2026 Hyundai Palisade Fails to Earn Perfect Score in Crash Test, Rear Seat Draws Attention

Palisade 2026. (Photo: Hyundai USA)

JAKARTA - The 2026 Hyundai Palisade model, which is claimed to be the largest, most luxurious, and most advanced model in Hyundai's SUV line, has not completely satisfied in the latest crash resistance test. Although it managed to pass two out of three tests of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States, the protection of the rear passengers was still considered less in the moderate overlap front crash test.

In the video broadcast via the IIHS YouTube channel, it can be seen that the head of the rear passenger test dummy remains in a safe position from the driver's seat back during the collision. The test sensor also shows a low risk of neck injury, with the shoulder belt working optimally during the collision simulation.

However, there was an important finding where the seat belt on the waist shifted from the pelvis position to the abdominal area. This condition increases the risk of injury to the abdomen of the rear passenger.

As reported by Autoevolution, Friday, December 19, the overlap test was carried out with 40 percent of the vehicle width hitting a deformable barrier on the driver's side, at a speed of 64 km/h.

To ensure safety systems work for a variety of user profiles, IIHS uses a female test dummy in the back seat. Although passenger safety has improved significantly in the past decade, rear passengers who sit using seat belts still have a higher risk of fatal injury.

As a result of the seat belt movement, Palisade only received an "acceptable" rating, not the "good" which is the highest standard of IIHS. This achievement is considered quite surprising considering the previous version of Palisade has successfully achieved many of the best ratings from the same institution.

Where, the assessment includes a small overlap test, side crash test, headlight performance, front collision prevention, LATCH system, and seat belt reminder features. Status as a large family SUV, Palisade is now available with seating configuration options for seven or eight passengers.

The SE, SEL, and SEL Premium variants are equipped with eight seats as standard, while the captain's seat is available as an option in the last two variants. For a seven-seat configuration, the XRT Pro, Limited, and Calligraphy variants are marketed without the option of an eighth seat.

The SUV is manufactured in South Korea, unlike the Kia Telluride which is technically similar but assembled in the United States. In terms of engine performance, the Palisade offers two options: a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine and a 2.5-liter I4 turbo engine available in hybrid variants.

The hybrid electric motorcycle integrated with the transmission through the P2 system, gets its power supply from a 1.65 kW battery with a 300 volt power supply. This combination produces 329 hp and 460 Nm of torque, which is greater than the non-turbo V6 engine that produces 287 hp and 353 Nm of torque.

In terms of efficiency, the front-wheel-drive six-cylinder Palisade can achieve consumption of up to 11.2 liters per 100 km. Meanwhile, the hybrid variant is much more economical with a record of 6.9 to 8.1 liters per 100 km, depending on the drive configuration. The Blue and SEL Premium FWD variants are the most efficient in the Palisade hybrid family.