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2026 NACTOY Winners: Highlights From North America's Auto Awards
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Key Takeaways
Dodge Charger wins 2026 North American Car of the Year with 195 points.
Ford Maverick Lobo secures Truck of the Year, marking Ford's sixth straight win.
Hyundai Palisade earns Utility Vehicle of the Year with refreshed design and hybrid option.
The 2026 NACTOY (North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year) awards were announced yesterday. An independent jury of 50 automotive journalists determined the winners from the three finalists in each category (car, truck and utility vehicle). For the past three years, electric vehicles (EVs) won at least one category as the auto industry prepared for a big shift to EVs. But this year, none of the winners were electric.
Italian American automaker Stellantis’ (STLA - Free Report) Dodge Chargerwas named as North American Car of the Year, beating the other two finalists — Honda Prelude and the refreshed Nissan Sentra. The Charger secured a clear victory, earning 195 points in final voting, well ahead of the Prelude’s 152 points and the Sentra’s 143 points.
Judges praised the Charger for its bold retro-futuristic design, strong performance and wide range of powertrain options. The model stands out by offering both gasoline and electric versions. The gas-powered Charger delivers up to 550 horsepower, with the high-output SIXPACK version using a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds. Meanwhile, the electric version pushes output as high as 670 horsepower.
Stellantis’ Dodge Charger is redefining what a modern muscle car can be. By combining a six-cylinder engine, hatchback design and extreme performance, it pushes beyond traditional muscle car limits.
U.S. legacy automaker Ford (F - Free Report) took the Truck of the Year honor for its Ford Maverick Logo, beating the other two finalists —RAM 1500 HEMI and RAM 2500. The Lobo won by a wide margin, scoring 277 points. Ram 1500 HEMI followed with 114 points, while the Ram 2500 earned 99 points.
This marked Ford’s sixth consecutive NACTOY win in the truck category. Ford took home the North America Truck of the Year award for Ranger, Super-Duty, F-150 Lightning, Maverick and F-150 in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Ford’s Maverick Lobo is a new kind of compact pickup focused on fun and performance. It turns an affordable small truck into a sporty street-focused model with real performance upgrades.
South Korea’s Hyundai Palisade won the Utility Vehicle of the Year award, beating LucidGroup’s (LCID - Free Report) Gravity and Nissan Motor’s (NSANY - Free Report) Leaf. The Palisade earned 270 points, far ahead of the Leaf’s 135 and Gravity’s 85.
Hyundai’s flagship SUV impressed judges with its refreshed 2026 design, which improved style, size, and power. The Palisade is a great family vehicle, offering three rows of seating, a comfortable interior, and advanced safety features. Starting under $40,000, it now also offers a hybrid powertrain, combining value, technology, and efficiency.The 2026 Palisade brings several notable upgrades, including a striking new style, a hoodless digital display, and the XRT Pro off-road trim with all-terrain tires for adventurous driving.
While the Lucid Gravity, Lucid’s first SUV, impressed with its luxurious interior, agile rear-wheel steering, and rapid 0-60 mph sprint in 3.4 seconds, its high price limited its appeal compared to the Palisade. The Nissan Leaf, although an affordable and compact crossover, couldn’t match the Palisade’s strong edge in modern features, style, and overall appeal, even after its own updates.
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2026 NACTOY Winners: Highlights From North America's Auto Awards
Key Takeaways
The 2026 NACTOY (North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year) awards were announced yesterday. An independent jury of 50 automotive journalists determined the winners from the three finalists in each category (car, truck and utility vehicle). For the past three years, electric vehicles (EVs) won at least one category as the auto industry prepared for a big shift to EVs. But this year, none of the winners were electric.
Italian American automaker Stellantis’ (STLA - Free Report) Dodge Chargerwas named as North American Car of the Year, beating the other two finalists — Honda Prelude and the refreshed Nissan Sentra. The Charger secured a clear victory, earning 195 points in final voting, well ahead of the Prelude’s 152 points and the Sentra’s 143 points.
Judges praised the Charger for its bold retro-futuristic design, strong performance and wide range of powertrain options. The model stands out by offering both gasoline and electric versions. The gas-powered Charger delivers up to 550 horsepower, with the high-output SIXPACK version using a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds. Meanwhile, the electric version pushes output as high as 670 horsepower.
Stellantis’ Dodge Charger is redefining what a modern muscle car can be. By combining a six-cylinder engine, hatchback design and extreme performance, it pushes beyond traditional muscle car limits.
U.S. legacy automaker Ford (F - Free Report) took the Truck of the Year honor for its Ford Maverick Logo, beating the other two finalists —RAM 1500 HEMI and RAM 2500. The Lobo won by a wide margin, scoring 277 points. Ram 1500 HEMI followed with 114 points, while the Ram 2500 earned 99 points.
This marked Ford’s sixth consecutive NACTOY win in the truck category. Ford took home the North America Truck of the Year award for Ranger, Super-Duty, F-150 Lightning, Maverick and F-150 in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Ford’s Maverick Lobo is a new kind of compact pickup focused on fun and performance. It turns an affordable small truck into a sporty street-focused model with real performance upgrades.
Ford currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
South Korea’s Hyundai Palisade won the Utility Vehicle of the Year award, beating Lucid Group’s (LCID - Free Report) Gravity and Nissan Motor’s (NSANY - Free Report) Leaf. The Palisade earned 270 points, far ahead of the Leaf’s 135 and Gravity’s 85.
Hyundai’s flagship SUV impressed judges with its refreshed 2026 design, which improved style, size, and power. The Palisade is a great family vehicle, offering three rows of seating, a comfortable interior, and advanced safety features. Starting under $40,000, it now also offers a hybrid powertrain, combining value, technology, and efficiency.The 2026 Palisade brings several notable upgrades, including a striking new style, a hoodless digital display, and the XRT Pro off-road trim with all-terrain tires for adventurous driving.
While the Lucid Gravity, Lucid’s first SUV, impressed with its luxurious interior, agile rear-wheel steering, and rapid 0-60 mph sprint in 3.4 seconds, its high price limited its appeal compared to the Palisade. The Nissan Leaf, although an affordable and compact crossover, couldn’t match the Palisade’s strong edge in modern features, style, and overall appeal, even after its own updates.