Ford Maverick Lobo Crowned Truck of the Year Amidst Controversy

Daily Car

15/01/2026

The 2026 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards have been announced at the Detroit Auto Show, with Dodge, Ford, and Hyundai taking home the top honors. While the Charger and Palisade wins were largely expected, the Truck of the Year award for the Ford Maverick Lobo has sparked debate due to its nature as a new trim level.

Key Takeaways

The Dodge Charger won North American Car of the Year.
The Hyundai Palisade was named North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.
The Ford Maverick Lobo secured the North American Truck of the Year award, a decision that has raised eyebrows.

Dodge Charger Dominates Car Category

The new Dodge Charger has been crowned the 2026 North American Car of the Year, triumphing over the Nissan Sentra and Honda Prelude. This win is attributed to the reintroduction of an internal combustion engine option, featuring a twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six engine. The R/T variant delivers 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque, while the Scat Pack boasts 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. The electric Charger Daytona Scat Pack also offers impressive performance with up to 670 hp, though its 267-mile range has been noted as a drawback.

Hyundai Palisade Excels in Utility Segment

The Hyundai Palisade has earned the title of North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. This redesigned model, starting at $39,435, impressed judges with its new hybrid powertrain and a rugged XRT Pro variant. The standard 3.5-liter V6 is complemented by a hybrid option featuring a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing a combined 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. The Palisade Hybrid achieves an estimated 33 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined, making it a fuel-efficient choice for a three-row crossover.

Maverick Lobo's Controversial Truck of the Year Win

The most surprising outcome of the awards was the Ford Maverick Lobo being named North American Truck of the Year. This designation is contentious as the Lobo is essentially a sport-focused trim of the existing Maverick, starting at $35,930. The Lobo features a street-tuned suspension, a lowered ride height, upgraded brakes, torque-vectoring rear drive, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine producing 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Critics point out that this award came at the expense of more significantly updated vehicles like the facelifted Ram 2500, which boasts a new 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine with 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft of torque.

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