This Canadian-Made Muscle Car Was Just Named Car Of The Year

With the start of a new year comes the Detroit Auto Show: a long-running showcase of what the biggest names in the auto industry have to offer. The auto show also gives out awards every year, with one of the most prestigious honors being the North American Car of the Year. Past events saw cars like the Toyota Prius and the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray take home the award. The 2026 North American Car of the Year award went to a legendary Canadian-made muscle car: the 2026 Dodge Charger.

The Charger — a vehicle manufactured at the Stellantis Canada Windsor Assembly Plant, located in Windsor, Ontario – was awarded this title on the first day of the Detroit Auto Show, January 14. It faced and overcame some stiff competition, beating out the Honda Prelude and the Nissan Sentra, which are constructed in Japan and Mexico, respectively, to win the award. 

The recipient of the Car of the Year honor isn't chosen on a whim either: A group of 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada come together yearly to determine which model is most deserving of the award. This was undoubtedly a huge win for the 2026 Dodge Charger and all at the Windsor plant who've worked so hard to bring these cars to the road. The model is in good company, too, as evidenced by the other big award winners beside it at the show.

The Dodge Charger being crowned the 2026 North American Car of the Year was something of a landmark moment. CBC News reported that Dodge CEO Matt McAlear took it as an opportunity to thank those at the Windsor, Ontario, plant fortheir hard work, while Unifor 444 union leader James Stewart spoke of the global manufacturing operation behind it all. "It's an amazing testament to the workers at the Windsor Assembly Plant, to Stellantis," Stewart said of the award. He added, "You know, it's a Canadian-assembled car, but the parts in that car are made all across North America, and the trade agreements are what allow that to happen."

The Charger wasn't the sole award winner at the Detroit Auto Show. Two other major awards were given out: the North American Truck of the Year and the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. These awards went to the 2026 incarnations of the Ford Maverick Lobo, which is manufactured in Mexico, and the South Korean-made Hyundai Palisade, respectively. This is the sixth consecutive year a Ford truck has won this award, and while this is the Palisade's first win in this category, it comes off the back of a record-setting year for the vehicle in terms of sales numbers. Hyundai sold 17% more Palisades at retail in 2025, with a 13% jump in total sales across the U.S.

Even with the Dodge Charger boasting such a long and storied history behind it, the muscle car clearly still commands the spotlight. Time will tell what other awards, accolades, and honors the Charger, as well as the Maverick Lobo and Palisade, will receive in future model years.