CarBrief

The 2026 Palisade has 130 NHTSA owner complaints, fewer than any earlier full model year of the Palisade[1][2]. The biggest concern is the rear power seats, which can keep moving into a person and are under recall 26V160[3][4].

130owner complaints[1]
3recalls[2]
19–34MPG combined (EPA)[5]
5★NHTSA overall rating[6]

Most reported problems

NHTSA has 130 owner complaints on file for the 2026 Palisade[1]. Of those, 3 mention a crash and 11 mention an injury, with no fires or deaths reported[1]. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name more than one component.

Component group Complaints Crashes Injuries
Seats[3] 50 0 9
Electrical system[7] 33 0 2
Unknown or other[8] 17 0 1
Engine[9] 16 1 0
Power train[10] 14 0 0
Forward collision avoidance[11] 14 1 0
Speed control[12] 13 3 0
Brakes[13] 7 0 0

Seats. This is the largest group, with 50 complaints and 9 injuries[3]. In a sample of complaints we read, owners describe second or third row power seats that kept folding, sliding or reclining into a person in the way, pinning legs, ankles or heads, sometimes after a button was bumped by accident[3]. This matches recall 26V160, covered below[4]. Two owners in the sample say the parts for the recall repair were not yet available when they asked[3].

Electrical system. There are 33 complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 1,500 miles[7]. Owners describe the digital instrument cluster going blank or restarting while driving, which takes away the speedometer and other gauges, and the center screen going blank or rebooting[7]. Recall 26V047 addresses an instrument panel display failure caused by software[14]. Some owners in the sample also describe a dead battery and a car that would not start after light use[7].

Engine. There are 16 complaints and 1 crash[9]. Owners describe the engine stalling, shutting off or dropping into a reduced power mode while driving, sometimes on the highway[9]. Others describe check engine warnings with misfire or timing fault codes, and say the dealer could not reproduce the problem[9].

Forward collision avoidance and speed control. Forward collision avoidance has 14 complaints and 1 crash[11]. Owners describe the car braking hard or slowing sharply on its own with driver assist or adaptive cruise on, for example near an overpass, and repeated attention warnings with hands on the wheel[11]. Speed control has 13 complaints but 3 crashes, the most crashes of any group listed[12]. We did not read sample texts for that group, so we cannot say what those owners report.

Recalls

The 2026 Palisade has 3 recalls on file[2]. Check any car you are looking at by its VIN on NHTSA.gov and ask for proof the work was done.

Fuel economy

EPA ratings vary a lot by version. The 2.5L turbo hybrid gets 29 to 34 MPG combined, while the 3.5L 6-cylinder gets 19 to 21[16][5][17][18][19][20]. All versions use regular fuel[16][5][17][18][19][20].

Version City / Hwy / Combined MPG Annual fuel cost
Hybrid FWD Blue[5] 33 / 35 / 34 $1,950
Hybrid FWD[20] 31 / 32 / 31 $2,150
Hybrid AWD[19] 29 / 30 / 29 $2,300
FWD 3.5L[16] 19 / 25 / 21 $3,200
AWD 3.5L[17] 18 / 24 / 20 $3,350
XRT Pro AWD[18] 16 / 22 / 19 $3,550

EPA bases annual fuel cost on its current fuel price assumptions, not on prices when the car was new.

Safety ratings

NHTSA gives the 2026 Palisade and Palisade Hybrid 5 stars overall, in both AWD and FWD form[6][21][22][23]. Frontal crash is 4 stars, side crash is 5 stars and rollover is 4 stars[6][21]. The calculated rollover risk is 15.9% for AWD and 15.5% for FWD[6][21].

Engine and power

Horsepower below is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine Horsepower Transmission (EPA listing)
2.5L 4-cylinder turbo (hybrid)[24][5] 258 hp Automatic (AM-S6)
3.5L 6-cylinder[25][16] 287 hp Automatic (S8)

How 2026 compares with other years

2020: 541 complaints, 5 recalls20202021: 446 complaints, 6 recalls20212022: 315 complaints, 5 recalls20222023: 408 complaints, 5 recalls20232024: 395 complaints, 5 recalls20242025: 252 complaints, 3 recalls20252026: 130 complaints, 3 recalls13020262027: 5 complaints, 0 recalls2027
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Palisade model year. The 2026 is highlighted[2].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
20205415
20214466
20223155
20234085
20243955
20252523
20261303
202750

By raw complaint count, 2026 looks better than every earlier Palisade year[2].

Model year Complaints Recalls
2020[2] 541 5
2021[2] 446 6
2022[2] 315 5
2023[2] 408 5
2024[2] 395 5
2025[2] 252 3
2026[2] 130 3
2027[2] 5 0

The 2026 total of 130 is lower than every year from 2020 to 2025[2]. Only 2027 has fewer, with 5[2]. Its 3 recalls match 2025 and are fewer than the 5 or 6 for each year from 2020 to 2024[2]. These counts are not adjusted for sales or for how long each year has been on the road, so a newer year has had less time to collect reports.

Should you buy a used 2026 Palisade?

The 2026 Palisade has fewer NHTSA complaints than any earlier full model year, and it earns 5 stars overall from NHTSA[2][6]. The concern to take seriously is the rear power seats, which drew 50 complaints and 9 injuries and are the subject of recall 26V160[3][4]. Before you buy, run the VIN for 26V160, 26V169 and 26V047 and confirm that any that apply have been done, and if the seat repair is not done, follow Hyundai's advice to keep children away from the rear seats while they power fold[4][15][14]. Also ask about any screen blackouts, dead batteries or engine warnings, since owners report those too[7][9]. If fuel cost matters, the hybrid versions are rated 29 to 34 MPG combined against 19 to 21 for the 3.5L[5][18][19][20][16][17].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2026 Hyundai Palisade?
Seats lead NHTSA complaints with 50, followed by the electrical system with 33[3][7]. Owners describe rear power seats that keep moving into a person, and screens that go blank while driving[3][7].
How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Palisade have?
Three: rear power seats (26V160), the third row seat belt indicator (26V169) and the instrument panel display (26V047)[2][4][15][14].
Is the 2026 Palisade power seat recall fixed?
Hyundai plans a free update to the seat controller and software, over the air or by a dealer[4]. Some owners in our complaint sample say the part was not yet available, so check the status by VIN[3]. Until the repair is done, Hyundai advises keeping children away from the rear seats while they power fold[4].
What MPG does the 2026 Hyundai Palisade get?
The 3.5L versions are rated 19 to 21 MPG combined and the hybrid versions 29 to 34 MPG combined[16][5][17][18][19][20].
Is the 2026 Palisade more reliable than earlier years?
It has 130 complaints, fewer than any year from 2020 to 2025, but counts are not adjusted for sales or time on the road[2].

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints on file for the 2026 Hyundai Palisade (3 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 11 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. Owner complaints and recalls for every Hyundai Palisade model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  3. 50 complaints name the seats component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 9 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  4. Recall 26V160, filed March 17, 2026: Seats › Mid / Rear Assembly › Power Adjust. NHTSA recall database
  5. EPA rating for Palisade Hybrid FWD Blue, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 33 city / 35 highway / 34 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  6. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 33 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 1,500). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 17 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 16 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 14 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 14 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. 13 complaints name the speed control component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  13. 7 complaints name the brakes component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  14. Recall 26V047, filed January 26, 2026: Electrical System › Instrument Cluster / Panel. NHTSA recall database
  15. Recall 26V169, filed March 19, 2026: Seat Belts › Status Indicator Switch. NHTSA recall database
  16. EPA rating for Palisade FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  17. EPA rating for Palisade AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 24 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  18. EPA rating for Palisade XRT Pro, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  19. EPA rating for Palisade Hybrid AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 29 city / 30 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  20. EPA rating for Palisade Hybrid FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 31 city / 32 highway / 31 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,150. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  21. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
  22. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
  23. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
  24. EPA Test Car List, 2026 Hyundai Palisade with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 258 hp. www.epa.gov
  25. EPA Test Car List, 2026 Hyundai Palisade with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 287 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.