Hyundai’s All‑New Palisade Wins Good‑Housekeeping Nod as Best Midsize Family SUV

A PR announcement and what it means for families

SEOUL, Dec. 18, 2025 — Hyundai’s all‑new Palisade has been named Best Midsize SUV in Good Housekeeping’s 2026 Family Car Awards, the company announced in a PR Newswire release. The award headline focused on the Palisade’s family‑friendly mix of space, safety and everyday usability.

Good Housekeeping’s panel tested a group of family vehicles and singled out the Palisade for its roomy three‑row layout and easy‑to‑use features. Hyundai framed the honor as recognition that the Palisade fits real household needs — from ferrying kids to school to handling longer family trips — rather than as a pure performance trophy.

What the Palisade offers families: room, options and usable tech

The Palisade is a three‑row midsize SUV built around comfort and practicality. Inside, it emphasizes passenger space: adults can sit in the second row without feeling cramped, and the third row is designed to be usable for children and shorter adults. The cabin layout focuses on storage spots, roomy door pockets and a flat load floor when the rear seats fold, all things parents notice on a daily basis.

Hyundai offers the Palisade with conventional gasoline power and a hybrid option, giving buyers a choice between familiar fuel setup or a version aimed at better economy. Both setups are tuned for smooth, predictable driving rather than sporty handling — the kind of tuning many families prefer for calm commutes and highway trips.

Technology and safety are front and center. The Palisade’s dashboard centers on a large infotainment screen with phone integration and simple menus, and the cabin commonly includes features like wireless charging and multiple USB ports. Hyundai also fits the model with a broad suite of driver aids — things such as automatic emergency braking, lane‑keeping help and adaptive cruise that reduce the small daily stresses of driving with passengers.

How Good Housekeeping tested cars and why the award matters

Good Housekeeping’s Family Car Awards are built around hands‑on testing aimed at everyday family needs. Judges typically look at seating comfort, cargo flexibility, ease of fitting child seats, cabin materials that stand up to mess, and how straightforward the tech is to use. They pair practical driving time with focused checks that reflect parental priorities.

For shoppers, that approach matters because it answers the simple question: which car will make family life easier? The Palisade’s win signals that it performs well on those everyday measures rather than just on style or headline specs.

How the Palisade compares with its midsize three‑row rivals

The Palisade sits in a crowded field that includes models like the Kia Telluride, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Subaru Ascent and Volkswagen Atlas. Those rivals each bring strengths: some offer slightly better fuel economy, others have stronger towing numbers or lower base prices.

Where the Palisade aims to stand out is comfort and interior usability. Reviewers often point to its thoughtful storage, supportive seats and a cabin layout that feels upscale for the price rung. Competitors may match or beat the Palisade on a single attribute — for example, better hybrid efficiency or simpler mechanics — but Good Housekeeping’s pick suggests the Palisade is the most balanced option for many family buyers.

The midsize three‑row SUV segment remains a practical choice for households that need space but don’t want a full‑size SUV. Demand is steady as families prioritize comfort, safety features and flexible interiors more than raw performance, and hybrids are gaining traction as a way to cut everyday fuel bills.

Where to find it, price hints and a reaction from Hyundai

Hyundai says the Palisade is available in multiple trims to suit different budgets and needs, and that new model availability will roll through dealers in the coming months. Pricing was presented as falling within the typical midsize three‑row range rather than as an outlier at either extreme.

A Hyundai spokesperson said in the release, “We’re honored that Good Housekeeping recognized the Palisade for the features families tell us matter most — roominess, safety and everyday convenience.” Good Housekeeping added that the Palisade’s combination of comfort and practicality made it a clear choice for the award.

Sources

• prnewswire.com