The 2026 Palisade earns an A for LATCH, the infant seat and the rear-facing convertible, with ample front passenger legroom. It does not fit three car seats across, because this model uses second-row captain's chairs. Before anything else, check the recall below against your VIN.
Cars.com notes a serious 2026 Palisade recall following the death of a child in the power-folding seat, and reports that a fix is now available. Our advice, not Cars.com's: if you drive a 2026 Palisade, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm the update has been applied before carrying children in it. Until it has, do not operate the power fold, stow or tilt-and-slide functions while a child is in or near the second or third row. Recall scope and remedy status change over time, so trust the VIN lookup over any article, including this one.
Compiled by our gear team from Cars.com's Car Seat Check. Published July 18, 2026. Car seat fit findings from Cars.com's Car Seat Check, conducted by certified child passenger safety technicians.
The grades at a glance
| Test | Grade |
|---|---|
| LATCH | A |
| Infant seat | A |
| Rear-facing convertible | A |
| Forward-facing convertible | B |
| Booster, second row | B |
| LATCH, third row | A |
| Third-row entry | B |
| Forward-facing convertible, third row | B |
| Booster, third row | C |
Three car seats across: no, in the second-row captain's chairs Cars.com tested. There is room for two, but this model has second-row captain's chairs, so there is no middle seat to use. Cars.com did not test a bench-seat version, so treat this as a finding about that configuration rather than about the model.
Where the anchors are
Lower anchors. Second row: two sets, exposed for easy connection. Third row: two sets, partially exposed.
Top tethers. Two in the second row, midway down the seatbacks, clearly labeled and easy to use. Three in the third row, also clearly marked.
NHTSA recommends always using the top tether with a forward-facing car seat, whether it is installed with the lower anchors or the seat belt, as long as both the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer permit it. Check both manuals for your specific combination, and check your car seat's tether weight limit: NHTSA directs you to stop using the tether once your child exceeds it, even while they still fit the seat. Our car seat safety guide covers how to use it.
Infant car seats
Easy to install, with ample legroom for the 5-foot-6-inch front passenger.
That matters more than it sounds. In a lot of compact vehicles a rear-facing seat pushes the front passenger forward until the front row is unusable. Browse the infant car seats we carry, and if you are weighing whether a rotating base is worth it, see our comparison of rotating versus standard infant seats.
Convertible car seats
Rear-facing. Also easy, with the front passenger comfortable in front of it.
Forward-facing. A B in both rows. In the third row the fixed head restraints get in the way of seating a seat properly.
Some vehicles need the head restraint removed or raised to seat a car seat flush against the seatback, and some have fixed restraints that cannot be moved at all. Check your vehicle manual before forcing anything, and note that where a fixed restraint holds the seat off the seatback, that is a fit problem rather than something you can work around. See our convertible seats.
Boosters
Raising the head restraint was not enough for the highback booster, which ended up pushed off the seatback. The second-row buckles are on tall stable stalks that kids should manage alone. The third row is a C, with floppy buckles and tight legroom that will cramp taller children.
Getting to the third row
Entry grades a B. Legroom back there is tight enough that taller children will feel it.
Will your stroller fit?
Cars.com's Car Seat Check does not measure cargo volume, so the stroller guidance below is ours rather than theirs.
Cubic feet is the wrong number to shop on anyway. What decides whether a stroller fits is its folded footprint against the width between your wheel wells and the height to your cargo cover. A trunk can have generous volume and still refuse a wide fold.
Measure the space you will actually load into, whatever shape it is: how deep it is, its narrowest width (usually between the wheel arches, or between the bed rails on a pickup), and the height of the opening you have to lift over. Then compare against the folded dimensions of whatever you are considering. If the numbers are close, a compact fold like the Cybex Beezy leaves room for everything else; if you have space to spare, a full-size frame like the UPPAbaby Vista V3 earns it back in storage and expandability. Browse all strollers.
Hyundai Palisade takeaway
Strong car seat scores in the second row, and the recall is the headline rather than the fit. Verify your VIN first. After that, treat it as a solid two-car-seat vehicle rather than a three-across one.
Across every vehicle: Which cars fit three car seats · Which cars let kids buckle themselves
More car seat help: Car Seat Safety Guide · All buying guides
Educational information only. This guide is for general education. It is not professional, medical, legal, or safety advice, and it does not create any advisory or professional relationship between you and SugarBabies. You are responsible for the safe selection, installation, and use of any car seat.
How a car seat fits and installs depends on your exact vehicle (its model year, trim, and seating configuration) and your exact car seat model. The instructions that came with your car seat and your vehicle owner’s manual always control. If anything in this article ever conflicts with those instructions, or with current guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), follow the manufacturer instructions, your vehicle manual, and NHTSA, not this article.
Our fit findings are compiled from third-party sources, including independent car seat fit testing performed by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and manufacturer specifications, that we believe to be reliable, and we provide all of it “as is.” Specifications, model years, and vehicle configurations change, and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or current status of any of it. This article does not replace a hands-on check by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). If you are near Sumner, Washington, our in-store CPST check is free with every infant seat we sell, and we encourage you to use it or to find a certified technician near you.
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