AutoGuide's Most Anticipated Cars of 2026
It's another year of exciting new metal across all segments, and here are the ones we're most excited about.
2025 finished as another great year of cars, trucks, and SUVs here at AutoGuide. The team even picked the best of the best in our year-end wrap-up. We're always looking ahead however, and so we're hitting the ground running for 2026 by picking our most anticipated vehicles of the year.
This list includes a wide variety of models. Some, like the Dodge Charger Sixpack and Honda Prelude, are models some of us have already experienced, but the rest of the team wants a crack at. Others are confirmed to be launching this year, such as the Rivian R2 and Porsche Cayenne Electric. Finally, a few others are a little vague on launch times, but we're expecting (hoping) to get behind the wheel nonetheless.
BMW 3 Series
The Neue (Klasse) era is upon us. BMW has begun rolling out its next-generation EV platform, starting with the highly impressive iX3 (which was on last year's list). The Bavarians promise dozens of models off this platform, and one example will almost certainly be the next 3 Series.
Okay, the i3, if we take BMW's current naming convention to its natural conclusion. The gas 3 Series should also see a substantial refresh too, right as the current model is celebrating a half-century of the brand's de facto sport sedan icon. We suspect a familiar powertrain lineup in both cases. With the i3, something resembling the iX3's setup; for the gas model, the X3's impressive mild-hybrid setup in the M340—or will it be M350?
The 3 Series has long been the stick by which every other premium sedan is measured, so we're curious to see how both propulsion systems pan out should it arrive this year.
Dodge Charger Sixpack
To be clear, we've already driven the Hurricane-engined Charger. Greg got behind the wheel for his duties as a NACTOY juror, and we salute him for it—but the rest of us want a go, too. Coupe, sedan, either one works: the new Dodge Charger looks great, and the idea of a 550-horsepower model with the ability to switch its all-wheel drive system to a more burnout-friendly rear-drive setup appeals to our primitive lizard brains. Send it!
Genesis GV60 Magma
We liked the Kia EV6 GT (RIP). We loved the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Now that Genesis is kicking off its performance sub-brand with its own take on the corporate EV platform with the GV60 Magma, well... we suspect we'll enjoy this one too. The smallest Genesis model packs big power (641 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque), a dedicated Drift Mode, and the sort of suspension tweaks that should make it at home on the race track.
Honda Prelude
That Greg sure gets all the good stuff. This is another car our editorial director got early access to for voting purposes, but I'm up next to get behind the wheel. Another highly anticipated coupe, the Honda Prelude brings back a classic Honda nameplate after a quarter century away. This time it's a hybrid, borrowing the setup from the excellent Civic and mixing in some choice Type R suspension bits. Honda has also added a unique driving mode which it promises will enhance driving enjoyment. The pricing is steep ($42,000), so we're very curious if it delivers.
Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
There's not much to add about the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N that we didn't already say about the Genesis GV60. The big difference? Instead of the marketing spiel of these high-performance E-GMP cars being crossovers, this is the first one that's an honest-to-goodness car. A longer wheelbase, lithe looks, and the same fun-loving attitude? Sign us all the way up!
Mazda CX-5
We're moving into the mainstream here. The Mazda CX-5 is the most important vehicle for the brand, as its perpetual best-seller in the US. It's so popular in fact that it is the sole single-digit SUV to survive Mazda's move to double digits. The next-generation model is larger, more practical, and brings in a wholly new version of Mazda's oft-maligned infotainment system. What's more, an in-house hybrid setup is set to arrive soon after launch. The latest Toyota RAV4 isn't a home run; can Mazda sneak in some hits?
Porsche Cayenne Electric
Say it with us now: one thousand one hundred and thirty nine horsepower. That is bonkers amounts of shove, and that's just where Porsche's Cayenne Turbo Electric tops out at launch. The Turbo even has little extending fins at the back to keep it extra stable at high speeds, since it can clip off quarter mile runs in 9.9 seconds. Okay, it's just 844 horsepower in normal use, and the regular Cayenne Electric has a much more normal-sounding 402 horsepower. The cabin sees a whole bunch of screens because of course it does, including a curved center console unit. As the most powerful production Porsche ever, the Cayenne easily makes our list, but we're curious to see if it still handles like something out of Stuttgart should.
Rivian R2
A brand's second act is a big deal: it solidifies the message and ideally delivers it to a wider audience. That's the plan with the Rivian R2, the electric start-up's sophomore album. The R2 is smaller and more affordable than the existing R1 models, boasting five seats. Single, dual, and tri-motor versions will be available, and Rivian expects up to 340 miles (550 kilometers) of range. The R2 will also debut with a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Originally expected to launch around $45,000 in America, we suspect the R2 will now creep closer to $50,000 in today's climate.
Scout Terra
At first, the reborn Scout brand seemed to be targeting the exact same space as Rivian. Now under the VW empire umbrella, Scout was announced as an EV brand with the Terra truck and Harvester SUV. Since that initial announcement however, the brand has added a range-extender plan to the mix, with a small gas engine slotted in aft of the rear axle. Yes, a rear-engined truck, technically. The VW-sourced engine will never power the axles in these body-on-frame vehicles, but it will help provide an overall range of 500 miles (805 km). We're focusing on the Terra here because, should it beat the Ram Ramcharger to market, it will be utterly unique in the field, and we're very curious to see how well the whole system operates.
Toyota GR GT
We wrap this list up with arguably the most exciting sports car set to arrive next year. Toyota wowed us all with the December unveiling of the GR GT, the now-standalone brand's halo model. Boasting the sort of ridiculous dash-to-axle ratio not seen since the SLR McLaren, the GT features a wholly new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Not only that, this is a Toyota, so of course it's also a hybrid—and not in the Prius sense, but in a performance-focused manner. All the power goes purely to the rear wheels via an eight-speed transaxle, with a mechanical limited-slip differential. Toyota's engineers are targeting at least 641 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, making this not just a Corvette fighter, but a Z06 competitor.
The GR GT isn't a one-off either: Toyota will take a modified version racing, and Lexus is using the platform to build the next LFA, which will be all-electric. The only reason the LFA didn't make this list is because the GT is here, so consider that a bonus. We can't wait to drive 'em both.
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Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
More by Kyle Patrick
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Nope, still haven't seen anything to entice me to visit a dealership.
EVs. Ho-hum. The more electric you build into a car the less passion you have. There's a reason why Rolex never went the way of Casio!