Hyundai Palisade 2026 review: XRT Pro - Australian first drive | Ford Everest rival tested

For a long time, there has been ‘proper’ off-road SUVs and then everything else.

If you were an off-road enthusiast, you’d only ever consider a ladder frame offering, like a Prado or an Everest, for example.

Read More About Hyundai Palisade

• Hyundai's 4WD and ute onslaught confirmed: New range of ladder frame machines to battle 2026 Toyota Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero, BYD Shark 6
• 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe to get extended range hybrid set-up to battle BYD Sealion 8, Toyota Kluger
• Hyundai to employ more than 25,000 robots in its factories by 2028

Meanwhile, if you just wanted a comfortable family SUV there are no shortage of options, but almost all of them, AWD or not, are close to useless when the gravel gets loose or the mud is rutted.

What if you wanted something in between, though? A comfortable family SUV with just enough ability to get you to some of the more adventurous places?

That’s what Hyundai is asking with this new Palisade XRT Pro.

How much does the Palisade XRT Pro cost?

This more capable version of the Palisade heralds a new era for Hyundai in Australia. It introduces the XRT Pro badge to our market, which Hyundai says is the off-road equivalent of its performance N division.

Standard XRT cars will be option-packed to look a bit tougher, while XRT Pro versions will be distinct model grades with genuine enhancements to off-road ability.

To that end, the XRT Pro sits in the middle of the Palisade line-up. Priced at $79,900, before on-road costs, it is more expensive than the base Elite hybrid, but below the luxury-spec Calligraphy grades. It is only available in the mainstream eight-seat (2+3+3) layout.

It’s tough to pick rivals for the Palisade because it’s unique in the market now the Nissan Pathfinder and VW Touareg are gone. It offers more interior space than a Ford Everest (Tremor - $79,990) or Isuzu MU-X (X-Terrain - $77,100) which it competes with on price, but doesn’t quite offer that level of off-road ability despite its enhancements.

What does the Palisade XRT Pro get over other variants?

This new Palisade has a raft of enhancements and changes from the Elite or Calligraphy. One of the biggest ones is that it introduces a new engine option.

Gone is the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid set-up (245kW/460Nm combined) paired with a six-speed automatic. In its place is a more traditional 2.5-litre turbo-petrol non-hybrid (207kW/422Nm) and eight-speed automatic transmission.

To enhance its off-road abilities, the XRT Pro also gets an automatic electronic limited slip differential on the rear axle, increased clearances (see table below), additional traction modes in the software (Mud, Sand and Snow), topped off with some excellent Continental all-terrain tyres from the factory, cladding modest 18-inch wheels.

It even has real chassis-mounted recovery hooks as part of its revised bumper design.

Spec	New figure (change)
Approach angle	20.5 degrees (+1.9 degrees)
Departure angle	22.4 degrees (+1.3 degrees)
Ramp over angle	18.3 degrees (+2.8 degrees)
Ground clearance	212mm (+25mm)

In addition, its eight-speed auto allows additional towing capacity, but only by 200 kilos to a new total of 2200kg (albeit with a 160kg tow ball download).

Outside, it gets a unique bodykit to help enhance its clearances, while inside it gets synthetic leather trim with XRT graphics and seat stitching.

Is the Palisade XRT Pro any good off-road?

So, do all those enhancements make a difference, and does it compromise the Palisade on-road to get there?

We sampled the car on- and off-road to find out.

The big SUV’s upgrades make a big difference. While it might not have the same wheel travel and lacks low-range gearing or a manually-lockable rear differential which define the ability of most diesel ladder frame options, the XRT Pro will get you in and out of some tough terrain.

The enhancements to ground clearance gives it a surprising amount of ability to clamber over objects, while the tyre package offers a much better level of grip on loose surfaces than the usual SUV tyre which ships on a car like this.

The limited slip rear differential is the real star of the show, though. It’s a shame it is automatic, as a manual locking mode would allow more control in hairy situations, but it was the main factor for the big SUV climbing up slippery, angled surfaces, including muddy and rocky ones we tested it on.

The drive modes help alter the traction response, how quickly the diff locks, and how keen the SUV is to shift, which can all help make a difference on particular surfaces. They are no substitute for low-range gearing, though.

In addition, while the bodywork has been tweaked to help offer a bit more clearance, this isn’t quite the same as offering rock sliders, underbody protection or frame rails to take big hits. Getting outside the Palisade’s ability could end in expensive damage.

What about on-road

With knobbly all-terrains, a switch away from electrified hybrid power, and tweaked suspension, it’s easy to see how this XRT Pro could be compromised as a big luxury tourer.

However, I was largely impressed to find this isn’t the case. The Continental tyres are super quiet, offer good grip on dry tarmac and don’t seem to impact the well-weighted steering, the locally-tweaked ride is excellent, and the turbo engine is very quiet at the lower end of the rev range and shifts nice and smoothly with the eight-speed auto.

The 2.5 turbo is noisy and harsh at high revs, but the biggest downside is fuel consumption. At 11.5L/100km officially (and what I saw in my limited testing) it’s painful in an environment of fuel costing $2.00+ a litre. At least it takes 91 RON.

What are the ownership terms?

The Palisade XRT Pro is covered by the brand’s seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with a matching service price schedule. It comes to an average of $536 a year which is neither cheap nor expensive for something in this class.