2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Hybrid Review

As someone who spent years on the showroom floor talking to consumers and in two dozen years fielding questions on the radio, I’ve seen what families want from a three-row SUV: space, comfort, luxury touches at a reasonable price, and yes—something that doesn’t make you wince at the pump. The new 2026 Palisade Calligraphy Hybrid checks all those boxes, and with the hybrid system added to what was already a strong package, it’s well worth your attention.

When I first climbed into the standard V6 2026 Palisade Calligraphy, I was impressed. The exterior styling already steps up from earlier models. The grille, the stacked lighting elements, the big 21-inch wheels—all sharpen the visual presence.   I particularly like the brushed aluminum on the rear corners that appear to connect to the luggage rack.  Nice touch Hyundai!

Inside, you get the full luxury treatment: Nappa leather seats, ambient lighting, and crossover-SUV-level gadgets like the blind-spot camera feed on the dash when you hit the turn signals. I said in my first Calligraphy review that Hyundai took an already great SUV and made it even better. And that was before the hybrid arrived at my office this week.

All I wrote previously on this SUV stands: You get all that, plus the new turbo/hybrid drivetrain that offers both more power and better efficiency. It produces 329- horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, and in real-world testing, it got from 0-to-60 miles per hour in around 6.6 seconds—significantly quicker than the V-6 version. So right away, the hybrid deepens the appeal for me and my heavy foot: not just luxury and space, but performance and fewer trips to the gas station.  My tester is all-wheel drive, which would be a must for me.

In my earlier review of the non-hybrid Palisade, I praised the interior for its quietness, luxury, and value. Those same strengths carry into the hybrid. Hyundai hasn’t skimped inside: the sumptuous leather, premium surfaces, and practical family-SUV cues remain intact. The hybrid also does an especially good job at noise suppression—one of the few three-rows where you can carry on a quiet conversation. That matters when you’re hauling kids, grandparents, groceries, gear, and maybe a tow-behind trailer.

Both the 2026 models I’ve had were the top-of-the-line Calligraphy trim.  So this one has seats that look luxurious,  they are heated and cooled, power adjusting on both sides, the driver gets a massage if he or she chooses, but both front seats have a relaxation feature that is also power. This feature tilts the seats back and footrests, like a recliner, come out to elevate your feet and legs.  This is a great feature for passengers on trips, or for a driver who needs to pull over to rest their eyes.

As you enter the cabin, you see a large, curved screen that runs from the left side of the dash continuously to just past center dash.  In reality, it is two 12.3” screens that appear as one.  In front of the driver is the gauge cluster that displays speed, fuel level, trip and odometer readings, navigation directions, safety alerts, driver-assist status, and with this hybrid model comes energy flow, battery level, and regenerative braking information. 

The other half of the big screen handles the infotainment system.  The touchscreen controls navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Bose audio system, voice recognition, over-the-air updates, multiple USB-C ports, and seamless integration with vehicle settings, camera views, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and a Wi-Fi Hotspot.  There is also real-time weather, sports, and more.

Also, this is super cool and not expected at this price point:  an integrated dash cam uses the vehicle’s built-in front and rear cameras to record high-resolution video (2,980 × 1,440 pixels at 30 fps) while driving or when motion or impacts are detected in parking mode. It can be activated manually through the infotainment screen or set for continuous recording, with event-based clips automatically saved when the system detects sudden braking, collisions, or movement around the vehicle. Footage is stored on an internal drive and can be reviewed on the center display or exported via a MicroSD card slot in the glovebox for backup or sharing. 

Also, something you wouldn’t expect at this price, a UV-C sanitizing compartment, all positioned for comfort and easy access.  The sanitizing compartment uses ultraviolet light to help disinfect small personal items like phones, keys, and wallets while you drive.  It also doubles as the center glove box area between the seats.

The Palisade is extremely comfortable for the second and third-row passengers. The second-row captain chairs are heated and cooled, and they are power to slide forward and back, and they also recline. Calligraphy models feature a full panel of second-row climate controls, mounted on the headliner putting comfort right at passengers’ fingertips.  The air conditioning vents are also in the ceiling, there are manual sunshades on both side windows, and USB-C 100-watt ports built into the front seats to serve the second row passengers.  Trust me, nobody will mind riding back there. 

Cargo space remains the same as before as you open the amazingly fast tailgate: 19 cubic feet behind the third row, 46 with the third row folded, and 86.7 when the second row is down and everything folds very flat, unlike many 3-row SUVs.

Hybrid vs Non-Hybrid

This is where the hybrid version really pulls ahead of the non-hybrid. With the V-6 version, the cabin and ride were refined but acceleration lagged, at least for me. For a nearly 5,000-pound SUV, 0-to-60 in eight seconds is acceptable but not thrilling. Enter the hybrid: using the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder plus electric motors, you get instant torque off the line, smoother transitions, and better responsiveness. The hybrid also gives you the bonus of EV-mode operation when parked, so you can run the air-conditioning without firing up the engine and it will tell you when that is going on right on the gauge cluster.  The entire hybrid system is seamless.

Fuel economy jumps dramatically—up to 34 miles per gallon in front-wheel drive form and 29 for all-wheel drive, compared to 20 overall for the non-hybrid. The ride remains smooth and refined, and the steering stays precise but relaxed. What you get in exchange is better power, quieter operation, and the same confident feel that made the original Calligraphy so appealing.

Standard Features

Notable standard features include: Nappa leather seating, power front seats with ventilation, heated second-row captain’s chairs, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a head-up display, premium 14-speaker Bose Premium audio, tri-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a hands-free liftgate, second-row sunshades, a dual-pane sunroof, wireless charging, abundant USB-C ports, and 21-inch alloy wheels.

Safety Features

Safety features include: a comprehensive safety package—including 10 airbags, seatbelt pretensioners across all three rows, surround-view camera, safe-exit warning, forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, highway driving assist, adaptive cruise control with navigation-based slowdown, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance, reverse parking collision-avoidance, and a rear occupant alert system.

It also comes with Smart Park Assist that allows you to move the Palisade forward or backward from outside the vehicle using the Smart Key—and it automatically stops or steers around detected obstacles.  This is great for getting out of tight parking spots, plus it is fun to watch others faces when you back the SUV out with nobody inside.

One note about the remote start from the key fob or your cell phone:  With every other vehicle I’ve been in, when you activate the remote start, when you get in, you have to push the vehicle start button.  Hyundai thought of everything.   When you get in the Palisade with the key fob and sit down, everything comes on.  No need to hit the start button.  Put it in gear and GO.

What You'll Pay and Fuel Economy

In my earlier review, I noted that Hyundai priced the Calligraphy right, calling it amazing luxury at a bargain price. With the hybrid, that value proposition gets stronger, assuming you weigh the price premium against the fuel savings and improved performance. The hybrid adds about $2,200 over the V-6 version, which seems fair considering the efficiency and extra punch it delivers.

But let’s put aside the extra horsepower for a moment and just look at the financial impact of the hybrid.  I’ll use these assumptions: $3.08 per gallon of unleaded gas, which is the national average at the time of this writing, and we’ll assume the national average of driving miles, which is 15,000 per year.  With the gas engine, city and highway MPG combined is 20.  So, you’ll use 750 gallons of gas a year, at $3.08 per gallon means you’ll spend $2,310 at the pump.  Same equation with the hybrid at 29 MPG, you’ll use 517 gallons at $3.08 per gallon for a total of $1,593 at your favorite station.

That cuts your gas expense by $717 per year, and the hybrid upcharge is exactly $2,220. In 37 months, you’ll save enough in gas costs to pay for the hybrid system and then your savings start.  If you drive more than 15,000 miles per year, the breakeven point comes quicker.  If you drive fewer miles, it will take longer.  Did I mention you also get more horsepower?  WINNING!

If a buyer is watching every dollar and doesn’t drive much, the standard V6 Calligraphy still gives them the luxury and the comfort they want. But for anyone who takes road trips, hauls a family, or just wants fewer gas-station visits, the hybrid feels like the smart choice to me.

Verdict

If you already liked what the 2026 Palisade Calligraphy offered—the soft ride, the luxe interior, the kid-haul capability—but wished for quicker acceleration or better mileage, the hybrid answers both, without losing any of its charm. It’s still the same handsome, practical family SUV, just with more brains under the hood.  My only hope is that my friends at Hyundai are able to gear production to about 80% hybrids, and 20% V6, because my guess is, that will be how this hot-seller shakes out.