2026 Hyundai SUV and Truck Updates: Three Rows or Bust
New family haulers are the headline news, but every model sees changes this year.
Hyundai hits us with big SUV updates for 2026. We're seeing a new version of a popular three-row SUV with two new powertrains, a completely new electric three-row, and a reimagined version of the brand’s small hydrogen fuel cell crossover.
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Read on for all the exciting changes coming to Hyundai’s 2026 SUV lineup.
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Every version of Hyundai’s top-ranked compact SUV receives a combination Level 1 and Level 2 charge cord this year after previously coming with only a Level 1 cord. Ultimate Red and Cosmic Blue Pearl exterior colors, formerly just for the XRT off-roader, are now available for all 2026 trims, as is a new Sage Silver Matte.
Ioniq 5 N performance models gain Forward Attention Warning driver focus monitoring and auto up/down for rear windows. The car’s Tesla-style NACS port is also new, and Hyundai includes CCS-to-NACS charging port adapters for both Level 2 and DC fast charging.
The N Drift Optimizer Pro drifting enhancer now comes with 10 stages of adjustment, up from a single mode previously. Finally, Performance Blue Pearl is new on the Ioniq 5 N’s available exterior color palette.
MotorTrend Ranked: #2 in electric compact SUVs (2026 model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
The Ioniq 9 is a new electric SUV addition to Hyundai’s lineup, offering three rows of seating and a host of advanced features. At its core is a relatively large 110-kWh battery pack paired with Tesla's NACS charging port and a high-speed charging capable of up to 232 kW. Under optimal conditions, the Ioniq 9 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just around 24 minutes.
The entry-level Long Range RWD model comes with a single rear motor producing 215 horsepower and targets a range of 335 miles. The Long Range AWD version adds a front motor for a combined output of 303 hp and a slightly lower estimated range of 320 miles. At the top of the range, the Performance AWD model delivers 422 hp from dual motors and offers just over 300 miles of driving range.
Buyers can choose either a six- or seven-passenger configuration. Inside, the cabin includes dual 12.3-inch displays for the driver and infotainment system, USB-C fast-charging ports across all three rows, and available upgrades such as massaging front and second-row seats and a premium 14-speaker sound system. A panoramic glass roof spans all three rows, and wheel options range from 19 to 21 inches.
Standard safety and driver assistance features include front and rear automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, side cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams. Available enhancements include blind-spot view cameras, a 360-degree camera, and low-speed parking collision avoidance.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Ioniq 9 Review
2026 Hyundai Kona
Hyundai fiddles with the Kona trim walk this year, axing SEL, SEL Convenience, N Line S, and N Line grades and supplanting them with just two models, the SEL Sport and SEL Premium. SE base and Limited top models carry over untouched.
Both new trims come with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, heated front seats, wireless phone charger, LED interior lighting, and auto up/down front windows. Only the SEL Premium gets a 12.3-inch driver display, faux leather upholstery, powered driver’s seat, front seatback pockets, and ambient lighting.
Exterior nuances for the SEL Sport include gloss black side mirrors and rear spoiler, as well as 18-inch black painted wheels. SEL Premiums also get black mirrors but a body-colored spoiler instead. These models come with 19-inch black with silver alloy wheels.
New standard fare for all trim levels includes Forward Collision Avoidance with Junction Turning and Oncoming Driver, as well as Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go. All Kona gas models also receive a larger console tray for 2026.
MotorTrend Ranked: #1 in subcompact SUVs.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Kona Review
2026 Hyundai Kona Electric
There will be fewer Kona Electric models to choose from for 2026, as Hyundai has discontinued the Long Range powertrain. SEL, Limited, and N Line models are all on hiatus, leaving just the SE base grade.
All Kona Electrics now come with the 48.6-kWh Standard Range battery that’s good for an estimated 200 miles of range. The electric crossover also gets a larger console tray like the gas variant. Despite the short driving range, the 2026 Kona Electric justifies its place in the lineup with a starting price of around $35,000, thousands below the Ioniq 5.
MotorTrend Ranked: #9 in electric compact SUVs (2025 model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Kona Electric Review
2026 Hyundai Nexo
The redesigned Nexo hydrogen fuel cell vehicle marks a significant leap forward with improvements across the board. It’s now longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor, offering a more spacious cabin and improved road presence.
The 2026 Nexo features a more powerful electric motor, a higher-output battery, and a larger hydrogen tank—all working together to enhance performance and extend driving range. Hyundai also upgraded the advanced driver assistance suite for greater confidence behind the wheel.
On the outside, the Nexo adopts Hyundai’s Art of Steel design language, giving it a modern, sculpted look. Wider-opening rear doors improve rear-seat access and underscore the vehicle's practicality.
Inside, the cabin is both high-tech and comfort focused. A column-mounted shifter opens up the center console for added space. Technology highlights include dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, generative AI voice controls, and a premium 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
The Nexo also includes a head-up display and heated and ventilated front seats that feature fold-out leg rests for added comfort. Part of the Nexo’s promise is easier refueling than public fast-charging for battery electric vehicles: With the Nexo, a fill-up can take just 10 minutes. The main problem is that there aren’t many hydrogen refueling stations.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Nexo Review
2026 Hyundai Palisade
A former comparison winner, Hyundai's popular three-row SUV scores a redesign for 2026. The Palisade emerges with a more efficient powertrain option and a new off-road model.
A V-6 is again standard, but the new engine is both smaller (3.5 instead of 3.8 liters) and produces a touch less output (287 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque instead of 291 hp and 262 lb-ft).
A hybrid powertrain is the upgrade, and it features a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and two electric motors in the vehicle’s six-speed transmission. Output for the Palisade hybrid measures 329 hp and 339 lb-ft.
Exterior features include vertical LED daytime running lights, available 21-inch wheels, active grille shutters, and a factory-installed tow hitch. Wide expanses of glass improve outward visibility. Passenger and cargo capacities increase this year, and the first and second rows are available with heated and ventilated seating. All three rows are offered with powered seats. Further cabin upgrades include 64-color ambient lighting and a center console UV-C sterilization compartment.
Tech consists of standard dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Hyundai’s Digital Key 2 Premium for smartphone-based access. All three rows offer 110-watt-capable USB-C ports, and a Bose 14-speaker premium audio system is available. Advanced features like an integrated dual-camera dash cam, Forward Attention Warning, and enhanced Safe Exit Assist with rear-door warning indicators add both convenience and safety.
The Palisade gains a new XRT Pro model for off-road performance, featuring an electronic rear limited-slip differential, 8.4 inches of ground clearance, improved approach and departure angles, and 18-inch all-terrain tires. It includes exposed red recovery hooks and real-time off-road data displays, along with all-wheel drive and terrain modes for Mud, Sand, and Snow. In our experience, the 2026 Palisade XRT Pro is surprisingly capable for a three-row SUV.
Design highlights include dark-finish alloy wheels, exterior accents, and model-specific badging, while the interior boasts H-Tex leatherette seating, a heated steering wheel, and a 115-volt outlet for added utility.
MotorTrend Ranked: #1 in three-row SUVs (previous-generation model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Palisade Review
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
There are few updates for the 2026 Santa Cruz, but one is a big deal. An eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the pickup’s sometimes unrefined dual-clutch gearbox for trim levels with the turbo engine.
The Santa Cruz XRT off-roader gains a new Terrain drive mode. Finally, Hyundai does away with the Dark Green interior color option this year.
MotorTrend Ranked: #2 in compact trucks.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Santa Cruz Review
2026 Hyundai Santa Fe
Like the Santa Cruz, the Santa Fe midsize SUV lineup ditches its eight-speed dual-clutch transmission for a more traditional torque-converter automatic. Exterior changes consist of a new gloss black grille for the XRT to replace the Dark Chrome version from last year. The Hybrid lineup picks up a new more affordable SE base trim.
Hyundai also adjusts equipment levels for both gas and hybrid Santa Fe this year. Calligraphy models are available with a new Pecan Brown Nappa interior. Limited grades are now standard with second-row captain’s chairs and dual wireless chargers.
SEL trims receive third-row USB ports. Gas XRT variants get the dual chargers, third-row USBs, and Terrain mode. These should help keep the three-row SUV competitive.
MotorTrend Ranked: #6 in midsize SUVs (2025 model), #1 in hybrid 3-row SUV.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Santa Fe Review
2026 Hyundai Tucson
Towing capacity improves for the 2026 Tucson non-hybrid model, from 2,000 to 2,750 pounds. The non-hybrid XRT trail trim lands a new Terrain mode, while Hyundai changes the name of the SEL Convenience to SEL Premium.
The Tucson Hybrid lineup also sees a name change, with the Blue turning into the SEL. There’s also a new base model, the Blue SE. The hybrid N Line has been discontinued.
Plug-in hybrid variants receive a new combination Level 1 and Level 2 charging cable for 2026. Both the PHEV and Hybrid are available with a new Ecotronic Gray exterior paint this year, which replaces Titan Gray. Titanium Gray Matte has also been retired from the Hybrid palette.
MotorTrend Ranked: #6 in compact SUVs, #4 in small hybrid SUVs.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Tucson Review
2026 Hyundai Venue
The Limited top trim gets the old heave-ho this year, making the SEL the new top trim of the two-model Venue lineup. It gains a wireless phone charger, heated seats, and heated mirrors.
SEL models are also available with new two-tone colorways that employ a contrasting roof, like the now-discontinued Limited once offered.
MotorTrend Ranked: #17 in subcompact SUVs.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Venue Review
2026 Hyundai SUV and Truck Updates: What’s New
- 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5: Minor update
- 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9: All-new model
- 2026 Hyundai Kona: Minor update
- 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric: Minor update
- 2026 Hyundai Nexo: Redesigned
- 2026 Hyundai Palisade: Redesigned
- 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz: Minor update
- 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe: Minor update
- 2026 Hyundai Tucson: Minor update
- 2026 Hyundai Venue: Minor update
My dad was a do-it-yourselfer, which is where my interest in cars began. To save money, he used to service his own vehicles, and I often got sent to the garage to hold a flashlight or fetch a tool for him while he was on his back under a car. Those formative experiences activated and fostered a curiosity in Japanese automobiles because that’s all my Mexican immigrant folks owned then. For as far back as I can remember, my family always had Hondas and Toyotas. There was a Mazda and a Subaru in there, too, a Datsun as well. My dad loved their fuel efficiency and build quality, so that’s how he spent and still chooses to spend his vehicle budget. Then, like a lot of young men in Southern California, fast modified cars entered the picture in my late teens and early 20s. Back then my best bud and I occasionally got into inadvisable high-speed shenanigans in his Honda. Coincidentally, that same dear friend got me my first job in publishing, where I wrote and copy edited for action sports lifestyle magazines. It was my first “real job” post college, and it gave me the experience to move just a couple years later to Auto Sound & Security magazine, my first gig in the car enthusiast space. From there, I was extremely fortunate to land staff positions at some highly regarded tuner media brands: Honda Tuning, UrbanRacer.com, and Super Street. I see myself as a Honda guy, and that’s mostly what I’ve owned, though not that many—I’ve had one each Civic, Accord, and, currently, an Acura RSX Type S. I also had a fourth-gen Toyota pickup when I met my wife, with its bulletproof single-cam 22R inline-four, way before the brand started calling its trucks Tacoma and Tundra. I’m seriously in lust with the motorsport of drifting, partly because it reminds me of my boarding and BMX days, partly because it’s uncorked vehicle performance, and partly because it has Japanese roots. I’ve never been much of a car modifier, but my DC5 is lowered, has a few bolt-ons, and the ECU is re-flashed. I love being behind the wheel of most vehicles, whether that’s road tripping or circuit flogging, although a lifetime exposed to traffic in the greater L.A. area has dulled that passion some. And unlike my dear ol’ dad, I am not a DIYer, because frankly I break everything I touch.
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