Dodge Charger Named 2026 North American Car of the Year

The new Dodge Charger has been named 2026 North American Car of the Year, as announced at the Detroit Auto Show. Learn what set the multi-energy lineup apart.

The new Dodge Charger lineup has been named 2026 North American Car of the Year, one of the most respected automotive awards in the United States and Canada. The result was announced at the Detroit Auto Show, where an independent jury of 50 automotive journalists selected the Charger as the top new passenger car of the year.

The award highlights Dodge’s decision to rethink the Charger as a multi-energy lineup. For the first time, the model range brings together traditional internal combustion performance and a fully electric option under one nameplate. Buyers can choose between the 550-horsepower Dodge Charger Scat Pack powered by the twin-turbocharged SIXPACK engine, or the all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack, delivering 670 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds.

According to the NACTOY jury, the new Charger stands out for balancing forward-looking technology with a clear connection to classic American muscle car heritage. Every version comes standard with all-wheel drive, and the lineup is offered in both two-door and four-door body styles, expanding the traditional boundaries of the segment without abandoning Dodge’s core identity.

The North American Car of the Year title adds to a growing list of accolades for the Charger, which has also received Car of the Year honors from Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, and TopGear.com. In the final round of the NACTOY competition, the Charger prevailed over the Honda Prelude and Nissan Sentra, underscoring its distinctive positioning among a diverse group of finalists.

The recognition reflects more than raw performance figures. The new Charger combines heritage-inspired exterior design with a modern, driver-focused interior, advanced safety and driver-assistance systems, and practical advantages such as increased passenger and cargo space. Together, these elements helped position the model as a benchmark in its class.

Dodge’s strategy of offering multiple powertrain paths within a single performance-focused lineup appears to resonate well beyond marketing claims. The NACTOY award suggests that this approach has found strong support among industry experts, and it may signal a broader shift in how high-performance cars evolve in the North American market.