Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro 2026 review

Hyundai’s newfound push for all-terrain adventure, under the fledgling XRT sub-brand arriving to sit alongside ‘N’ performance in Oz, is punctuated by the just-launched Palisade XRT Pro. And it’s such an unusual amalgamation of spec, purpose and pricepoint that a) it seemingly has no rival and b) one wonders if it will actually ‘work’?

That’s ‘work’ as in whether a 2.2-tonne luxury eight-seat SUV could possibly morph into a do-all off-roader with any credible capability at the tougher stuff. And that’s ‘work’ as to whether it has, or should have, a buyer type who’d actually want one.

So here we have a monocoque constructed, turbo-petrol, conventionally all-wheel-driven luxury SUV, priced at $79,900 list. And its closest logical rival – realistically – for size and all-terrain ambition is a diesel, ladder-frame, dual-range 4×4 equipped Toyota LandCruiser 300. Or a Prado. Or, maybe, a GWM Tank 500 – diesel or hybrid, your pick – from around $75K.     

Now, Aussies take their 4×4-ing – specs, details, minutia – very seriously. It seems, at times, that credibility is as important, or more important, than actual capability on the tools in the rough. And as our reigning 2026 Large SUV and Luxury SUV award winner, the Palisade breed is certainly credible enough as a three-row family hauler…on tarmac.

By luxury SUV measures, as we’ve discovered in reviews past, the Palisade does an admirable job of presenting a Range Rover like experience for those without Range Rover like funds. And now, with XRT Pro, the Korean SUV wants a bit of that Land Rover mojo as well…

But what we have in XRT Pro is very much a North American concept on all-terrain positioning and spec, one well trodden by that region’s Toyota TRD formula and ported over locally quite faithfully bar one glaring and crucial area: its powertrain.

The US-market Palisade XRT Pro uses a 214kW and 353Nm naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6. However, our Aussie version uses a smarter, leaner, torquier turbocharged 2.5-litre four, at 207kW and 422Nm. Both are paired with eight-speed conventional automatics. 

What makes ‘ours’ a bespoke unicorn combination is that all other regular Aussie Palisades fit a higher-output 245kW/460Nm 2.5T hybrid system (with a six-speed). Saddled with what it’s served, our 2.2-tonne XRT Pro brings 2.9-tonne GVM and 2200kg of braked towing, that latter of which is well short of the golden 3.5T that utes and 4x4s wear as honour badges Down Under.

So it’s easy to come at Palisade XRT Pro with furrowed brow and skepticism in regards to the ‘works’ business. Right up until the point where Chasing Cars got to stick the jacked-up behemoth into our regular ‘home’ off-street 4×4 course, including almost all its tougher sections.

We came away downright surprised at how confidently it sticks the landing as a multi-purpose, go almost anywhere comfort-focussed SUV. And with it comes the realisation that it could well suit many more Aussie buyer types – those beyond the hard-core 4×4 ranks – where its unique amalgam seems almost glove fit.  

What are the Palisade XRT Pro’s features and options for the price?

At $79,900 list, or around $86,770 driveaway, the XRT Pro is priced towards the bottom of the Palisade line-up, just $3400 above the base Elite (from $76,500) and measurably cheaper than the regular (from $89,828) and Black Ink (from $92,400) eight-seat versions of the flagship Calligraphy. There’s no seven-seat XRT Pro option currently offered. 

Broadly, the specification list largely mirrors the Elite grade, though features the aforementioned 2.5-turbo petrol four-cylinder powertrain, all-terrain specific mechanical changes under the skin, as well as a number of exterior and interior design and feature changes, including some tech.

Features exclusive to the XRT Pro variant includes:

• XRT Pro grille, body garnish and black details
• 18-inch machined-finish wheels with Continental all-terrain tyres
• XRT Pro 2.5mm higher suspension (springs, dampers, anti-roll)
• e-LSD electro-mechanical rear differential
• 2900kg recovery hooks
• 2200kg rated towbar
• Black synthetic leather trim (w/specific motif)
• XRT Pro Terrain Mode select (Mud, Sand, Snow)
• XRT Pro off-road telemetry 
• Ground-view monitor camera system
• Single sunroof 

Other standard features shared within the Palisade range include:

• Exterior LED lighting
• Self-leveling rear suspension
• Digital key 2.0
• Eight-seat configuration
• Dual 12.3-inch displays
• Three-zone climate control
• 10-way driver, eight-way passenger powered seats
• Heated/ ventilated front seats
• 14-speaker Bose audio system
• Satnav
• Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
• Wireless phone charging
• 7 x USB outlets
• Full-size alloy spare wheel

The XRT Pro is offered in an exclusive premium ($750) paint colour called Titan Charcoal. Regular Palisade colours in no-cost Creamy White and cost-optional premium Shimmering Silver, Ecotronic Grey, Classy Blue, Abyss Black and Cast Iron Brown are also offered.  

How does the Palisade XRT Pro drive?

Chasing Cars local 4×4 testing facility has two narrow, twisty loops threaded through bushland. It seems foolish to expect the 5.1-metre long, near-two-metre wide, 2.2-tonne SUV will even fit through the ‘easy’ rut and mogul track. It walks it through like an arvo stroll…

The eye-opener is the ‘hard’ track: steeper gradients up and down, challenging breakover humps, deep water pooled ruts, thick mud in places and rock climb we only reserve for serious off-roaders. And the XRT Pro proceeds to solder (slowly) through these trenches, thrice, while barely breaking a sweat.

The 25mm lift of the (generally firmer, bespoke tune) XRT Pro suspension only affords 212mm of ground clearance and 18.3deg of ramp over. And yet only the underslung, somewhat exposed spare wheel hit mother earth, once, during a single, heavy drop throughout the entire loop.   

Extreme wheel articulation isn’t Palisade’s forte, but it cocks various unloaded front and rear wheels in trickier sections of the course and the combination of the mechanical rear locker and the torque shuffling of the on-demand all-wheel drive – in any chosen terrain mode – returns seemingly unstoppable forward motion.

Well, almost. The slippery face of the rock climb section leaves the chunky Continentals scrabbling for traction that a slightly different approach line amends, but there’s ample grunt to set all four wheels spinning and a fine amount of crawl control on the throttle despite the lack of low-range.

Right here is where the 2.5 turbo and eight-speeder are deceptively effective, the former piling on its 422Nm peak from 1700rpm, the latter hanging on tightly to the lower, shorter transmission ratios deftly in Mud mode, specifically. 

It’s not merely that a rig this large can negotiate such a tight course deftly or that it does so with an ease in capability that’s almost unexpected: the icing is that it’s almost completely set and forget and demands no system fiddling to uncork its off-road talents. Just hit Mud, Sand or Snow with one button and off you go…

Then there’s the comfort factor. The passive suspension is so pliant and cushioning that the Palisade seems to limp gently across the most uneven terrain, with only sudden drops transmitting sharp vertical movement through the cabin. It seems to ‘land softly’ everywhere, bringing impressive comfort in a properly rough and rugged environment. 

Does the XRT Pro extend its talents beyond mere all-terrain capability? Perhaps. Could it hang with a multi-diff-locking, dual-range 4×4 – a LandCruiser 300 Series, say – if the going got tougher? The jury’s out. The lifted Hyundai does appear to sit in a blurry middle-ground, at least judged by this particular off-road location in mostly dry running conditions.

Its extremely comfy off-road, allied by idiotproof set and forget control at the helm. And its pampering, cushioning nature while crawling along the rough stuff doesn’t crack once you hit the hotmix, despite what Hyundai describes as somewhat firmer setting for its bespoke suspension tune.

The comfort and quietude on road is excellent, mirroring its hybrid Palisade stablemates in ride quality – with added veneer of bump filtration through its chubby tyre sidewalls, possibly better. The all-terrain Contis are also impressively quiet, though it seems that Hyundai hasn’t skimped on the regular Palisade’s fine sound deadening protocols for this XRT Pro.

Where the XRT Pro does get a little rowdy is when it’s called the march. Without the torque-filling electric assistance of the hybrid drive, the 2.5 litres of turbo combustion works hard for its keep. This is conspicuous sonically and in its thirst, chugging away around the 15L/100km mark around town and worse once you hit muddy trails and moguls. 

Unsurprisingly, it’s no rocketship two up and it’ll be slower still with three rows filled. But up to speed, the eight-seater is cooperative and surefooted. It’s no corner carver and a little unwieldy, though it’s still planted and quite engaging across sweeping backroads or bombing along lumpy country byways, with a poise most 4x4s could only dream of. 

On balance, then, its quiet and cushy nature and accessible drivability makes it particularly well suited to long-legged touring, even if its 2200kg towing hamstrings its broader open-road talents against 4×4 SUVs more purpose-built for lugging around boat or caravans.

What is the Palisade XRT Pro’s interior and tech like?

Where the XRT Pro cabin fit-out succeeds the most is maintaining Palisade’s premium vibe while carefully trimming back the frills to meet its thrifty price point. It’s adventure friendly and somewhat utilitarian – hardier and less fancy than Calligraphy grade – without diluting the inherent luxo-comfort DNA centric to this flagship model.

The familiar, classy and simple design is minted in brooding dark grey, complete with darkened controls and switchgear in areas, plus subtle mood lighting along the dash and doors, mostly trimmed in tactile, durable vinyl.

The seats are excellent. The faux leather is supple, they’re hugely comfy and supportive, and the ‘mountain theme’ embossing that stretched across rows one and two (but not three) is distinct and suitably adventure-like. With 10-way driver/eight-way passenger electric adjustment plus heating and ventilation, they’re hardly skimpy. 

As per the specs outlined above, XRT Pro grade still brims with conspicuous kit, such as the curved dual-12.3-inch display screen and three-zone climate, and the all-terrain special even a single sunroof not offered on its closest sibling by price, the Elite grade.

The bespoke off-roading content of the digital eyecandy is well executed and useful. The ground-view monitor camera system, aka ‘transparent bonnet’, becomes essential in some off-road situations, because you sit quite low in the Palisade its bluff raising bonnet obscure much directly ahead of the grille.

The off-road telemetry system, too, is quite sophisticated: plenty of torque shuffling and tilt angle data you probably won’t need, but more critical feedback such as powertrain temperature and oil pressure can be pinned to the media screen when you need it. 

Less conspicuous but centric to XRT Pro’s all-terrain pitch is that its talents are easily accessible. The off-road and on road modes are switchable via a single switch panel – in the thick of the action, there’s no setting fiddling demanded like ‘proper’ 4x4s.

However, there’s one glaring omission usually fitted to any bona-fide off-road capable rig: rigid grab handles, usually located on window pillars or, in some alternatives, across the dash. The added seat side-bolstering compensates to a small degree…for first row occupants at least.

No such situation for those in row two, which is otherwise a fine, spacious and comfy place to spend short or long trips. The rear splitfold bench gets slide and tilts adjustment for tuning to taste, the sliding console storage bin is usefully for oddment, and the USB-C outlets in the front seatbacks – Palisade fits seven all up – are, as always, inspired.

The third-zone climate control panel is housed in the ceiling, as are air vents in both rows two and three: nice for adults, perhaps annoying for younger passengers who mightn’t be able to reach. 

Perhaps surprisingly, the Palisade’s third row is much lighter for space than that offered in Hyundai’s Santa Fe – that former just doesn’t have the inspired packaging chops of the latter. Three across the rearmost row? If they were your worst enemies…

Then there’s payload. The almost 2.2-tonne XRT Pro offers 2900kg of GVM: so that’s 700kg of legal leeway for passengers and payload. So the notion of loading the SUV to the hilt with loved ones and luggage demands some honest calculations.

On luggage, its 317 litres as an eight-seater converts to 729L as a fiver and 2098L with both rows two and three stowed. The full-sized alloy spare wheel, essentially for any proper tourer, is underslung at the rear.

Is the Palisade XRT Pro a safe car?

Unhelpfully, ANCAP contradicts itself on whether the XRT Pro is covered by the five-star result shared by its Palisade stablemates. On one hand, it states in its report that the rating “applies to all variants” while stipulating that the same rating covers “hybrid vehicles”, of which the XRT Pro is not…

Whatever the actual case, the XRT Pro is not short on passive or ADAS assistance and, in fact, adds to the safety count with its extra all-terrain features, such as the ground view camera.

Standard safety features include:

• Forward AEB and junction assist
• Evasive steer and lane change side assist
• Blind spot monitoring and collision avoidance
• Driver attention monitoring
• Lane keeping and following smarts
• Rear cross traffic alert and avoidance
• Parking collision avoidance
• 360-degree camera
• Hands-on detection
• In-cabin camera
• Safe exit assist
• Nav-based smart cruise control

Like most Hyundai models and those from luxo-arm Genesis and cousins Kia, the overspeed warning and lane keeping ADAS are so pervasive that they demand switching off after every restart.

It’s annoying enough twice a day on the work commute, downright infuriating on weekends when running about, stop-starting during family errands and the like.

Worth a shout are the showy red-painted recovery hooks: they’re 2900kg-rated longitudinally – matching XRT Pro’s GVM rating – and make for nice surety if you happen to run dry of talent and/or track out in the boonies.

What are the Palisade XRT Pro’s ownership costs?

The XRT Pro can get thirsty: its 11.2L/100km combined claim plummets to around 15L/100km urban and it’ll only get worse stretching its all-terrain chops out in the sticks. With 8.6L of highway consumption, its touring range is about 800km, on 91RON or E10.

Servicing intervals are 12 months and a short 10,000km, each between $408 and $528 per year across the first five years ($2775 total outlay). 

Warranty is Hyundai’s seven years of unlimited kilometre surety provided you service it with Hyundai (least it defaults to five years).

Budget Direct told us the median annual premium purchased for the first time between 1/7/25 and 1/7/26 to comprehensively insure a new Hyundai Palisade was $1782. Individual circumstances and policy terms may vary.

Of course, everybody’s situation is different, and the premium will vary according to make and model, and other things insurers take into account, such as your postcode, driving history, who drives the car, where you garage the car and more.

Please quote for yourself. Subject to meeting underwriting criteria. Insurance issued by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited. See PDS & TMD at budgetdirect.com.au.

The honest verdict

With its supreme comfort, impressively capable all-terrain chops and enticing price, the Palisade XRT Pro – and first ever XRT Pro – finds itself in surprising clean air in this off-road and 4×4 savvy nation. 

It’s an alternative to LandCruiser 300 Series, Prado, Tank 500, MU-X and arguably its closest rival, Ford’s Everest. But given even the latter is a ladder-frame diesel, the XRT Pro remains a distinctly different animal. 

Where regular Palisade is, frankly, an largely Americanised spin of a Korean aspiration of offering its own Range Rover in a relative budget, the XRT Pro is very much the same…with a veneer of Land Rover capability baked in.

And for certain types of regional dwellers and adventure lovers alike, it ought to be an absolute charmer.