Hyundai Palisade 2.5 Turbo Hybrid Named One of WardsAuto’s 10 Best Powertrains

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor’s Palisade 2.5 Turbo Hybrid powertrain has been named one of the 10 Powertrains of the Year by U.S. automotive publication WardsAuto. It is the first powertrain to feature the next-generation hybrid system developed by Hyundai Motor Group.
According to Hyundai Motor on the 15th, the award brings Hyundai Motor Group’s total to 20 wins, since the 4.6L Tau gasoline engine in the first-generation Genesis (BH) was first selected in 2008.
WardsAuto has selected its “10 Best Engines” every year since 1995. In 2019, in response to the trend toward electrification, it changed the name to “10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems.” This year, a panel of judges evaluated 26 powertrains in new vehicles sold in the U.S. on power, torque, noise and vibration (NVH) performance, efficiency, and technological capability, and selected 10.
The next-generation hybrid system in the Palisade Hybrid was designed to pair a range of engines with a new transmission that houses two motors. Hyundai Motor said this setup allows it to adjust performance and fuel economy to suit the vehicle class and characteristics. The Palisade Hybrid equipped with the system has a maximum system output of 334 horsepower and combined fuel economy of 14.1 km/L (2WD, with 18-inch wheels).
The vehicle also features driving technologies that use the drive motor: E-Ride, E-Handling, E-EHA, and e-DTVC, which Hyundai Motor says improve ride comfort and driving performance. It has a 1.65-kWh, 300-volt-class lithium-ion battery, and it also supports in-cabin V2L and Stay Mode. Hyundai Motor said these features make convenience functions used in dedicated electric vehicles available in hybrids as well.
Last January, the Palisade won the Utility Vehicle of the Year award at the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards (NACTOY). It was also named a 2026 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year and selected for Car and Driver’s “2026 10Best Trucks & SUVs.”
A Hyundai Motor official said, “This award recognizes the outstanding technological competitiveness of the Palisade 2.5 Turbo Hybrid powertrain,” adding, “We will provide customers with an even better mobility experience, thanks to the excellent driving performance and outstanding efficiency of our next-generation hybrid system.”

[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter