Why We Chose the Hyundai Palisade for the Best Family Cars of 2025 List

• Top safety scores
• Room for eight people and their gear
• Class-leading warranty

What defines a family can be different for everyone, whether it’s a multi-generational household, a couple and their dog, or some combination in between. Still, one thing that ties every family together is the need for a family car, and there, the priorities are much more universal. Does it offer a lot of value for the money? Is it safe? Does it have enough room for the fam and their stuff? The Hyundai Palisade offers an enthusiastic yes to all of these questions, which is why it earned a spot on our 12 Best Family Cars of 2025 list.

Strong Safety Cred

For starters, the 2025 Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It also earned a 5-Star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Not only that, but the Palisade comes standard with advanced safety features, including blind spot collision warning, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane follow assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, reverse parking distance warning, safe exit assist, trailer sway control, and adaptive cruise control.

Roomy, Well-Equipped Interior

The Palisade’s spacious cabin can accommodate up to eight people, depending on trim level. There is plenty of head- and legroom in all three rows, and the interior is easy to configure for your needs. If people are sitting in every seat, there is space for 18.0 cubic feet of cargo behind the third row. You can choose to fold down one side or both of the 60/40-split back row. With it folded, cargo volume goes up to almost 46 cubic feet. The second row is also a 60/40 split, and with that folded, you can carry two people and over 86 cubic feet of gear. When the third row is used for passengers, it’s easy to access, as the second row uses a one-touch sliding seat. Higher trim levels even have a power-folding and unfolding third row.

The interior comes nicely appointed with a 12.3-inch color touchscreen that serves as the control center for the standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, navigation, and audio. There are soft-touch materials throughout the cabin, and tri-zone automatic climate control with vents in all three rows and separate controls for the second row. Family-friendly features like LATCH – which gets an “Acceptable” ease of use rating from IIHS – numerous cupholders (up to 16) and storage spots, rear occupant alert, and the available Passenger Talk in-car intercom make this an even more appealing vehicle. If you want to make the interior more luxurious, you can add captain’s chairs, heated and ventilated seats, Nappa leather upholstery, and 12-speaker Harman Kardon surround audio.

Value for the Money

Every 2025 Palisade is powered by a 291-hp, 3.8-liter V6 with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission. That combination offers plenty of power and decent fuel economy. It can also tow up to 5,000 pounds. That, combined with the smooth ride and comfortable interior, makes this vehicle a great choice for road trips.

Here’s the kicker: Pricing for the 2025 Hyundai Palisade starts at $38,695, including the $1,495 destination fee. All-wheel drive adds $2,000 to the bottom line. It is also protected by one of the industry’s best warranties: a 5-year/60,000-mile limited bumper-to-bumper warranty, a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and 5 years of 24/7 roadside assistance. That’s a lot of safety, protection, and standard features in a refined, comfortable, and safe vehicle that is one of the most affordable in its class.

Methodology

Our list of the Best Family Cars is determined by a combination of data and vehicle evaluations. We drive these cars, packing them with people and gear. As we explain in the full list, “We selected vehicles that excel at meeting the needs of small and large families alike. Our picks also deliver solid fuel economy, low operating costs, and high safety levels at relatively affordable prices. All models on this list have either a 5-star NHTSA rating, are IIHS TSP/TSP+ vehicles, or have earned both organizations’ top accolades based on the most recent ratings.”