Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The new Hyundai Palisade is a nearly ground-up rehash of the brand's mid-sized SUV entrant. The SUV gets new looks, as well as a new interior and accompanying new technology. The SUV can also be ordered with captain's chairs for the second row, and features tons of new items geared towards making passengers happier and more comfortable. But what about dogs? To find out if it hauls pets as well as it does people, we brought along a test subject.As usual, our tester is my huge 85-pound Goldendoodle, Beorn. He's happy to be here, and he works for cheap.Ease Of Access: No Problem For Taller DogsChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Palisade has a pretty friendly ride height for pets. It doesn't ride incredibly high because Hyundai doesn't intend this new hybrid model as an off-road machine, and both ingress and egress benefit as a result. Most owners will probably load their pets through the trunk due to the captain's chairs, but the wide doors make loading in the second row similarly easy.Beorn was able to make it up into the Palisade with a small hop, as will most mid-sized dogs. A powered tailgate makes getting in and out even easier, and I appreciated the rear seat controls found in the rear hatch space. This makes manipulating both rows simple, allowing you to balance room for your dog, passengers, and cargo easily.Interior Space: Captain's Chairs Create A CompromiseChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleSUVs with three rows and captain's chairs usually aren't the best for hauling pets. Ideally, you want pets in the second row, just like kids, where all the airbags are. For large dogs, this isn't a realistic option. In this case, the third row wasn't great either. It had a different problem, with a seat base that's too narrow for a large dog to comfortably sit in, even though there's more than enough headroom.AdvertisementAdvertisementOf course, the trunk is spacious. Beorn had more than enough room behind the second row with the third folded down, and you'd easily be able to fit another dog or even two back there without a problem. You can also hang a mat off the back of the second row to create your own partition, though some dogs will probably clamber over this anyway. I found Beorn in the second row after leaving him in the car on more than one occasion.There's also plenty of ventilation and air circulation in back. The Palisade features a set of vents for the second row that help circulate air towards the back of the vehicle, as well as a separate climate zone for the back two rows. This is great for dogs that run hot, as mine does.Materials: Cover ThemChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleThe Palisade is undeniably luxurious, especially this Calligraphy model. At the very top of the trim pyramid, this model features leather seats, trim, and more. In this case, it's also white. Of course, that means it's not the best place to let the dog hang out. You'll want to cover the seats to help keep the Palisade's supple materials free of damage. The cargo area is a different story, of course. This is simple, easy-to-clean carpet. Here, I'm less concerned with damage, but most owners will want to simply cover the seats and put their pets in the second row bench, if possible.AdvertisementAdvertisementHyundai's new SUV is, largely, a real standout from the competition. While those traveling with pets will absolutely want to opt for the SUV's bench seating option, the Palisade is still plenty capable of comfortably and safely hauling pets.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Reviews section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.