Hyundai Palisade Wins 2026 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award for Best Large Utility

The Hyundai Palisade was named 2026 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award for Best Large Utility. The Palisade stood out among other category finalists thanks to its powerful 3.5-liter V6 and new hybrid powertrain option, a slew of convenience and technology features and overall refinement. In addition to driving impressions, MotorWeek’s vehicle evaluations team considered reliability and value, as well as consumer trends.

“The 2026 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award recognition for Best Large Utility is proof that Hyundai is providing customers the features and technologies they desire at an accessible price point,” said Ricky Lao, director, product planning, Hyundai Motor North America. “During the design phase, people told us they wanted confidence and a premium feel in real life, so we focused on proportion, presence and refinement for a first-class experience.”

“Large crossover utilities are still a relatively new phenomenon, but our winner, the Hyundai Palisade, is no stranger to the segment. When it first arrived 6 years ago, it was truly a game changer. We picked it as a winner then, and it caused established brands to rethink their own large SUV strategies,” said John Davis, Host & Creator of MotorWeek. “Well, the second-generation Palisade is now here with a new hybrid powertrain that is both more efficient and more powerful than the outgoing V6. Plus, while the exterior size has grown only modestly, it packs far more features and refinement than ever and does so without sticker shock. Putting the Palisade at the top of our SUV ticket was once again an easy choice.”

For the last 45 years, MotorWeek has paused halfway through their television season to examine the state of the automotive business, and to judge the year’s best new cars, SUVs and trucks. Driving, researching, and performing instrumented testing of over 150 new vehicles every year is a benchmark of which MotorWeek is proud. From this intensive process, a list of the best vehicles in each class is prepared and the DCA winners are determined. The goal is to produce a list of winners that align with the perspectives of automotive experts and consumers alike, with recommendations that can be used as a practical guide for new-vehicle shopping. The Drivers’ Choice Awards selection show can be watched now at MotorWeek.org and MotorWeek’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Motorweek/videos

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