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Winners: 2026 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year

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Winners: 2026 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year


Detroit — The envelope, please. . .

The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards unveiled the 2026 model year winners Wednesday to open the Detroit Auto Show.

Winner of Car of Year went to the Dodge Charger. Truck of the Year honors went to the Ford Maverick Lobo. And the Hyundai Palisade took home the Utility of the Year crown.

The awards were presented on stage at the soaring Atrium space in Huntington Place Convention Center.

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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 were electric with an average price of $46,248 across the three categories. The $96.5k Gravity was the most expensive nominee, the $23.4k Sentra the cheapest.

In the car category, the Charger and Prelude marked the return of sexy, legendary badges. Detroit’s sentimental favorite was the $51,990 Charger Sixpack (so named for its inline-6 cylinder engine), reborn for ‘26 after the previous, V8-powered generation exited the market in 2023 dogged by federal emissions regulations. The gas-powered Charger shares a stable with the electric Charger Daytona EV. Dressed in a throwback, 1960s coke-bottle wardrobe, the hatchback Charger Sixpack boasts a more refined chassis and interior over predecessors.

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 Civic-based, hybrid halo as the brand moves to full electrification next decade.

The $23,645 compact Sentra sedan is an affordable option at a time when the average price for a new vehicle is over 50 grand. With twin, hoodless digital screens and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Sentra has premium looks for its budget price.

Ram had two nominees for the Truck Wars with its refreshed, light-duty 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 pickups.

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Like sister Stellantis brand Dodge, Ram had spiked its best-selling Hemi V-8 to assuage regulators in 2025. The V-8 (officially the eTorque V-8) is back by popular demand. Ram has stamped every V-8 model’s fender with the “Symbol of Protest” protest badge featuring a ram’s head atop a Hemi engine. The Heavy Duty never lost its V-8 or diesel engines (spared by separate federal emissions rules) and brings Ram’s interior refinement to big trucks.

The $37,625 Lobo added a street performance trim to the Maverick’s popular XL, XLT, Lariat and Tremor lineup. The trucklet is a sports car with a bed with its lowered chassis, stiffer springs, and drift-happy, torque-vectoring, rear twin-clutch.

The SUV category was a horse race between the three-row Hyundai Palisade, wee Nissan Leaf EV and sci-fi Gravity.

The latter is Lucid’s first SUV after the elegant Air sedan. At half the price of the six-figure Gravity, the Hyundai comes with major upgrades for 2026 including head-turning style, a hoodless, digital display and an XRT Pro off-road trim complete with all-terrain tires.

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The Nissan Leaf went from nerd to swan with its stylin’ 2026 model. Still affordably priced at $29,990, the Nissan is the only EV available for under $30k.

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.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.



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Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

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Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know


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Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

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Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

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Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

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His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills


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The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.

Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.

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Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.

In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.

“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.

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But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.

The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.

But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.



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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning


Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit. 

A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.

The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.

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The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.

Local perspective:

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A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.

Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.

The backstory:

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This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.

This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.

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Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.

The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story. 

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