standard Palise does 21 mpg on the combined cycle, and comes with an annual fuel cost of $2,850. The hybrid does 31 mpg, and only costs $1,950 to run.
Note that the 21-mpg ICE Palisade is still an excellent family SUV in more ways than not. But gas prices are still ticking upwards, and that 10 extra miles per gallon goes a long way these days.
The Palisade Is Still Affordable, Despite Rising Car Prices
A new car costs more than $50,000 these days. The Hyundai Palisade starts at under $40,000, a price point that is becoming uncommon for three-row SUVs. Let's compare some key trims.
The entry-level hybrid will cost you $4,725 more than the entry-level ICE model, but the prices even out the higher up the trim list you go, so the top-tier Calligraphy Hybrid only costs $2,220 more than the ICE version of the same trim, offering up goodies like front and back row heated and cooled seats finished in premium Nappa leather, and an in-cabin intercom system.
The Hyundai Palisade Is Easy To Maintain
A good family car needs to be resilient. Gearheads, collectors, and enthusiasts may have the time and energy to change their oil a few thousand miles early, but busy parents usually don't. Thankfully, the Palisade's 84/100 J.D. Power Quality & Reliability rating ensures fewer trips to the shop, and RepairPal estimates an annual maintenance cost of just $468, with the following listed as the most expensive common fixes.
- Seat heater replacement $1,151 - $1,220
- Engine front cover gasket replacement $1,135 - $1,578
- Stabilizer bushing replacement $567 - $807
- Air conditioning expansion valve replacement $527 - $613
- Engine oil pan replacement $402 - $499
We can't exactly recommend putting off routine maintenance, but the Palisade is a car that won't fall apart at the seams if you just don't have time to get those filters swapped until the weekend. That counts for a lot in a family car.
And Now, It's Safer Than Ever
Safety is the foundation of a good family car. Ultimately, we're after peace of mind, and with its newly-awarded Top Safety Pick+ prize, the Palisade delivers that in spades. Here's how it scored in the crash test.
"Good" basically means an A+ rating for the IIHS, so this is a perfect report card.
The Palisade Avoided Collision In Almost Every Crash Prevention Test
What really scored the Palisade the award would be its front crash prevention test results. These ratings are more important than ever to the IIHS, and Hyundai excels in this regard. The car avoided a collision in every single car-to-car test run. One passenger collision saw the car reducing its speed to 7 mph, and one car-to-motorcycle test saw the Palisade reducing its speed to 3 mph. Otherwise, the car prevented a crash in every single test.
Older Palisades Are No Slouches, Either
Hyundai didn't add the hybrid model until 2025, for the 2026 model year, but there really isn't a version of this car that we find hard to recommend. While the 2025 model year didn't score the coveted plus-sign, it did earn a standard Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, essentially the organization's silver medal, and it earned that award thanks in part to a near-perfect crash-prevention score.
According to CarComplaints, every model year Palisade is more reliable than the last. The 2020 model has 50 complaints on file, most of them due to cracked windshields. The 2021 model has just 20 complaints on file, and the 2022 model has just seven reports. The 2025 model has yet to generate a single complaint.
Our advice would be to look for anything from 2021 and later if you want a used model. Not that the 2020 model is a dud, but first-year models, for any nameplate, and for any generation, often have a host of issues that won't be ironed out until later model years.
Older Models Are Affordable, But Prices Are Ticking Upwards
Based on our price tracking tool, we can see that an entry-level 2021 Palisade is trending at around $11,000 less than its initial MSRP. But, that price is steadily tracking upwards, so you don't want to sleep on the opportunity if you find one that's priced to move.
Checking in with our marketplace to find a few used models for sale, here's what we can turn up.
- A 72,220-mile 2021 Limited is selling for $27,073 in Texas.
- A 142,155-mile 2022 SEL is selling for $18,490 in Arizona.
- A 60,354-mile 2021 SE is selling for $18,595 in Florida.
- A 93,226-mile 2021 SEL is selling for $18,771 in Connecticut.
- A 63,760-mile 2021 SEL is selling for $24,999 in California.
As you can see, mileage is all over the place, and so is pricing. Our take: budget around $20,000 to $25,000 for a used model from the 2021-2023 model years, and find something with the lowest mileage you can get for the price.
These cars are too young to be selling with six figures on the odometer at these prices. $18,490 for a 142,155-mile 2022 model is laughable when you could spend the same money on something with half the mileage. Even with prices trending slightly upwards, there's no reason you should be dropping nearly $20,000 on something that's already having its mid-life crisis at just four years old.
New Or Used, The Palisade Is A Car You Don't Have To Worry About
All we're really after in a family car is worry-free functionality, right? We don't want it to snow and think "my car won't make it home on these roads." We don't want to hear constant unexplained ticking under the hood, and we don't want to be hit with a series of terrifying recalls for fire hazards and steering wheels that fly off the shaft when you're driving.
What About Rivals?
Main rivals in this segment are the equally popular Kia Telluride and Honda Pilot, both of which are revered for similar qualities as the Palisade. The Hyundai SUV starts just under $40k, as does the 2027 Telluride, which differs in base MSRP by a few hundred dollars. The Pilot, however, has a starting price of $42,395, with the most expensive model surpassing $55k.
Telluride models come in gas or hybrid, but the Pilot is ICE only, which makes comparing for efficiency a battle between the two Korean models. In this case, the Telluride just manages to beat out the Palisade with best mpg figures of 34/36/35 mpg versus 33/35/34 mpg. That small difference can be weighed against the power discrepancy between the two cars, too, with the 258-hp Palisade being less potent than the 329-hp Telluride.
Still, the Hyundai Palisade is fun to drive, delivering good performance and efficiency for a price that doesn't break the bank. But, more than that, it's a car you don't have to think about anymore than you want to think about it. In other words, the perfect thing for busy parents.
Sources: Hyundai, RepairPal, J.D. Power, CarComplaints.
