Hyundai Motor’s Palisade (pictured) has been named “2026 North American Car of the Year.”

Hyundai Motor Group announced on the 15th that the Palisade had been selected as the final winner in the Utility category at the “2026 North American Car of the Year (NACTOY)” awards ceremony held on the 14th (local time) at Huntington Place in Detroit, United States. “North American Car of the Year” is an award decided by votes from 50 automotive journalists specializing in the North American market and is referred to in the industry as the “Oscars of the auto industry.”

The Palisade won the award after competing with “Gravity” from U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid and “Leaf,” an electric vehicle from Japan’s Nissan. The judging panel stated that the Palisade “offers a spacious interior, driving enjoyment, and a wide range of technologies in a well-balanced package,” explaining the reason for the award.

In particular, the Palisade earned high marks from the judges for applying a “next-generation hybrid system” that mounts two motors inside the transmission and adjusts the engine operating method, improving fuel efficiency by 45% and output by 19% compared with rival models. Additional points were gained from strong crash safety and design performance, such as receiving the highest rating of “Top Safety Pick” in crash safety tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States, as well as winning main awards at the “2025 iF International Forum Design Award” and the “2025 Red Dot Award.”

The Palisade recorded its highest sales volume since launch, with 192,285 units sold in global markets through November last year. While hybrid vehicles had previously been sold mainly in the compact and mid-size segments, their recent surge in popularity has led the local market to view the Palisade—equipped with a hybrid system in a large vehicle—as having gained competitiveness over electric vehicles.

With this year’s win, Hyundai Motor Group has received the North American Car of the Year award a total of nine times since 2009. José Muñoz, President and Global COO of Hyundai Motor, commented, “It is an honor that a model embodying everything Hyundai wants to offer customers has been recognized as the best car.” Hyundai Motor Group plans to expand its hybrid lineup into luxury brands such as Genesis in the future.

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