2026 New York Auto Show: Winners and Losers
What Car Shoppers Need to Know
- Our experts walked the 2026 New York International Auto Show floor to find the winners and losers among the most notable new introductions.
- The 2027 Kia Seltos and its new hybrid version are our Best in Show.
- The Hyundai Boulder Concept was too cool not to include despite the show car not having an interior.
Time for another New York International Auto Show, and once again, it’s Kia and Hyundai that are dominating the news and reveals. We’ve got a bunch of Kias, a stunning Hyundai concept, a sad nose job and, as always, plenty of SUVs ‘cuz that’s what people are still buying. Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman, West Coast Bureau Chief Conner Golden and Road Test Editor Brian Normile had a walk around the show; here are their verdicts for the winners and losers for the 2026 New York auto show.
2027 Chrysler Pacifica
Aaron Bragman: Loser
C’mon, Stellantis, what the hell is this? The minivan has been one of the company’s core products for decades, and this is all the update it gets after a decade of the current model? The barest nose job that looks like a knockoff of a last-generation Kia? I realize minivans aren’t the hot family commodity they used to be, but the Pacifica deserves better than this. I sure hope Stellantis has a next-generation model coming a lot sooner than it seems.
Conner Golden: Loser
I’m with Aaron on this one. I don’t necessarily dislike the new schnoz, but that its gatekept for one trim up from the bottom is egregious. Also egregious is that pricing — so, it’s more than $43,000 for the base 2027 Pacifica, which is up some $7,000 since the 2021 model-year Voyager when adjusted for inflation. Has the base trim changed in those five years? Sure, but certainly not enough to warrant the spike. Won’t somebody please think of the children?!
Brian Normile: Loser
My meek defense of the refreshed look is that it looks better in person than in photos. But, yeah, this is a disappointing update for sure. The saving grace for the Pacifica is that it’s still a good choice in a dwindling class, but if you don’t like the updated look, you won’t be missing out if you opt for an older model.
Hyundai Boulder Concept
AB: Winner
As a decade-long Jeep Wrangler owner, I’m very interested in this thing if Hyundai delivers one that’s a legitimate off-roader, which it sounds like it could be if the automaker actually decides to make it. A mid-size pickup truck is coming on this platform, which is confirmed, but the SUV concept is new. Would Wrangler and Ford Bronco owners go for a body-on-frame, true 4×4 off-roader styled like this with 37-inch tires, a solid rear axle and plenty of accessories? Maybe, maybe not, but you know who would? Everyone who’s currently driving an aging Nissan Xterra and wants to replace it already, or rough-and-tumble Toyota Land Cruiser shoppers. There are plenty of reasons for Hyundai to make this thing.
CG: Winner
I deem this a winner by technicality, as the mere existence of a new Bronco-baiting, Wrangler-whipping off-road SUV is a net positive agnostic of the brand. It’s a concept, but Hyundai has seemingly committed to production. Projected specs of the Boulder look good, as does the general style, but I’m just not convinced this will do real sales numbers against the two billion-ton sales behemoths that are the Wrangler and Bronco. Both brands have deep heritage and long lines of loyal fans, whereas Hyundai has routinely struggled to capture a dedicated enthusiast following in the U.S. Here’s hoping the Boulder is different.
BN: Loser
I hope I’m proven wrong on this one because I love a good off-roader, but there are too many what-ifs between now and whenever a production model appears for me to be anything but pessimistic about the Boulder. If Hyundai keeps all the things that would make this a capable off-roader in the production version, if it gives it a powertrain buyers actually want, if doing all that doesn’t inflate the price into the unobtainium range … it has a chance. Do it, Hyundai, and do it right, and I will happily eat my words.
2027 Infiniti QX65
AB: Loser
SUV coupes are dumb. There, I said it. Pay more money for a vehicle that looks odd and has less utility than the SUV on which it’s based. That said, this is one of the nicer SUV coupes I’ve seen lately, and the backseat isn’t as compromised as it might be. But it’s the promise of being a successor to the quirky old FX that ruins it all for me; the QX65 is equipped with the QX60’s awful variable-compression turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and transmission. Maybe I’ll change my tune when I drive it.
CG: Loser
Wait, what happened to the QX55? I dunno, Infiniti — growth in this odd SUV “coupe” appears flat based on the distinct lack of segment entries outside of German automakers. I don’t dislike the QX60’s powertrain quite as much as Aaron, but it certainly isn’t the sporting heart the QX65’s sleekish looks suggest. There are plenty of other things the brand needs to focus on right now that aren’t niche products.
BN: Loser
The QX65 really does look good, and it might just be the best-looking SUV coupe out there right now, which is faint praise because most of them look stupid to me. But to wrap this handsome shell around an unremarkable powertrain feels like a huge waste. I hope if Nissan gets its hands on this for a mainstream version, it brings back the Murano Crosscabriolet.
2027 Kia EV3
AB: Winner
I’m amazed Kia hasn’t canceled this one yet given how many automakers seem to be backtracking from pure electric vehicles to hybrids since the elimination of the federal tax credit incentive. But it apparently is coming, and as a foil to the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Equinox EV, it’s a compelling offering. Plenty of space, useful cargo area and slick styling, it has everything we like in modern Kias, including the electric powertrain. Much will depend on its price.
CG: Winner
The EV3 is packaged well — think a foot shorter than the EV6, but backseat room is impressive, as is the rear cargo area with underfloor stowage and a true fold-flat second row. I like the familiar cockpit design along with the rather EV9-esque exterior profile and standard dual 12.3-inch displays. Also neato is the performance-minded GT trim, though I struggle to see where this niche-of-niche trim might find ground. Unlike the rest of this class, I hope this one sticks around for more than two model years.
BN: Winner
The EV3 is a potential dark horse in the affordable EV category thanks to it being small and roomy with good maximum range and a variety of trim levels and configurations. That’s assuming its price is, well, affordable. Besides what my colleagues say above, one thing that stands out to me is that the “sporty” GT version is still sub-300 horsepower, and to me, that’s a positive. Other small but more powerful EVs can feel unwieldy to drive and easily overwhelmed by their instant torque; the EV3 GT ought to be more manageable.
2027 Kia Seltos
AB: Winner
What a glow-up the Seltos got! It’s yet another home run from Kia: stylish, upscale inside, plenty of room front and rear, and decent cargo room. I’ve said it before, but every new Kia represents a considerably better vehicle than the one it replaces, and the new Seltos just continues that trend. I do wish the interior had a bit more flash and a little less grayness, but it’s a slick design that I think is going to be a lot more popular than the rather low-rent digs the Seltos currently comes with.
CG: Winner
Hey, a tiny Telluride. It’s apparent Kia has found fans of its truckish cyber-edge design language, and it looks quite nice when scaled down to Seltos size. It was high time this volume seller was shown some love, and it will go a long way in dissipating the prior Seltos’ penalty-box vibe if you weren’t able to score any higher than a midrange trim. In an era of homogeneity, it’s nice to see Kia beat its own funky drum.
BN: Winner
The first-generation Seltos won our last two subcompact SUV comparison tests, so Kia had a lot of work to do to improve on its winning formula. On paper, it sure seems like it did. The Seltos is bigger, roomier, better looking, and loaded with improved tech that should keep it at the top of the class. A new hybrid is the cherry on top and should address what was one of the Seltos’ few weaknesses: fuel efficiency.
2027 Subaru Getaway
AB: Loser
So, every new Subaru EV is just going to be a mildly rebadged Toyota? I don’t hate the Getaway/Highlander, but I do wish there was a little more differentiation between the two. And Subaru is getting a little stupid with the names. Uncharted? Trailseeker? Getaway? I’m not feeling much Subaru uniqueness in this vehicle, and losing its quirkiness in exchange for ready designs from Toyota is disappointing.
CG: Winner
I’ve driven enough of these Toyota/Subaru EV mashups to know that they drive well and offer more for the Subaru customer than they do Toyota’s base. Case in point: a standard 420 hp with all-wheel drive against the Highlander’s standard front-wheel drive and optional 338 hp. More power? Who cares? I care! Most Subarus are criminally underpowered, so I’ll take any W in this category, even if it comes with three-rows and a plug. The only bummer is the quoted 150-kilowatt peak DC fast-charging power, which simply doesn’t cut it these days.
BN: Loser
Conner’s right: 150 kW charging doesn’t cut it these days, and I can’t let it pass with numerous alternatives of similar size, range, interior space and performance. It turns this spacious three-row from a potential long-haul family vehicle to more of an oversized commuter car. Going on a getaway in the Getaway is much harder with longer fast-charging times. It looks pretty sharp, at least, and the root-beer-barrel color on the example on stage stole my heart, but that’s not enough to push it into the winner category.
2027 Volkswagen Atlas
AB: Winner
I called the last Atlas we drove for a comparison test in 2024 “98% fantastic, 2% deal breaker” thanks to its absolutely abominable multimedia system. Thankfully, a new multimedia system is among the significant updates VW has made to the Atlas, and I’ve already tried it in the Tiguan, where it works just fine. I don’t mind the center console multifunction volume knob, either, as the vast majority of the time, it’s just going to be a volume knob. The more luxurious interior is great, the powertrain should be fine, and this is one of the few three-row SUVs that can fit full-size adults in all three rows comfortably. It’s as big an improvement for the Atlas as VW made for the latest Tiguan, and good on ‘em for doing it.
CG: Winner
I thought the prior Atlas was just OK, so my baseline was low. VW overshot the minimum mark by quite a bit with both this and the new Tiguan, showing flashes of the old, beloved Volkswagen of the 2000s and 2010s that were closer to cut-rate Audis than affordable economy cars. In this case, I quite dislike Audi’s current direction, especially transposed against the new Atlas’ stylish, leather-lined cockpit. I still hate those dippy touch-capacitive controls, and its reliance on screens and gloss-black plastic is regrettable, but the primo duds and genuinely upscale exterior appearance has me hoping this is Vee Dub’s grand corporate turnaround.
BN: Winner
Technically speaking, Volkswagen improved the Atlas’ infotainment with this new model, so it is inarguably better. Now, do I have issues with the controls? Yes. Temperature and volume sliders are dumb, but at least there’s a physical volume knob. Is it dumb that that knob can control both volume and driving mode? Also yes. I’ve lived with this system in other VWs, though, and it’s doable. And now the Atlas has the interior quality and comfort to match its space. And on top of that, the new look is more appealing to me on the larger Atlas than the Tiguan.
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