2027 Hyundai Palisade vs. 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

CarGurus experts rate the 2025 Hyundai Palisade 9.0 out of 10 versus the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander's 8.0, recommending the Palisade for offering a more refined driving experience, advanced technology, and a higher overall rating, citing its bold, upscale design, smooth and refined V6 engine, and comprehensive suite of safety features. TrueCar says the Hyundai Palisade's $41,035 MSRP undercuts the Toyota Grand Highlander's $43,855 TSRP by $2,820, a gap that stretches to $3,110 based on real-world average prices, while the Grand Highlander wins on fuel economy at 21 city/28 highway mpg versus the Palisade's 19 city/25 highway.

Which to choose, and why

CarGurus recommends the Palisade

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) experts rate the 2025 Hyundai Palisade 9.0 out of 10 versus the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander's 8.0, recommending the Palisade for offering a more refined driving experience, advanced technology, and a higher overall rating, citing its bold, upscale design, smooth and refined V6 engine, and comprehensive suite of safety features.

$2,820 to $3,110 cheaper Palisade, thriftier Grand Highlander

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says the Hyundai Palisade's $41,035 MSRP undercuts the Toyota Grand Highlander's $43,855 TSRP by $2,820, a gap that stretches to $3,110 based on real-world average prices, while the Grand Highlander wins on fuel economy at 21 city/28 highway mpg versus the Palisade's 19 city/25 highway.

Questions buyers ask

Which does CarGurus recommend, the Palisade or Grand Highlander?

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) recommends the Palisade, rated 9.0/10 versus the Grand Highlander's 8.0/10.

Which is cheaper, the Palisade or Grand Highlander?

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says the Palisade, by $2,820 at MSRP/TSRP.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Hyundai Palisade: 6 records · Toyota Grand Highlander: 7 records.

Decision field	Hyundai Palisade	Toyota Grand Highlander
Exact EPA records	6	7
Model / option labels	6	6
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	2.5L 4-cyl SIDI; Hybrid, 3.5L 6-cyl SIDI & PFI	2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, 2.5L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; Hybrid
Transmissions	Automatic (AM-S6), Automatic (S8)	Automatic (AV-S6), Automatic (S6), Automatic (S8)
Fuel types	Regular	Regular
EPA classes	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	19–34 MPG/MPGe	22–36 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$1900–3400 per year	$1800–2950 per year

Head to head

Hyundai Palisade vs. Toyota Grand Highlander: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Hyundai Palisade	Toyota Grand Highlander
Starting price (KBB base)	$41,385	$43,355
Top trim price (KBB base)	$58,510	$56,540
Horsepower	287 hp	265 hp
Torque	260 lb-ft	310 lb-ft
Curb weight	4,575-4,872 lb	4,440-4,485 lb
Length	199.2-200.4 in	201.4 in
Wheelbase	116.9 in	116.1 in
Cargo volume	86.7 cu ft	97.5 cu ft
Towing capacity	5,000 lb	5,000 lb
Seating	7-8 seats	7-8 seats
Basic warranty	5 years	3 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2027 and 2026 model years); prices are KBB base prices.

The Hyundai Palisade starts $1,970 lower: $41,385 against $43,355 before options and fees.
On peak horsepower, the Hyundai Palisade leads: 287 hp against 265 hp.
On peak torque, the Toyota Grand Highlander leads: 310 lb-ft against 260 lb-ft.
The Toyota Grand Highlander is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 4,440 lb against 4,575 lb.
On length, the Toyota Grand Highlander leads: 201.4 in against 200.4 in.
On wheelbase, the Hyundai Palisade leads: 116.9 in against 116.1 in.
On cargo volume, the Toyota Grand Highlander leads: 97.5 cu ft against 86.7 cu ft.
Both list the same maximum towing capacity: 5,000 lb.
Both list the same seating capacity: 8 seats.
On basic warranty, the Hyundai Palisade leads: 5 years against 3 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Hyundai Palisade and the Toyota Grand Highlander.

2027 Hyundai Palisade

The Hyundai Palisade is a mid-size crossover SUV with three-row seating manufactured and marketed by Hyundai Motor Company since late 2018. It replaced the Maxcruz (also known as Santa Fe XL outside of South Korea) as the flagship SUV under the Hyundai brand. A second-generation Palisade was introduced for the 2026 model's first hybrid powertrain.

Powertrain: Safety The Palisade was awarded "Top Safety Pick" and "Top Safety Pick+" (from 2021 to 2023 model years) by IIHS.

Source: Hyundai Palisade (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2025 Hyundai Palisade overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (6 campaigns across the latest model years)

March 2026, Seat Belts: Rear/Other:Buckle Assembly. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Hyundai Palisade and 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with "Limited" and "Calligraphy" trim packages. The internal wiring within the third-row driver-side seat belt buckle may become damaged and result in a permanent display… Consequence: A faulty seat belt status indicator may fail to alert occupants to an unfastened seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.
March 2026, Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly:Power Adjust. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Palisade and 2026 Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Limited or Calligraphy trim package. The second and third row power seats may fail to detect a person. The seat may continue to move after… Consequence: A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death.
January 2026, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument… Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Owners filed 245 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Hyundai Palisade, most often about service brakes (96), seat belts (57), unknown or other (43).

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

The Toyota Grand Highlander is a mid-size crossover SUV with three-row seating produced by Toyota since 2023. The Grand Highlander was introduced for the North American market on February 8, 2023. While sharing the nameplate and the GA-K platform with the regular Highlander, the Grand Highlander is longer, taller, and wider, and features entirely different exterior and interior styling.

Safety: The 2024 model year Grand Highlander was not awarded by the IIHS, as it did not receive a Good rating in the driver-side small overlap front crash test to be qualified for a safety award.

Source: Toyota Grand Highlander (Wikipedia)

Trim levels. The Grand Highlander exclusively uses four-cylinder powertrains. The gas models use the turbocharged 2.4-liter T24A-FTS engine producing up to 265 hp (198 kW; 269 PS) and 310 lb⋅ft of torque.

NHTSA rated the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (7 campaigns across the latest model years)

September 2026, Steering:Linkages:Knuckle:Spindle:Arm. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX350, RX500 Hybrid, TX500 Hybrid, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can… Consequence: A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
July 2026, Power Train:Axle Assembly. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid, TX Hybrid, TX, Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Grand Highlander vehicles. The rear axle carriers may have been manufactured with insufficient material strength and could break. Consequence: A broken rear axle carrier can cause a sudden loss of vehicle stability and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
March 2026, Equipment:Other:Labels. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid… Consequence: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Owners filed 73 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander, most often about unknown or other (20), power train (15), engine (12).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2027Hyundai Palisade6 configurations →02 · 2026Toyota Grand Highlander7 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

12 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2027 Hyundai Palisade or the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?

Efficiency

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (29 vs. the 2027 Hyundai Palisade's 26.5 MPG/MPGe).