Wait for 2026 or buy now?

My wife and I were leaning towards the 2025 Palisade, but then we started checking out the Santa Fe Hybrid, both in Calligraphy trim. The hybrid option is really appealing, and the tech on both seems pretty comparable. The Palisade has a slight edge with things like ventilated second-row seats, power-folding 3rd row, and massaging seats, but none of those are deal-breakers for us.

We’re leaning towards the Santa Fe for its better HDA, wireless CarPlay, and Bose speakers. Plus, the Santa Fe easily wins with better exterior/interior color options. We absolutely love the blue with beige interior. On the Palisade, the green exterior is great, but it’s only available with a black interior.

A couple of questions:

  • Are there any big changes coming for the 2026 Santa Fe?
  • Do you think the 2025 Santa Fe will drop in price once the 2026 model is out?
  • Thoughts on the new 2026 Palisade hybrid?

We currently have a 2016 Highlander that’s been great, so waiting another 6-8 months isn’t a problem for us.

If you can wait, the 2026 Palisade might be worth it. It’s supposed to be a complete redesign, and the early pictures look amazing.

Ty said:
Avoid buying the first model year of a redesign if you can. There are always bugs to work out.

Totally agree. We were debating the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrid vs another car and spoke to some mechanics. They all said the same thing: skip the first year if possible.

Ty said:
Avoid buying the first model year of a redesign if you can. There are always bugs to work out.

That’s generally good advice, but sometimes the first year of a redesign can be a huge upgrade. For example, when Porsche redesigned the 911 in 1998, it was way better than the old one. But yeah, warranties help a lot these days to cover any issues.

@Remy
Good point, but getting service under warranty can be a hassle. Some Hyundai dealerships have months-long wait times for repairs.

I don’t think there’ll be major changes to the 2026 Santa Fe. The 2026 Palisade hybrid, on the other hand, is supposed to have 330hp but worse MPG. It’s also growing a bit in size and will probably have better fit and finish. Expect it to cost more, though.

@Colby
Yeah, I bet the Palisade hybrid will have a waitlist and dealer markups. Still curious to see it! The early pics of the Korean version look awesome.

Power 3rd-row seats are a gimmick. You’re better off with manual ones—they’re way faster. Ventilated second-row seats sound nice, though.

Rian said:
Power 3rd-row seats are a gimmick. You’re better off with manual ones—they’re way faster. Ventilated second-row seats sound nice, though.

Totally agree on the power 3rd-row seats. Ventilated second-row seats feel like a luxury, but not a necessity.

I bought the 2025 Santa Fe Calligraphy in December because I was worried about potential tariff increases driving up the cost.

Wren said:
I bought the 2025 Santa Fe Calligraphy in December because I was worried about potential tariff increases driving up the cost.

You know they’re manufactured in the US, right?

@Wyn
They’re assembled in the US, but a lot of the parts are imported from Korea, Japan, and China. Tariffs could still impact prices.

I picked the Santa Fe because I didn’t need as much room as the Palisade. Also, the black-on-black 2025 Calligraphy looks so sleek. Couldn’t be happier with my choice.

The Bose system in the Santa Fe is nice, but I was a bit disappointed with the bass. Anyone else feel the same?

Santa Fe seems like the better choice overall, especially with the hybrid option. I’ve got the 2024 Calligraphy and love it.

I had a 2024 Palisade but switched to a 2025 Santa Fe. The Palisade felt more luxurious, but I really like the Santa Fe’s infotainment setup and center console design.

I’ve read that the Santa Fe hybrid doesn’t get great gas mileage. Edmunds had one for a year and said it wasn’t much better than the gas model.

Ridley said:
I’ve read that the Santa Fe hybrid doesn’t get great gas mileage. Edmunds had one for a year and said it wasn’t much better than the gas model.

Hybrids need a different driving style to get good mileage. If you drive it like a gas car, you won’t see the benefits.