The finalists for 2026 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) are in! After months of NACTOY jury evaluations, test drives and committee reviews, this year's finalists were announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show. There are nine finalists in all, three for each category, and the contenders advance to a final round of real-world testing before jurors cast their final ballots. We'll learn the winners on January 14, 2026, at the Detroit Auto Show.
The NACTOY awards are determined by a jury panel of 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. They're considered among the industry’s most respected honors because they're not tied to a single automaker, publication, or marketing program. Jurors evaluate eligible vehicles based on innovation, design, safety, value, performance, technology, and driver satisfaction. For the list of semifinalists click here.
NACTOY says this year’s slate highlights a mix of fresh redesigns, returning nameplates and evolving electrified offerings. It also reflects the variety still defining the North American marketplace, where electric vehicles compete alongside hybrids and traditional gasoline powertrains. Here are the finalists in each category:
Car of the Year finalists:
• Dodge Charger
• Honda Prelude
• Nissan Sentra
Truck of the Year finalists:
• Ford Maverick Lobo
• Ram 1500 HEMI
• Ram 2500 Heavy Duty
Utility Vehicle of the Year finalists:
• Hyundai Palisade
• Lucid Gravity
• Nissan Leaf
The Car finalists include the Dodge Charger, part of a Dodge's major brand reboot, and the Honda Prelude which returns for 2026 as a hybrid-only sporty coupe. The Nissan Sentra is also a Car finalist thanks to its recent redesign along with safety and technology improvements.
The Truck category includes one compact pickup and two full-size and heavy-duty entries. The Ford Maverick Lobo expands on the Maverick lineup with styling and capability updates that are aimed at buyers who don’t need a large pickup. Ram fields two finalists: the 1500 HEMI, which retaining a V8 option as the brand transitions to a new generation of powertrains. The Ram 2500 Heavy Duty is a work-oriented model with towing and payload capabilities.
The Utility finalists include the popular Hyundai Palisade which was redesigned for 2026. Lucid’s Gravity is an EV entry with an emphasis on range and luxury. NACTOY says it's one of the most ambitious EV entries to reach the finals in recent years. Another EV entry, the Nissan Leaf, also makes the finalist cut. It's all-new and more crossover than car. Updates are aimed at affordability and practical daily driving.
So what's next? NACTOY says over the next several weeks, jurors will compare the finalists back-to-back in additional evaluation drives. Those results, combined with earlier scoring, will determine the three category winners. NACTOY says for automakers, a NACTOY trophy often translates to increased showroom traffic and heightened consumer interest, especially for newly launched or redesigned models.
The 2026 finalists underscore the diversity and competitiveness still shaping the industry. Whether electric, hybrid or gasoline, each represents a different vision of where North American vehicles are headed — and which ideas resonate most with buyers.
Photo: Hyundai.
