Autotrader’s Best New Cars of 2026

It’s time once again to name Autotrader’s 10 Best New Cars of the year.

2025 was a year of disruption in the automotive world. Between the new tariffs on imported vehicles, parts, and raw materials and the end of federal incentives for electrified cars, we spent more time wondering about the future than enjoying the present. As the calendar pages turned to 2026, the car makers rolled out new and redesigned vehicles to distract, delight, and dazzle us.

The Autotrader editorial team scrutinized the new 2026 models available for sale and identified the 10 best for your consideration. This year’s list includes four electric vehicles (EVs), two hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles (HEVs), and four traditional gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE) models. Nine vehicles on the list are SUVs, and one is a compact pickup truck. No sedans, coupes, or minivans made the list.
We focused on new and refreshed vehicles available for purchase within the next nine months. The cars on our list offer significant value or are groundbreaking in some other way. 

A vehicle’s base model had to start below $100,000 to qualify for our list. Most cars on this list are thousands of dollars below that. 
Here are Autotrader’s Best New Cars of 2026 (presented in alphabetical order by manufacturer; all starting prices include destination fees): 

1. Cadillac Vistiq

See 2026 Cadillac Vistiq inventory available

While many luxury car makers have pulled back from electrification, Cadillac has embraced the technology with a broad lineup of electric SUVs. The Vistiq is the latest, a 3-row example that can take the place of the gasoline-powered XT6 in the lineup. In the process of revamping its lineup, Cadillac has also introduced a more unified style across its vehicles. Cadillac even goes so far as to call the Vistiq “the baby Escalade” in some marketing talking points, and that’s not a bad connection for the new Caddy. Managing Editor Sean Tucker says the comparison “almost” works. “Why almost?” he asks. “It’s too big to be a baby anything.” Tucker rightly praises the Vistiq’s spaciousness, understated style, and a performance mode that is “shockingly quick for a family hauler.”

2. Ford Maverick Lobo

See 2026 Ford Maverick Lobo inventory available

The Maverick Lobo is a new variant of the successful compact truck Ford introduced for the 2022 model year. The Lobo designation identifies this pickup as a “street truck” with unique styling, a lowered suspension, and other details that owners would otherwise have to use the aftermarket to achieve. In the process, Ford created a genuinely cool variant on an already good truck, improving appearance, ride quality, and performance. “The Lobo creates a standout truck, which isn’t easy in a country full of trucks,” according to Senior Editor Jordan Schiefer. Senior Editor Allyson Harwood agreed. “Ford was the first to bring back the compact truck; why shouldn’t it also be the first to bring back the compact sport truck? The Maverick Lobo adds enough performance parts to make this little truck a kick to take to the autocross or cruise night.”

3. Honda Passport

See 2026 Honda Passport inventory available

In a crowded field of 2-row SUVs, the Honda Passport has never really stood out – until now. Honda brought out the straight edges and gave the Passport a more rugged, boxy exterior and a clean-cut, almost utilitarian interior – without going too far. “I love the rugged good looks of the Passport, especially in the TrailSport trim, but what really appeals to me is the interior. It’s elegant but built to handle the rigors of daily life, spacious, easy to reconfigure, and comfortable,” said Harwood. Senior Editor Matt Degen is also a fan. “It looks like it went to the gym and is better for it. Yet even with its rugged attitude, the Passport is still manageable to drive, has all the tech and safety systems you want, and retains a tried-and-true V6 engine,” Degen said. “I was also impressed with the sheer amount of room in this thing. If I wanted to go car camping, this would be among my first choices.”

4. Hyundai Palisade

See 2026 Hyundai Palisade inventory available

The Palisade has been a hit for Hyundai since its launch as a 2020 model, so the automaker faced a unique challenge with this year’s redesign: Keep what people love about the Palisade and make it even better. Challenge accepted. “Hyundai recently updated the Palisade, giving it fresh styling and a surprisingly upscale interior, but it remains one of the better value options in its segment,” according to Editor Chris Teague. “The 3-row also features user-friendly tech and a load of standard safety features, making it an excellent choice for family-oriented buyers.” Editor Robert Duffer agrees. “The redesigned Palisade strikes that aspirational balance of style, roominess, comfort, value, and efficiency (hybrid) in a 3-row SUV. Many automakers promise it, but Hyundai delivered it in the second-generation Palisade. It’s a good place to be.”

5. Lucid Gravity

See 2026 Lucid Gravity inventory available

As the most expensive vehicle on our list, the Lucid Gravity had a hill to climb to impress our editors. The distinctive exterior and interior styling bring many thoughtful details to bear on the crossover SUV equation and come up with a few surprisingly simple and useful solutions. Lucid paid attention to the side door hinges, allowing an exceptionally wide door opening that makes getting in and out of the vehicle much easier – and more elegant. And then there’s the frunk, or front trunk. “That front trunk seat with cup holders might be one of the best new automotive features I’ve seen in a while,” said Lead Editor Lyn Woodward. “The Gravity impressed me so much, not just by how beautiful the styling is, but because of the innovative tech and its ability to drive like a much smaller and sportier vehicle.” Schiefer agrees. “Many electric vehicles must choose a handful of successful metrics, such as handling, styling, cargo capacity, range, and charging. The Gravity somehow does it all.”

6. Mazda CX-5

See 2026 Mazda CX-5 inventory available

I’ll let you in on a not-so-well-held secret in the auto writer community: A lot of us have owned a Mazda CX-5 over the years. I have. The CX-5 is a right-sized 2-row SUV that drives like a Mazda – which is to say, it’s engaging, has great road manners, and doesn’t make you feel like you’re driving a truck. No offense to trucks. Add to that an upscale, tasteful interior, and you’ve got a capable SUV that even enthusiasts keep in their garages. “The redesigned 2026 CX-5 received a significant technology update, with new touchscreens, and it retains Mazda’s signature premium-feel interior design,” said Teague. “Additionally, it’s still one of the most driver-focused and engaging crossovers in the compact segment.” “It’s such an impressive all-arounder, the CX-5 feels easy to recommend,” according to Woodward. Degen gets the final word. “The all-new CX-5 is bigger, sleeker, and more tech-laden than ever. But luckily, it still drives like a Mazda. That is, agile and lively. SUVs aren’t normally fun to drive, but this one is and does all the things we expect in a compact SUV.” As a bonus, the CX-5 has the lowest starting price of any vehicle on our list – beating the Nissan Leaf by a healthy $50.

7. Nissan Leaf

See 2026 Nissan Leaf inventory available

This list is not ranked, but if it were, I might have to reveal that the Nissan Leaf got the most votes of any candidate. I guess our editors were as impressed as I was with how much better this new Leaf is than the outgoing generation. The Leaf was a pioneering vehicle in the mainstream EV marketplace, but Nissan failed to develop it as quickly as its competition. With this new version, the Leaf is now an SUV, rather than a hatchback, and it finally has a competitive range – up to 303 miles, according to EPA-reported estimates. “The Leaf launched the modern EV era way back in 2010 as a compliance experiment and a vague roadmap for other automakers,” said Duffer. “The new Leaf puts Nissan at the vanguard again, as really the only affordable electric vehicle.”

8. Subaru Outback

See 2026 Subaru Outback inventory available

We all have to grow up sometime. This new version of the Subaru Outback has finally shed its wagon look for an SUV appearance. Some purists lament the change, but coupled with improvements in cargo space, driving dynamics, and on-road and off-road capability, our editors did not complain. “I like the way this looks more than the previous model,” said Woodward. “Now it doesn’t just look like a hiking boot, but it can go to a fancy restaurant, too.” Degen agrees. “It may no longer be a wagon per se, but the buffed-up Outback SUV has all the traits we’ve loved and more in this new version. Subaru fans should be delighted in this model’s latest evolution,” he said.

9. Tesla Model Y

See 2026 Tesla Model Y inventory available

So much about Tesla defies traditional expectations of a car company. The automaker doesn’t have a formal public relations department. It doesn’t conform to model year designations – it iterates like a software company, making improvements and changes to its models whenever it can. The Model Y represents an easy entry to the Tesla lineup, an electric crossover SUV priced below the average U.S. new-car transaction price. Impressively, though, the Model Y brings many of the technologies and features from the upper end of the lineup. Schiefer is a fan. “The newly refined generation addresses nearly all criticisms, offering incredible ride quality, highly advanced technology, and greater comfort and road-going silence than ever before. Paired with industry-leading driver assistance (if you’re willing to pay the premium), it makes a compelling commute machine.” Woodward agrees. “If all Tesla did was make the drive more comfortable, that would have been a win for the Model Y,” she said. “They get extra credit for the quieter cabin, ventilated front seats, and rear passenger screen.

10. Toyota RAV4

See 2026 Toyota RAV4 inventory available

The Toyota RAV4 has crept up the sales charts in recent years to become the No. 3 seller, trailing only the best-selling Ford F-Series trucks and Chevrolet Silverado. So, this new version of the compact SUV carries some weight into the ring. Toyota has given it a new advantage with a standard hybrid powertrain capable of delivering 43 mpg combined, at only a modest price increase over the outgoing gas model. “The best-selling SUV somehow gets even better, with Toyota doubling down on power and efficiency. All 2026 Toyota RAV4 models are now hybrid, and in addition to boasting excellent efficiency, they’re also more potent than ever,” said Degen. “That’s what I call a win-win.” Duffer concludes our list with this comment: “More importantly, it helps owners reduce costs in the long run. The RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) still excels as the most powerful and efficient RAV4 variant, but the standard RAV4 hits where it matters most: value.”

Autotrader’s Best New Cars of 2026

1. Cadillac Vistiq
2. Ford Maverick Lobo
3. Honda Passport
4. Hyundai Palisade
5. Lucid Gravity
6. Mazda CX-5
7. Nissan Leaf
8. Subaru Outback
9. Tesla Model Y
10. Toyota RAV4