Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro 2026 Review

With the inclusion of the Elite earlier in the year, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro further bolsters the lower ranks in the range. And considering the second generation launched with the spec-heavy Calligraphy, they’re much-needed additions.

The XRT Pro does things differently, though. For $79,900 (all prices exclude on-road costs), it offers Australian-tuned suspension, raised ride height, electronic limited-slip differential (e-LSD), all-terrain tyres and styling to fit an ‘adventurous’ lifestyle.

It’s trying to traverse a track the Subaru Outback always has, just with the added benefit of eight seats and more space. And while it might match up more favourably to a Ford Everest or Toyota Prado, it isn’t claiming to have quite as much off-road talent.

The XRT Pro is offered solely with a four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with all-wheel drive (AWD). If a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol electric powertrain is more your style, then the $76,500 base-model Elite will be more your style. Bookending the range is the luxe-focused Calligraphy Black Ink, which is $93,400 in seven-seat guise.

Hyundai’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty applies if you service with an approved dealer, while roadside assistance also renews yearly under the same conditions. Garage visits are recommended every 12 months or 10,000km, which is on the shorter side. Prepaid servicing for five years/50,000km costs $2366 – or $1958 across four years (or 40,000km) and $1430 (or 30,000km) for three.

Glance at the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro and you can tell it isn’t the average eight-seat SUV.

Its plastic body cladding isn’t merely for show, with exposed, load-rated recovery hooks, a factory-fitted tow bar and Continental all-terrain tyres wrapped around bespoke machine-finished 18-inch alloy wheels. Blacked-out details, unique door handle and grille treatments, as well as XRT Pro badging, complete the exterior aesthetic.

Oh, and the new Titan Charcoal paint, which costs $750 extra. Shimmering Silver, Ecotronic Grey, Classy Blue, Abyss Black and Cast Iron Brown are the other premium hues, while Creamy White is the only included colour.

Inside, the XRT Pro additions are centred around badging, with the logos appearing on the sweeping dashboard and the front-seat head restraints. Although, there are some blacked-out finishes, too. Other standard kit includes LED headlights, LED tail-lights with light bar, remote central locking, smart key, power-folding mirrors, shark-fin antenna, roof racks and a powered tailgate with hidden rear wiper.

The cabin uses synthetic leather, while the front pews are heated/ventilated and powered (10-way driver with lumbar adjust, eight-way passenger). There’s also tri-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and fingerprint authentication.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro runs with the five-star ANCAP safety rating awarded to the Calligraphy last year. It’s fitted with eight airbags – with the curtain airbags extending to the third row – and the large SUV scored highly for child and adult occupant protection.

The XRT Pro comes with the full suite of SmartSense driver aids, including the likes of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with lane keeping and front/rear cross-traffic alert.

Hyundai’s blind-view monitor showcases a live feed within the instrument cluster when indicating, while blind-spot monitors, parking sensors and a 360-degree camera also feature. The XRT Pro scores a see-through view for off-road adventures, but we’ll get to that soon.

Yes, driver monitoring and road-sign recognition are present. Both can be intrusive, and while Hyundai has built in measures to make it easier to deactivate annoying audible warnings via a mute button and starred menus, the process must be undertaken each time you press the ignition.

Much like the rest of the range, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro gains a host of tech features for your $80K.

Its dash houses dual 12.3-inch displays, with the central touchscreen handling infotainment, while the other deals with the instrument cluster. The former comes with Hyundai’s latest operating system and provides clean graphics as well as a fast response rate, with a menu layout that’s easy enough to decipher.

The XRT Pro gains specific menus and telemetry to aid off-road escapades. It’s convenient to be able to view data like pitch and roll angles, power distribution and e-LSD operation while on the move, which is easily accessed via the steering wheel-mounted button.

It is a shame that the head-up display isn’t included, though.

Families will appreciate the 14-speaker BOSE premium sound system, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other kit includes a wireless charge pad, in-built sat-nav, seven 100W USB-C ports, Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio and voice activation.

The Palisade also accepts over-the-air (OTA) updates, as well as the company’s Bluelink technology that allows remote access to your car via a smartphone. Hyundai’s digital key is also included, but the XRT Pro doesn’t gain V2L capability like its higher-grade hybrid siblings.

While it’s a shame that the plugless hybrid system doesn’t feature in the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro, the four-cylinder petrol engine (2.5 T-GDi Theta III) isn’t totally left wanting.

The 2.5-litre unit produces a healthy 207kW and 422Nm, which is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission. The AWD system is an on-demand setup, meaning it’s predominantly front-wheel drive until slip is detected, yet there is an e-LSD fitted to the rear axle.

In practice, the XRT Pro’s performance is pretty decent. It’s no powerhouse, but there’s enough grunt to motivate the 2.2-tonne body. And with ample mid-range torque, the Palisade rarely needs to hunt through its eight gear ratios on inclines.

Without a 54kW/245Nm electric motor tied to the hybrid versions, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro is far thirstier than the spec-equivalent Elite.

On paper, the averages are 11.2L/100km for the petrol versus 6.8L/100km from the hybrid. In reality, that gap expands, with the XRT Pro drinking 12.9L/100km on test against 8.1L/100km during a recent test of the Elite.

However, that did include off-road sections. Yet, the numbers rose to 17.8L/100km with predominantly city driving, while a highway stint recorded 8.0L/100km. The Palisade does accept 91RON unleaded petrol and the fuel tank is 72 litres.

Despite the go-anywhere styling, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro still needs to deliver within city limits, where it’ll spend most of its time.

The Palisade is a big unit at 5090mm long and 1980mm wide, but it isn’t that imposing to drive. Outward vision is relatively clear, plus the elevated ride height and seating position afford a commanding view. Myriad cameras and sensors aid parking, too, although you do have to watch the wing mirrors through tight garage openings.

In terms of dynamics, Hyundai has gone to great lengths to develop an Australianised suspension and steering tune. It incorporates various components, including dampers, springs and anti-roll bars. The takeaway is that the XRT Pro is a little stiffer and busier than the road-centric Palisades, especially at slower speeds. It is never to an uncomfortable level, but you do notice the road surface underneath.

The thick tread blocks of the all-terrain tyres don’t generate much more road noise, though, with the XRT Pro remaining relatively quiet and insulated from roar at highway speeds. While traction usually isn’t an issue with the on-demand AWD, cornering grip is slightly reduced on sealed surfaces due to the Continental rubber.

As you’d expect, there are drive modes to choose from – Eco, Normal, Sport and Custom. You don’t really need to venture out of Eco or Normal, as Sport merely adds artificial weight to the already vague and heavy steering.

The Korean brand itself states that the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro “bridges the gap between traditional 4WD and an all-wheel drive SUV”. And in practice, that assessment proves bang on the money.

There’s no rough-and-tumble ladder-frame chassis here, with the XRT Pro using the Palisade’s monocoque construction. Ground clearance has been increased 25mm to 212mm, while the on-demand AWD system gains the rear e-LSD to apportion torque to the back wheel with the most traction.

Approach, departure and breakover angles have been improved across the board, too, with 20.5, 22.4 and 18.3 degrees respectively. Even the terrain settings gain a Mud mode, adding to Snow and Sand that already feature in the Palisade. Further proving that the Palisade means business is the fact that it comes with a full-size spare underneath the vehicle.

What really helps the XRT Pro is its relatively short overhangs – especially at the front. It means you can get through sharper angles than you expect, and the extra ground clearance makes lighter work of deeply rutted, well-used tracks. And the Ground View camera is useful to see what’s going on underneath.

The e-LSD, Mud drive mode and the all-terrain tyres combine to generate meaningful grip. We took the XRT Pro through some waterlogged, muddy sections and it always managed to find traction and a way out – you just need to be mindful that the package does have limitations and not get too carried away.

With less available articulation than a proper 4x4, the ‘rugged’ Palisade is still more at home on well-kept dirt roads despite its surprising ability. The steering is nicely judged, and the suspension does its best to keep the ride quality in check, while the electronics aren’t too abrupt or intrusive.

The braked towing capacity of the 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro has increased by 200kg to 2200kg. And with a tow ball limit of 160kg, it means the eight-seat SUV is good for a pop-top caravan more than a full-size one.

Still, it’ll be fit for purpose for those wanting to lug jet skis for some family fun with a portable fridge in the back (which you can purchase as an accessory and use the boot-mounted 12V outlet). Although, you do need to keep the 701kg payload in mind.

As for cargo capacity, the eight-seat XRT Pro provides 317 litres of boot space with all pews in place, 729L as a five-seater before topping out with a maximum of 2098L with the rear rows folded.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro is like a big, comfy and leather-clad living room that can be transported to a campsite. Design-wise, the cabin leans into its commanding scale, while the wrap-around dash clearly makes left- or right-hand-drive compatibility easier.

The big screens fit nicely within the fascia, too, while physical controls for the media and climate are valued. It adds to the well-sorted ergonomics and elevated driving position, making the XRT Pro a pleasing place to be. And while the build quality appears solid, our tester did have a few misaligned joins.

Moving the gear selector to the steering column (twist it the way you wish to proceed) frees up some space in the centre console, which houses the wireless charge pad, cup holders and USB-C ports. There’s also an open area below it to place items, although it isn’t for valuables as it is left exposed.

The second row is a spacious place to be in terms of leg and headroom, while the seats can slide forward/aft and recline for added comfort. Controls for the rear climate are in the roof, as are the air vents that extend to both the second and third rows. In fact, the level of amenity for both rear rows is high, with myriad cup holders and USB-C ports to keep devices powered.

Unlike the powered versions in the Calligraphy, the XRT Pro requires manual manipulation of the centre row to gain access to seats six, seven and eight. Thankfully, this can be done on the kerb side of the vehicle, so passengers aren’t dodging traffic.

The task of manoeuvring into the third row isn’t quite as easy as in a dedicated people mover, with the small aperture and high floor hindering the process. However, it’s manageable. And once seated, there’s more head and legroom than you might expect – even for teenagers and adults. However, it also depends on how generous those in the sliding middle row ahead are.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro serves up a unique character that, refreshingly, isn’t a case of style over substance.

Essentially, Hyundai’s self-assessment of the rugged Palisade is spot on. While it won’t get you places a more hardcore Toyota LandCruiser will, it’s surprising just how far away from tarmac the XRT Pro will go. Just be willing to make a few compromises in terms of sealed-surface dynamics and fuel consumption.

However, as a niche-filling exercise, the XRT Pro has a place in the Palisade family. And for many customers, Hyundai has created a mix of on- and off-road ability that will be right up their alley.

2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro at a glance:
Price: $79,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 207kW/422Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.8L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 154g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2025)

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