Winners of the North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year Awards Announced
The winners of the annual North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards for 2026 were announced at the Detroit Auto Show. Dodge, Ford, and Hyundai took victories in the three categories. However, one of the results is controversial due to minor changes in the winning model.
Car of the Year: Dodge Charger
The title of North American Car of the Year went to the new Dodge Charger. It beat out the Nissan Sentra and Honda Prelude. Of particular note is that Dodge has finally introduced a version with an internal combustion engine—a gasoline turbocharged Hurricane inline-six. In the R/T trim, it produces 420 hp, while the Scat Pack version delivers 550 hp.
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A fully electric version, the Charger Daytona Scat Pack, is also available to buyers, with up to 670 hp using the PowerShot function. However, its range is 267 miles, which could be a drawback.
Utility Vehicle of the Year: Hyundai Palisade
The title of the best Utility Vehicle of the Year was awarded to the Hyundai Palisade, which beat out the Lucid Gravity and Nissan Leaf. The updated Palisade offers a new hybrid powertrain and a rugged XRT Pro version. The hybrid version with a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine delivers a combined output of 329 hp and provides fuel economy of up to 34 mpg combined.
Truck of the Year: Ford Maverick Lobo — A Controversial Winner
The most unexpected winner was the Ford Maverick Lobo, which received the title of North American Truck of the Year. This model is essentially a sporty version of the popular compact pickup. It received a sport-tuned suspension, lowered ground clearance, a more powerful braking system, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine producing 250 hp.
The judges’ decision raises questions, as the Maverick Lobo beat out the updated heavy-duty Ram 2500 with a new powerful Cummins turbodiesel, as well as the Ram 1500 with a Hemi engine.
The announcement of winners always sparks discussions among experts and car enthusiasts, especially when one of the awards goes to a model that is not an entirely new development. In the case of the Maverick Lobo, one can speak of a trend recognizing not only technical innovations but also successful modifications and adaptations of an existing platform to specific market needs. This indicates that for buyers, not only specifications remain important, but also the emotions a car evokes and its positioning. At the same time, the victories of the electric and hybrid Charger and Palisade confirm the industry’s increasing focus on alternative fuels, even if metrics like range are not yet ideal.