WardsAuto Awards Honor All-Electrified Engines for First Time Since 1995

WardsAuto announced the winners of the 2026 Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems awards in Detroit on October 13th. This marks a historic change in automotive history for the first time since the program began in 1995. Not a single winner is powered solely by an internal-combustion engine this year.

The ten honorees represent a complete embrace of electrification across the list. The winners include four battery-electric vehicles and four hybrid electric vehicles. Two plug-in hybrid electric vehicles also earned a spot on the honor roll. Judges selected them from a field of twenty-six nominees during real-world driving conditions.

The diversity of winners demonstrates that electrification has reached every vehicle segment. Even the most powerful winner is a sports car with significant electric assistance. The 1,250-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X combines a twin-turbocharged V-8 with a robust electric motor on the front axle.

Jurors noted that buyer perceptions about hybrid power have shifted significantly over time. Drew Winter said it is hard to believe the public once considered hybrids slow and underpowered. Robin Warner added that even sports cars utilize electric help to enhance the driver experience.

The winning vehicles span seven crossovers, two sports cars, and one sport wagon. They are manufactured across five countries including Germany, Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Sweden. Prices for these models range from $43,035 to $242,060. Seven of the ten winners carry price tags averaging under $55,000.

This trend reflects a marketplace evolving away from more than a century of internal-combustion dominance. Electrification first appeared on the Wards list in 2001 when the first-generation Toyota Prius hybrid won. The competition name changed in 2020 to recognize electrification's growing impact on the industry.

Judges evaluate powertrains based on horsepower, torque, noise management, and observed efficiency. To determine winners, they answer a guiding question about whether the system sells the vehicle. Only all-new or significantly improved powertrains are eligible for testing during this process.