DETROIT (WWJ) -- Electric vehicles, big pickups, compact cars and sports cars all share the spotlight as organizers of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year announced the vehicles that will compete for this year’s award.
The “Best of 2026” list was announced at the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars event, in its inaugural year at Michigan Central Station in Detroit.
The “Best of 2026” list includes six cars, five trucks and nineteen utility vehicles. NACTOY jurors will drive these vehicles back-to-back at a special event in late October. Three finalists will be announced in each category at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and the winners will be announced on January 14, 2026, to open the Detroit Auto Show.
2026 North American Car of the Year Candidates:
Audi A5
Dodge Charger
Honda Prelude
Kia K4 Hatchback
Mercedes-Benz CLA
Nissan Sentra
2026 North American Truck of
the Year Candidates
Ford F-150 Lobo
Ford Maverick Lobo
Ram 1500 Hemi
Ram 2500
Rivian R1T Quad Motor
2026 North American Utility
Vehicle of the Year Candidates
Acura ADX
Audi Q5
Cadillac Escalade IQ
Cadillac OPTIQ
Cadillac VISTIQ
Ford Expedition
Genesis GV70
Honda Passport
Hyundai Ioniq 9
Hyundai Palisade
Jeep Cherokee
Lucid Gravity
Nissan Leaf
Polestar 4*
Subaru Forester Hybrid
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan
Volvo EX30
The NACTOY board also announced a new $100,000 endowment to fund a scholarship – in conjunction with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) – for college students seeking careers in the automotive and journalism fields.
“While our 50 automotive journalists delight in honoring the best vehicles of a new model year, it’s also important to leave a lasting legacy,” said NACTOY President Jeff Gilbert, Automotive Reporter at WWJ Newsradio 950. “We have made contributions to several charities since our founding, but our mission is to promote automotive journalism, and this scholarship will help fulfill that mission.”