Lease or Buy a Hyundai Palisade? 3-Year Cost Compared (November 2026)
Over 3 years, leasing a 2026 Palisade SE costs $17,614 vs about $14,088 to buy and sell (per CarWhere data) — buy wins by $3,526, and buying's lead grows the longer you keep it.
By the CarWhere Research Team · Manufacturer lease programs, verified CarWhere deals and our depreciation report · Updated daily
Lease for 3 years
| Advertised payment | $389/mo × 36 mo |
|---|---|
| Due at signing | $3,999 |
| Total over 36 months | $17,614 |
| Lease cost, 3 years | $17,614 |
Hyundai's California-region offer on the 2026 Palisade SE, ends November 30, 2026. No acquisition or disposition fee is listed with the offer, so none is added.
Buy, then sell after 3 years
| MSRP | $41,035 |
|---|---|
| Price CarWhere buyers pay | $38,832 |
| Resale at 3 years (−39.7%) | −$24,744 |
| Cash buy, 3 years | $14,088 |
| Financed at 3.9% APR, 3 years | $17,384 |
Price = the $41,035 MSRP minus the 5.4% median discount CarWhere buyers got across 13 verified Hyundai deals (too few Palisade deals to use the model alone). Finance line: Hyundai's 3.9% / 60-month APR offer, $0 down, interest paid in the first 36 months.
Buying wins by $3,526 over 3 years (cash); financed, the gap is $230 in favor of buying.
If you keep it longer
Leasing continuously at the same effective rate vs buying once and selling at year N (resale from our depreciation report; cash purchase).
| Years kept | Lease (continuous) | Buy and sell | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $17,614 | $14,088 | Buy |
| 4 | $23,485 | $18,109 | Buy |
| 5 | $29,357 | $20,325 | Buy |
| 6 | $35,228 | $22,131 | Buy |
Assumptions
- Lease: $3,999 due at signing + $389 × 35 remaining payments = $17,614 over 36 months. You return the car with no excess-mileage or wear charges.
- Buy: the $41,035 MSRP minus the 5.4% median discount CarWhere buyers got across 13 verified Hyundai deals (too few Palisade deals to use the model alone); sold after 3 years at 60.3% of the MSRP.
- Resale: CarWhere depreciation report (2026-10-25) for the Hyundai Palisade — median used-listing price by model year vs the median new price.
- Excluded on both sides: sales tax, registration, insurance, maintenance.
FAQ
Is it better to lease or buy a Palisade?
Over 3 years, leasing a 2026 Palisade SE costs $17,614 vs about $14,088 to buy and sell (per CarWhere data) — buy wins by $3,526, and buying's lead grows the longer you keep it. The lease side is the current advertised Hyundai offer ($389/mo for 36 months, $3,999 due at signing); the buy side is the $41,035 MSRP minus the 5.4% median discount CarWhere buyers got across 13 verified Hyundai deals (too few Palisade deals to use the model alone), less the 39.7% a 3-year-old Palisade loses in value. Taxes, registration, insurance and maintenance are left out of both.
How much does a Palisade lose in value in 3 years?
About 39.7% below the new price at 3 years old, from median used-listing prices vs the median new price in CarWhere's depreciation report (2026-10-25). On this $41,035 MSRP that is a resale value of about $24,744.
How long do you have to keep a Palisade for buying to win?
Buying already costs less at 3 years ($14,088 vs $17,614 to lease), and the gap widens each year you keep it.
Does financing change the Palisade lease-or-buy math?
With Hyundai's 3.9% APR for 60 months offer (ends November 30, 2026), financing the full price adds about $3,296 of interest in the first 3 years, so buying and selling costs about $17,384 vs $17,614 to lease. That assumes $0 down and top-tier credit.