- The new Hyundai Palisade will be offered in XRT flavor, with a more rugged stance.
- The XRT features a heavier dose of plastic cladding, alongside new wheels and tires.
- The 2026 MY lineup is expected to trade the V6 with turbo-four and hybrid options.
Shortly after the new generation of the Hyundai Palisade was launched in Korea, our spy photographers caught the upcoming XRT trim during cold weather testing. The model is expected to be part of the North American lineup for the 2026 model year, and is set to debut sometime over the course of 2025.
Hyundai is currently offering XRT versions of the outgoing Palisade, as well as of the Ioniq 5, Tucson, Santa Cruz, and Santa Fe. A similar treatment will be applied to the new Palisade, adding rugged vibes to the brand’s largest SUV.
More: 2026 Hyundai Palisade Drops V6 For Four-Cylinders And Hybrid Efficiency In Korea
The Palisade XRT prototype was fully covered in camouflage, but we can still see some of its trim-specific features. The most notable changes are the discreet plastic cladding around the wheel arches and the matching trim on the side skirts and rear bumper. We also expect a redesigned front bumper contributing to the adventurous stance. Besides adopting boxier and more upmarket looks, the new Palisade has grown in size, stretching to 5,060 mm (199.2 inches) long.
The prototype rides on Continental Cross Contact all-terrain tires, although the black 18-inch wheels are most likely provisional parts. Another prototype that was spotted earlier this week in Korea camed fitted with what appears to be the final XRT-specific design for the alloys. These feature five double spokes and a bi-tone finish.
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Inside, the SUV will feature a different upholstery for the seats with XRT emblem on the headrests. The Korean prototype had two individual seats on the second row, although we can’t be sure if this will be the only available seating layout. Note that the Korean-spec Palisade is available in a nine-seater layout (3+3+3), which won’t make it to the US market.
Four-Pot And Hybrid Options
As with its predecessor, the new Palisade XRT isn’t expected to bring any changes under the skin compared to the rest of the lineup. Note that the new generation rides on an upgraded version of the existing model’s unibody underpinnings, with a longer wheelbase of 2,970 mm (116.9 inches).
In terms of powertrains, the Palisade will likely drop the 3.8-liter V6 option in favor of a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 277 hp (207 kW / 281 PS). This is expected to be joined by a more efficient self-charging hybrid setup, with a combined output of 330 hp (246 kW / 334 PS).
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The cold weather testing of the Palisade XRT was done in the company of a Kia Tasman pickup. However, unlike the SUV, the Korean brand’s first midsize truck is not destined for North America.
Our spy photographers told us that the models were testing with a film crew from Korea. This makes us believe that Hyundai might be working on a teaser for the new Palisade XRT. Hopefully, we’ll get to see the model in the flesh in the coming months.