Showing the 2020 Palisade Limited. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 3.8 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2020 Palisade
The 2020 Hyundai Palisade has 541 owner complaints, with engine the part named most, at 133 complaints. It is rated 21 to 22 mpg combined and has a 5-year fuel cost of $14,760 to $15,470 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 overall stars. There are 5 recall campaigns that may apply, covering air bags, seat belts, trailer hitch, and others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
21–22 mpgcombined; city 19, highway 24–26; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,760–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $13,190–$13,820 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 Palisade. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 541 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Palisade. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
133
1
5
0
Visibility/wiper
115
0
0
0
Unknown or other
86
4
1
3
Suspension
61
0
0
0
Seat belts
51
0
0
0
Electrical system
46
1
1
4
Power train
40
1
1
0
Structure
26
0
1
2
Air bags
25
4
1
7
Visibility
18
1
0
2
Forward collision avoidance
17
4
0
4
Seats
15
0
0
0
13 more parts
Steering
15
3
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
12
0
0
0
Service brakes
12
1
0
1
Trailer hitches
11
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
9
2
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
8
0
0
0
Wheels
7
1
0
0
Back over prevention
4
0
0
0
Lane departure
4
0
0
0
Chest clip, buckle, harness
1
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2020 Palisade over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The side curtain air bags for third-row occupants may deploy improperly in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: Improper side curtain air bag deployment increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protective film over the rear window and remove padding, as necessary free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Final remedy owner letters will be mailed in phases, beginning in June 2026 and expected to continue through December 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 292. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 24, 2026.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.
Risk: Seat belt buckles that fail to latch may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Passengers are advised to insert the belt firmly into the buckle with a quick and direct motion, pulling on the belt to confirm the seat belt is fully secured, until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assemblies, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed beginning October 23, 2025. Final remedy owner letters will be mailed in phases, beginning in June 2026 and expected to continue through December 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 283. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 13, 2025.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling 2020-2022 Palisade vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 235.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Palisade vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, causing the wipers to fail.
Risk: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side windshield wiper arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 13, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 233.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Palisade vehicles. The mounting bolts used to secure the side curtain air bags may damage the side curtain air bags during deployment.
Risk: Damaged side curtain air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover on the mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 186.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 178 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Palisade, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (54), equipment (30), power train (26), engine and engine cooling (13), suspension (12).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Preliminary evaluation PE24021 Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2020 Palisade.
See used 2020 Hyundai Palisades for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
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Specs
EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Palisade Front-Wheel Drive
3.8 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 26 / 22
Palisade All-Wheel Drive
3.8 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 24 / 21
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data