And then there were nine.

The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards unveiled the 2026 model year finalists Thursday with three contenders in each category. Finalists for Car of the Year are the Dodge Charger, Honda Prelude and Nissan Sentra. The Ford Maverick Lobo, Ram 1500 Hemi and Ram 2500 will fight it out for Truck of the Year. And for Utility of the Year — by far the largest category of new vehicles hitting the market — jurors will consider the Hyundai Palisade, Lucid Gravity and Nissan Leaf.

Finalists were announced at the opening of the 2026 Los Angeles Auto Show, and the winners will be crowned at the Detroit Auto Show on Jan. 14.

Fifty jurors (including the author of this article) from U.S. and Canadian media outlets selected the finalists after testing 30 nominees across all categories, 19 of them SUVs. Of the nine finalists, two are electric. Nominee average price is $46,248 with the $96.5k Gravity the most expensive model and the $23.4k Sentra the cheapest.

“These finalists show the wide range of choices that consumers have in the marketplace,” said Jeff Gilbert, president of NACTOY and automotive reporter at WWJ Radio (950 AM). “Our jury of distinguished auto reporters has come up with a great selection of fantastic vehicles that truly reflect the best of the best.”

Count the Sentra, Ram 1500 and Leaf as front runners.

In the car category, the Charger and Prelude mark the return of sexy, legendary badges. Detroit’s sentimental favorite will be the $51,990 Charger, reborn for ‘26 after the previous, V8-powered generation exited the market in 2023 chased by federal emissions regulations. The Charger Daytona EV replacement has been a misfit with muscle car buyers, so the new, gas-fired Charger (dubbed Sixpack after its high-horsepower, twin-turbo inline-6 cylinder engine) is well-timed for hungry customers and a change in Washington management. Dressed in a sleek, retro-‘60s, Coke-bottle wardrobe, Charger Sixpack also boasts a more refined chassis, interior and utilitarian hatchback.

For the first time since 2001, Prelude is back with a different mission. As its badge implies, the sporty, $43,195 coupe is a prelude to Honda’s future. The Japanese automaker is leaning into gas-electric hybrids and hatchback Prelude is a hybrid halo showcasing good looks, peppy drivetrain and an S+ Shift tech feature that simulates a gearbox in an e-motor-driven car that doesn’t have one.

Cool, but count Sentra the jury favorite. At a time when the average price for a new vehicle is over 50 grand, the $23,645 compact sedan is affordable without being cheap. While its 149-horse 4-banger won’t wow, its sleek looks and high-tech interior will. Twin, hoodless digital screens and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay indicate Sentra punches above its weight.

The Truck Wars are dominated by Detroit brands with Ram securing two spots with its refreshed, light-duty 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 pickups.

Ram 1500 is the front-runner. Like sister Stellantis brand Dodge, Ram spiked its Hemi V-8 — the choice of most buyers — for the ‘25 model year, which led to a swoon in sales. The eight-holer (officially the eTorque V-8) is back for '26 with a rebel’s yell.

Ram has stamped every V-8 model’s fender with the “Symbol of Protest” badge featuring a ram’s head atop a Hemi engine. Available in a dizzying array of trims, from work truck Tradesman to off-road Rebel to refined Longhorn, the Ram boasts one of the most refined interiors — and rides — in the truck biz. The Heavy Duty never lost its V-8 or diesel engines (spared by separate federal emissions rules) and brings Ram refinement to the big truck space.

The $37,625 Lobo adds a street performance trim to the Maverick’s XL, XLT, Lariat and Tremor lineup. Flexing a lowered chassis, stiffer springs and a torque-vectoring, rear twin-clutch, the all-wheel-drive Lobo is down to clown.

The SUV category should be a down-to-the-wire horse race between the three-row Hyundai Palisade and wee Nissan Leaf EV.

The electric Lucid Gravity is a mesmerizing first SUV from the creators of the Air sedan — perhaps the prettiest car on the market today. The three-row ute is a mix between supercar acceleration, minivan utility and Porsche Taycan interior style. Not to mention a frunk so big it sits two.

Gravity is also a nearly $100k luxury chariot. At half the price of Gravity, the Hyundai comes with major upgrades for 2026, including head-turning style and hoodless, digital display not unlike Lucid. It also gains an XRT Pro off-road trim so you can take the family beyond the asphalt.

The Nissan Leaf buries its nerdy reputation with a stylish, all-new model. Think the transformation of the nerd-to-swan Toyota Prius hybrid, which won the 2024 Car of the Year award. With a healthy 303 miles of range, Leaf is still affordably priced at $29,990. Leaning into the jury’s preference for affordability, the Nissan is the only EV available for under $30k — an important metric at a time when the $7,500 federal subsidy has disappeared.

Along with the $23k, 500-mile-range gas Sentra, Nissan could grab two NACTOY trophies this January.

Awarded by a geographically diverse, independent jury of automotive journalists (not a single publication), NACTOY is recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious baubles. Vehicles are judged as benchmarks for their segments based on factors including innovation, design, handling, user experience and value.

Link here for more information about NACTOY: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org.

2026 NACTOY finalists

Car of the Year

Dodge Charger

Honda Prelude

Nissan Sentra

Truck of the Year

Ford Maverick Lobo

Ram 1500 Hemi

Ram 2500

Utility Vehicle of the Year

Hyundai Palisade

Lucid Gravity

Nissan Leaf

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