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• Palisade offers ICE and hybrid powertrains and rugged new XRT PRO trim
• Prestigious annual awards determined by NACTOY jury comprised of 50 leading automotive journalists and reviewers from the U.S. and Canada representing all forms of media  

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade SUV was named as a finalist for the 2026 North American Utility of the Year award by the North American Car of the Year [NACTOY] jury. The three finalists in each category were announced at this year’s AutoMobility LA media days at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, Calif. The winners will be announced on January 14, 2026, at the opening of the Detroit Auto Show’s media days.

“Once again, these finalists show the wide range of choices that consumers have in the marketplace,” said NACTOY president, Jeff Gilbert. “Our jury of distinguished auto reporters has come up with a great selection of fantastic vehicles that truly reflect the best of the best.”

“As we are named a NACTOY finalist, we are exceptionally grateful,” stated Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president, product planning and mobility strategy, Hyundai Motor North America. “The team’s disciplined engineering and customer-first design are what truly travel. Palisade was built to serve families exceptionally well, while further strengthening the overall SUV lineup with an HEV option that opens the door for even more households. We appreciate that buyers consistently come back to the same sentiment: Palisade feels engineered for real life, Hyundai thought of everyone.”

All-new for 2026, the second-generation Palisade is a mid-size three-row family SUV boasting a sophisticated design, class-leading interior refinement, and a full complement of advanced driver assist systems. Available with the buyer’s choice of a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter gasoline V6 or a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. Palisade’s first-ever hybrid offers up to 34 miles per gallon and over 600 miles of range. A new off-road-focused XRT PRO includes heightened ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and a model-exclusive electronic rear limited-slip differential.

Images, b-roll footage, press releases, and specifications for the 2026 Palisade can be found here.

NACTOY’s 2026 finalists were chosen from a preliminary list of 30 eligible models in three categories: Car, Truck, and Utility. After an initial round of juror evaluations, a round of voting was held, winnowing candidates down to the “Best of 2026” model list that was announced in September at the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars event in Detroit. The “Best of 2026” list included six cars, five trucks and nineteen utility vehicles. Those vehicles were subjected to further evaluation, including at NACTOY’s annual Fall Drive in October, after which a second round of voting was held to arrive at these category finalists. 

The NACTOY awards are selected by a diverse jury of seasoned automotive journalists and reviewers from the United States and Canada. The awards are unique and highly prestigious because they are the consensus picks of jurors who represent dozens of different publications from all types of media including print, online, video, radio and television. Jurors base their evaluations on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, and value for the dollar, among other considerations.

Founded in 1994, these awards are the longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a individual publication. Because of the jurors’ independence, these awards are among the most respected and coveted in the industry. 

About North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year™
The awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, user experience and value. The organization gives out three awards. They are: “North American Car of the Year™,” “North American Truck of the Year™” and “North American Utility Vehicle of the Year™.” The awards are unique because they are given by an independent jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada instead of by a single publication, website, radio or television station. For more information about NACTOY and its history: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org.

Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company’s Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai’s 850 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a recent economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.

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