Preparing to Determine the Winners
Following the conclusion of the Munich Motor Show, attention shifts to the Detroit Auto Show. Although this event has lost some of its former appeal, it is where the winners of the 2026 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards will be announced. The organizers have already released the list of contenders to prepare for the awards ceremony, which will take place on January 14th.
Competitors in the Car Category
Six models will compete in the car category: the Audi A5, Dodge Charger, Honda Prelude, Kia K4 Hatchback, and Mercedes CLA. The sixth and final participant is the updated Nissan Sentra, which has not yet been officially unveiled. However, the Chinese version, the Sylphy, gives an idea of what to expect from the new Sentra.
Nissan’s 2026 Sentra Just Posed For A Sylphy
The State of the Pickup Truck Competition
Unfortunately, the competition for the 2026 North American Truck of the Year seems somewhat dull, as 40% of the participants are merely special editions. In this case, it’s the Ford F-150 Lobo and Maverick Lobo. Also on the list is the Ram 1500 with a Hemi engine, which is not particularly new, as the company simply brought back the V8 engine due to high demand.
The other two contenders look much more interesting: the updated Ram 2500 with a revised design and a new turbo-diesel engine, and the “new” Rivian R1T Quad Motor, which boasts 1,025 horsepower and an NACS charging port.
Utility Vehicles
Nineteen models are competing in the 2026 Utility Vehicle of the Year category, including three from Cadillac: the Optiq, Vistiq, and Escalade IQ. Other notable participants include the Ford Expedition, Honda Passport, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Tiguan.
Additional News and Initiatives
The NACTOY board also announced a $100,000 donation to the SAE Foundation. These funds will be used to finance scholarships for students seeking to build a career in the automotive industry or journalism. One scholarship for each of these fields will be awarded annually.
List of Nominees for North American Car of the Year
- Audi A5
- Dodge Charger
- Honda Prelude
- Kia K4 Hatchback
- Mercedes CLA
- Nissan Sentra
List of Nominees for North American Truck of the Year
- Ford F-150 Lobo
- Ford Maverick Lobo
- Ram 1500 Hemi
- Ram 2500
- Rivian R1T Quad Motor
List of Nominees for North American Utility Vehicle of the Year
- 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
Interestingly, this year’s competition reflects the growing diversity in the automotive market, particularly the increase in electric and hybrid models among the nominees. Furthermore, NACTOY’s donation to the SAE Foundation underscores the importance of supporting future professionals in the field, which could foster future innovation.