2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. 2026 Kia Telluride
There's no hiding the fact that the Hyundai Palisade and the Kia Telluride are very close cousins sharing the same platform and similar dimensions, but how are they different?
Our article today compares these two luxury mid-size SUVs as we expand more on our title: 2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride.
Which Is Better, Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride?
There is that saying, "different strokes for different folks," and when it comes to vehicle buying, there's just no knowing what really makes us choose one vehicle over another. Yes, there are the hard facts, the standout specs, our transport needs, and not to mention our individual budgets, but each and every vehicle for sale on showroom floors across America has a different appeal to different buyers. So which is better between the 2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. 2026 Kia Telluride?
The Hyundai Palisade is all new for 2026, and its new design features a radical redesign with a distinctly "squared-off" exterior silhouette. Think Range Rover, and you get the idea, and a premium interior with high-end materials, including available quilted Nappa leather, places an emphasis on luxury and unflustered travels.
The Kia Telluride is a massively popular and top seller in the mid-size SUV segment. The Kia will appeal to those buyers who prefer the more rugged and bold look and who need maximum cargo space in a slightly more adventurous, off-road-oriented vehicle.
Of interest is that Kia has skipped the 2026 model year completely, and the latest new Kia Telluride is, in fact, sold as a 2027 model.
Is Palisade Bigger Than Telluride?
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade and the new Kia Telluride are very closely matched in size, both sharing the aforementioned platform and wheelbase of 116.9 inches. However, the Palisade is a smidgen longer at 200.4 inches versus the Telluride's 199.2-inch long body.
The Hyundai measures 78.0 inches wide, while the Kia is only slightly chunkier at 78.3 inches. The Palisade stands 69.5 inches high, and the Telluride is between 68.9-70.5 inches tall.
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade offers a maximum ground clearance of between 7.4 to 8.4 inches versus the Telluride's maximum of 9.1 inches available in X Pro trim.
2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride Exterior
As already shared, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride part ways when it comes to their individual exterior designs.
2026 Hyundai Palisade
All new for 2026, the Hyundai Palisade is a ground-up redesign featuring an upright and boxy exterior aesthetic along with premium exterior accents.
Immediately noticeable is the Palisade's commanding front-end view, complete with a massive grille finished in black and silver accents. The Palisade features a two-square LED projector headlamp design, a new LED Center Positioning Light, LED Daytime Running Lights, and active airflow shutters located in the lower fascia.
The rear view sports new LED dot tail lights, an LED roof-mounted and wide Center High-Mount Stop Light.
Further exterior details include alloy wheels, automatic headlights, door handle welcome lights, and plenty more luxury appointments.
Buyers get to choose from a lineup of 10 exterior colors.
2026 Kia Telluride
The 2026 or rather the new 2027 Kia Telluride also features a major exterior redesign, which sees it adopting a bolder, more rugged, and futuristic aesthetic inspired by Kia's EV9 SUV.
Some of the key changes in the looks department include a new, larger, and more aggressive high-gloss front grille, vertical "Star Map" LED headlights with C-shaped elements, and stylish amber LED daytime running lights.
The new Telluride shows off cleaner, flatter body panels and muscular shoulder lines. The rear view features a full-width LED light bar, resulting in Kia's more upscale and squared-off styling.
The Telluride is available in a choice of 10 exterior colors across the trims.
2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride Interior
Both these South Koreans offer three rows of seats in their luxuriously appointed interiors. Who's better looking between the 2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride?
2026 Hyundai Palisade
The Palisade's new roomy and upscale cabin seats up to seven or eight passengers, depending on seating configuration, and boasts a dedicated passenger volume of 161.9 cubic feet.
The new Palisade's interior is a luxurious place to be seated, thanks to soft-touch materials, a luxury leather-wrapped four-spoke steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and upholstery choices that include cloth, H-Tex, or leather seating trim.
Numerous luxury appointments include customizable ambient lighting and a dual-panel sunroof. Buyers can opt for available heated/ventilated front and second-row seats.
The Palisade's infotainment system comprises a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen display, Wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, Bluelink+, Passenger Talk in-car intercom, and Onboard Navigation, to name just a few features.
The Palisade features a convenient one-touch second-row seat slide and fold-down bench seat for easy third-row access, which is split 60/40, as well as reclinable and adjustable head restraints.
Ingress/egress handles allow the 60/40 split third row seat to be quickly folded down. The primary cargo area behind the third seat row measures 19.1 cubic feet, growing to 46.3 cubic feet by dropping down the third row seat and up to 86.7 cubic feet of space with the second and third seat rows folded.
2026 Kia Telluride
The Kia also seats seven to eight passengers in its new look cabin.
The interior redesign offers a wider, more luxurious feel with items like available quilted leather patterns, a Tri-Zone Auto Climate Control with a five-inch Climate Display, Auto De-Fog System, and Ceiling Mounted Rear Vents, plus improved interior ambient lighting.
A new, larger center console is found, along with improved storage nooks, and a handy rear-passenger conversation mirror is included for easy conversations with rear-seated family members.
The Kia's infotainment system matches that of the Hyundai, with a standard 12.3-inch dual-screen setup providing fast processing for navigation and infotainment. Standard equipment includes an eight-speaker audio system, with upper trims getting a Meridianâ„¢ Premium Audio System with 14 speakers.
The connectivity features include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and intuitive voice-activated controls.
The latest Telluride offers large cargo capacity for its class, with up to 21.0 cubic feet of primary space, 87 cubic feet of maximum cargo space behind the second and third rows when folded down, and 46.0 cubic feet behind the second row.
Performance and Handling
Comparing the Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride, the models diverge when it comes to engine strategy, with the Palisade powered by a smaller capacity V6 than that found in the Telluride.
2026 Hyundai Palisade
The Palisade makes use of a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. FWD is standard, while Hyundai's HTRAC All-Wheel-Drive system is an option.
The Hyundai's unibody makes use of high-strength steel and rides on a MacPherson strut front suspension with gas-filled dampers and a stabilizer bar. It can tow up to a maximum of 5,000 pounds.
The rear is fitted with a Multi-link system with gas shock absorbers along with a stabilizer bar.
2026 Kia Telluride
The Kia continues with its gutsy 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard and AWD optional, also allowing it to tow up to a maximum of 5,000 pounds.
Fuel Efficiency
Let's take a comparative look at the 2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. 2026 Kia Telluride in respect to fuel economy ratings.
2026 Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai owners can expect FWD models to return 19 / 25 / 21 mpg for city/highway/combined driving, while HTRAC AWD-equipped models are rated at 18 / 24 / 20 mpg.
2026 Kia Telluride
Owners of the Kia will get EPA estimates of 20 / 26 / 22 mpg for city/highway/combined on FWD models and 18 / 24 / 20 mpg when equipped with AWD.
2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride Safety
Befitting their respective flagship status in the two related brands' SUV lineups, both the 2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. 2026 Kia Telluride offer similar equipment levels.
2026 Hyundai Palisade
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade earned a 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK designation from the IIHS thanks to its extensive lineup of safety features, including the Hyundai SmartSense suite of driver-assist technologies offering features like Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Car/Ped/Cyclist Detection.
The Palisade's safety features include an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with four-wheel disc brakes, 10 airbags, and Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Curve Control.
2026 Kia Telluride
The Kia is engineered with a robust body structure along with enhanced driver-assistance technologies like advanced forward collision-avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, and safe exit assist for enhanced family safety.
2026 Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride Pricing
With so much to share, it's recommended to contact Hyundai of Saco to get the lowdown on all the Palisade trim levels and their pricing. What's better priced between the Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride?
2026 Hyundai Palisade
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade is available in seven trim levels ranging from $39,435 for the entry SE trim up to $44,560 for the range-topper Calligraphy spec.
2026 Kia Telluride
The new Kia Telluride offers nine trim levels ranging from between $39,190 for the entry LX trim with FWD up to $56,790 for the range-topper Calligraphy spec sold only with AWD.
Get Your Hyundai Palisade at Hyundai of Saco
Think you've decided between the Hyundai Palisade vs. Kia Telluride? Visit Hyundai of Saco in Saco, ME, to view and test drive the new 2026 Hyundai Palisade.
The Hyundai of Saco dealership's dedicated and experienced team offers all customers service excellence, whether it's a new or used Hyundai that you are considering.
