DETROIT — Detroit News readers have spoken, and it’s Motown brands in a landslide.

One hundred readers of The News descended on the Detroit Auto Show Floor on Wednesday to render their verdict in nine categories: Hottest Tech, Most Electrifying, Bargain Buggy, If Money Were No Object, Off Road Warrior, Family Hauler, Muscle Machine, Top Concept and Best in Show.

Detroit’s best swept them all.

Though the show is diminished from its heady days as the North American International Auto Show, there is no dearth of toys on the floor, from exotic European chariots to off-road weapons to mega-utes. Here are the Readers’ Choice Awards for 2026:

Hottest Tech: Lincoln Navigator

No one makes mega-utes like the Motor City, and the Ford F-series-based Navigator is the summit of SUV luxury, along with the Cadillac Escalade. For 2026, the Navigator has upped its game with interior goodies like a 48-inch wraparound screen that extends from A-pillar to A-pillar. Navigator can turn its interior into a sanctuary in Rejuvenate mode, where music plays to beautiful natural backgrounds, complete with cabin scents.

Most Electrifying: Cadillac Celestiq

Celestiq is a statement — a $350,000 halo car for a new generation of Cadillac electric vehicles. Like a Bentley or Rolls, Celestiq can be customized to each buyer’s taste with a wide range of material and color options. Each of the four leather-wrapped seats is a bubble of luxury. Highlights include a 55-inch dash screen and a 12.6-inch screen for each rear passenger. The interior also boasts a 38-speaker AKG Studio Reference stereo system with three amplifiers and 3-D surround sound.

Bargain Buggy: Ford Maverick

Maverick has flown off the shelves since its was introduced as an affordable, $21k trucklet in 2022. It’s not as affordable today — its sticker inflated to $30k — but that still gets you a Swiss Army knife of capability. In addition to the base hybrid, Maverick options an all-terrain Tremor model and an all-wheel-drive, driftin’ street truck called Lobo — the 2026 North American Truck of the Year.

If Money Were No Object: Cadillac Escalade IQ

The palatial, $130k, electric Escalade is an apartment on wheels. It features a jumbotron dash screen, good legroom in all three rows, and a second tow Executive Package that includes 12.6-inch screens for each passenger and airplane tray table. If money were no object? The Escalade IQ is half the price of the similarly outfitted Celestiq.

Off Road Warrior: Ford Bronco RTR

New for 2026, the RTR brings Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s mod shop vision (RTR stands for Ready to Rock) to Bronco. Gittin in 2025 outfitted a performance Mustang RTR, and now the Bronco gets some of the same elements — turbo-2.3-liter engine with anti-lag; signature RTR grille LEDs — stuffed into an off-road package. RTR is more affordable than the full-Monty Raptor, but still brings lots of grins.

Family Hauler: Chrysler Pacifica

The Pacifica is one of the most versatile vehicles in autodom. Think features like kick-open sliding doors, Stow ‘n’ Go seats, and even a vacuum cleaner to disappear the kids’ mess on long road trips. With comfort in all three rows and 532 miles of driving range, Pacifica is made for the road.

Muscle Machine: Chevy Corvette ZR1X

The $200k ZR1X has dropped the mic for Detroit muscle. The base, rear-wheel-drive, 495-horsepower Corvette goes 0-60 mph in a sub-three-second sprint, and the ZR1X adds all-wheel-drive to take that number down to a breathtaking 1.68 seconds. That’s Cadillac Formula One territory. More muscle? The ZR1X packs 1,250 horsepower and a top speed of 233 mph.

Top Concept: Cadillac Celestiq

In addition to Most Electrifying, the production-ready Celestiq wowed jurors as Best Concept. Which is impressive because it’s parked next to an actual Cadillac concept — the wild-looking Elevated Velocity Cadillac on the show floor. The Elevated Velocity has gull-wing doors and a retractable yoke steering wheel.

Best in Show: Chevy Corvette ZR1X

The mighty ZR1X is the ultimate mid-engine Corvette — combining elements from the Z06 (high-revving flat-plane crank V-8), ZR1 (twin turbos), and e-Ray (front electric motor) — for Chevy’s first hypercar. The ‘Vette competes against European hypercars like the $3.75-mil Ferrari F80 — but for a fraction of the price. When it’s not going 233 mph, it’ll haul your golf bag to the club in style.

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