Analytical publication WardsAuto, whose '10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems' competition has existed since 1995 and is one of the most authoritative ratings of power units in the US market, has published the final list of the ten best engines and powertrains for 2026. The result marked a turning point: for the first time in the thirty-year history of the award, not a single vehicle with exclusively a gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine made the list of laureates. All ten winners are electrified — four models are fully electric vehicles, and six are hybrid systems of various architectures. The winners were selected from 26 nominees presented on the US market, making the choice as representative as possible for the American consumer.
Electric Winners: Four Dual-Motor Models
In the fully electric vehicle category, awards went to the Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 4Matic Electric, Rivian R2 Performance, Subaru Trailseeker, and Volvo EX60 P10 AWD. Notably, each of the four models is equipped with two electric motors, providing all-wheel drive and power distribution between the axles. This approach reflects the current trend in the EV segment: manufacturers are abandoning single-motor configurations in favor of more balanced dynamics and handling. Among the hybrid laureates, the jury recognized the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, the Hyundai Palisade Hybrid with a 2.5-liter turbo engine, the Nissan Rogue Hybrid with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, and the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid with a 3.6-liter boxer engine and electric turbocharging. In the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) category, the best were the BMW M5 Touring with a 4.4-liter V8 and the Toyota RAV4 PHEV GR Sport with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine.
Geography, Prices, and Typology of Winners
Crossovers dominate the ten laureates with seven models, two cars belong to the sports segment, and one is a sports wagon. The manufacturing facilities producing these power units are located in five countries: Germany, Japan, the USA, South Korea, and Sweden. The price range of the noted models varies from $43,035 for the Nissan Rogue Hybrid to $242,060 for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. At the same time, seven of the ten cars cost an average of less than $55,000, indicating that electrification is no longer exclusively a premium segment. This price spread emphasizes that the transition to electrified powertrains affects the entire market spectrum — from affordable family crossovers to elite supercars.
Selection Criteria and Testing Methodology
When choosing the best systems, WardsAuto analysts evaluated a complex set of parameters: power and torque, noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels, actual fuel or energy efficiency, and technological innovations. Tests were conducted in real-world driving conditions rather than just on a bench, allowing for the consideration of aerodynamics, rolling resistance, and variable loads. The competition is open to new or substantially upgraded powertrains, as well as units that won the previous year, ensuring continuity and allowing for the tracking of technology evolution from season to season.
Historical Context: From the 2001 Prius to the Complete Displacement of ICEs
The first hybrid to enter the Wards 10 Best Engines was the first-generation Toyota Prius in 2001 — a true sensation at the time. In 2020, the organizers changed the competition's name to 'Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems' to formally reflect the development of electrified powertrains and expand evaluation criteria beyond classical ICE parameters. The current 2026 result marked the first time that no vehicle with a solely gasoline or diesel engine appeared in the winners' list. Thus, 25 years since the first hybrid appeared in the top 10, the ranking has reached the complete displacement of pure ICEs from among the laureates — a process that seemed unlikely even in the early 2010s.
What This Means for the Market
The 2026 WardsAuto result records not just a change in fashion, but a structural shift in the automotive industry's engineering philosophy. Even those models that formally retain a gasoline engine — the Corvette ZR1X, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid, BMW M5 Touring — do so in a hybrid configuration, where the electric motor and electric turbocharger become full-fledged parts of the power scheme rather than auxiliary elements. For the US market, traditionally associated with large naturally aspirated V8s and V6s, this means that the industry's engineering elite has already transitioned to a model in which a pure ICE without an electrical component is no longer considered a competitive solution in terms of efficiency, dynamics, or NVH levels.
