2026 Hyundai Palisade Elite prices: More affordable hybrid joins large SUV range

After being launched late last year in a single top-spec variant, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade range has expanded downward.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Elite shares its turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain with the Calligraphy that debuted the current, second generation, but loses some luxury features to bring the price down.

Arriving in March, the Elite is priced at $76,500 before on-road costs. That slots it under the Calligraphy, which is priced at $89,900 before on-roads in eight-seat guise or $90,900 plus on-roads as a seven-seater.

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Unlike the Calligraphy, which is offered in aforementioned seven-seat configuration with second-row captain’s chairs, the Elite is available exclusively as an eight-seater with three-seat benches for the second and third rows.

It’s distinguished from the Calligraphy with a different grille design and five-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels with a black/machined finish. There are also black and silver lower bumpers and side skirts, and black wheel-arches.

The Elite misses out on the following features found in the Calligraphy:

• 21-inch alloy wheels
• Remote Smart Parking Assist
• Dual sunroofs
• Dynamic welcome and escort lights
• Laminated glass
• Digital rear-view mirror
• Head-up display
• Nappa leather upholstery
• Ventilated first- and second-row seats
• Suede headliner and pillar trim
• Power tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• Rear window sun blinds
• Rear ground-projected reversing lights
• Sensor-based rear occupant alert

It also drops the front Premium Relaxation Seats, with their four-way driver and two-way passenger power lumbar adjustment, and memory for the driver’s seat.

However, standard equipment still includes:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Full-size alloy spare
• Acoustic windshield front door glass
• Rear privacy glass
• Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• Digital Key 2.0
• Electronic parking brake with auto hold
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• 14-speaker Bose sound system
• Tri-zone climate control
• Black leather-appointed upholstery
• Cloth accents
• 10-way power driver’s seat
• 8-way power passenger seat
• Heated front seats
• Heated outboard second-row seats
• Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• Interior Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) outlet
• Electrochromic rear-view mirror
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Autonomous emergency braking (forward and reverse)
• Blind-spot assist
• Blind-Spot View Monitor
• Driver monitoring system
• Highway Driving Assist 2
• Intelligent speed limit assist
• Lane Following Assist 2 (lane centring)
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Surround-view camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Front, front-side, curtain, driver’s knee and front-centre airbags

The Elite is available only with a black interior, but comes in the following exterior paint finishes:

• Creamy White
• Shimmering Silver
• Ecotronic Grey
• Galaxy Maroon
• Classy Blue
• Abyss Black

Premium paint costs an extra $750.

Both the Elite and Calligraphy feature locally developed chassis tunes.

They share a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain producing 245kW of power and 460Nm of torque, mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Fuel consumption is 6.8L/100km, while braked towing capacity is 2000kg.

While the previous Palisade was offered here with a choice of petrol or diesel engines, the new-generation model is offered exclusively as a hybrid.

However, government certification documents seen by CarExpert confirm Hyundai has received approval to offer a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine without a hybrid system, and with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.

These documents also list a front-wheel drive hybrid configuration which has yet to appear in Australia, as well as the more rugged XRT Pro trim which Hyundai has indicated will come here later this year.

MORE: Explore the Hyundai Palisade showroom