15 Dec 25th-Dec 31st, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Questions? Feedback? Email me at [email protected] • Follow me on RATING (out of 5 McFly’s) THE MINIVAN SLAYER WORE HIKING BOOTS: THE 2026 HYUNDAI PALISADE XRT IS UNHINGED IN THE BEST WAY 2026 HYUNDAI PALISADE XRT The 2026 Hyundai Palisade The 2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT is what happens when a XRT is what happens when a sensible three-row family SUV sensible three-row family SUV snaps, shoves the kids into the third snaps, shoves the kids into the third row, and yells “WE’RE GOING row, and yells “WE’RE GOING ADVENTURING WHETHER YOU ADVENTURING WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.” This thing rolls LIKE IT OR NOT.” This thing rolls up looking like it just canceled up looking like it just canceled a PTA meeting to go wrestle a a PTA meeting to go wrestle a mountain. Big grille. Beefy tires. mountain. Big grille. Beefy tires. XRT badges that basically translate XRT badges that basically translate to “I’ve watched YouTube off- to “I’ve watched YouTube off- road videos and I’m emotionally road videos and I’m emotionally prepared.” Under the hood is a prepared.” Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 pushing around 287 3.5-liter V6 pushing around 287 horsepower through an 8-speed horsepower through an 8-speed automatic and Hyundai’s HTRAC automatic and Hyundai’s HTRAC AWD, which means it’s more than AWD, which means it’s more than capable of blasting through snow, capable of blasting through snow, sand, dirt, or the Costco parking lot sand, dirt, or the Costco parking lot on a Saturday afternoon. on a Saturday afternoon. And somehow - somehow - And somehow - somehow - Hyundai managed to make this Hyundai managed to make this rugged family battle wagon still rugged family battle wagon still feel like a rolling living room. Inside, feel like a rolling living room. Inside, it’s plush, quiet, and loaded with it’s plush, quiet, and loaded with tech, like a luxury Airbnb that just tech, like a luxury Airbnb that just happens to have tow hooks. Terrain happens to have tow hooks. Terrain modes? Yup. Raised ride height? modes? Yup. Raised ride height? Absolutely. Suspension tuned to Absolutely. Suspension tuned to handle dirt roads without spilling handle dirt roads without spilling your iced coffee? Praise be. It’s your iced coffee? Praise be. It’s the kind of SUV that makes you the kind of SUV that makes you want to buy roof accessories just to want to buy roof accessories just to justify its existence. You’ll never use justify its existence. You’ll never use the skid plates, but they’ll make you the skid plates, but they’ll make you feel brave. And isn’t that what really feel brave. And isn’t that what really matters? matters? The Palisade XRT isn’t The Palisade XRT isn’t pretending to be a rock crawler, pretending to be a rock crawler, and that’s what makes it brilliant. and that’s what makes it brilliant. It’s for people who want adventure It’s for people who want adventure aesthetic with real-world usability. aesthetic with real-world usability. It’ll haul kids, dogs, camping It’ll haul kids, dogs, camping gear, emotional baggage, and gear, emotional baggage, and a week’s worth of groceries, all a week’s worth of groceries, all while looking like it could survive while looking like it could survive a mild apocalypse. It’s loud in a mild apocalypse. It’s loud in spirit, comfortable in execution, spirit, comfortable in execution, and confidently ridiculous. If your and confidently ridiculous. If your life needs more chaos, more life needs more chaos, more capability, and fewer beige choices, capability, and fewer beige choices, the 2026 Palisade XRT (around the 2026 Palisade XRT (around $51k) is here to kick the minivan $51k) is here to kick the minivan industry directly in the shins. industry directly in the shins. Comfort: Value: Fuel Economy: Looks: The Drive: Safety & Security: Overall: Sound System: Bells & Whistles:
