Best New SUVs 2026: Auto Show Hits, Misses & WTFs
- LeeAnn Shattuck
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
I made my annual trek to the Charlotte International Auto Show, and as always, this small but mighty hometown show delivered plenty of surprises. Charlotte is never going to be LA or Detroit, and that is fine. What it lacks in glam, it makes up for with access. The local dealers association puts this thing on, and they do a fantastic job. I get to climb through the newest cars without a salesperson stalking me, and I get to judge every seat, screen, hinge, and goofy design choice in peace.
So let us talk about the cars that impressed me, the ones that disappointed me, and the one that absolutely walked away with my annual WTF Award. Buckle up. It's a ride.
Nissan Leaf: A Legitimately Good EV That Regular Humans Can Still Afford
Let’s talk about the car I never expected to feature this high on my list. The Nissan Leaf. Yes, that Leaf. The one that used to look like an awkward little science project on wheels.
The 2026 Nissan Leaf is a completely different animal. It finally looks like a real car! Sleek. Modern. Surprisingly attractive. It has a mini Ariya vibe without the Ariya price tag, which is refreshing in a world where EV pricing has lost its damn mind. (And why Nissan discontinued the Ariya, by the way.)
The interior is clean and simple, with a two tone layout that actually feels intentional. The flat bottom steering wheel makes getting in and out easier. The fixed glass roof gives it a more upscale vibe. And the seats. Holy macaroni, the seats! Nissan still makes the most comfortable seats in the entire industry. Your bum, your back, your lumbar, everything is cushioned and supported exactly where it should be.
Range is another big improvement. The new Leaf finally breaks the 300 mile barrier, which puts it in the same conversation as the big players without charging Tesla money. The catch is the charging speed. Even the so-called fast charging is more “go grab lunch” than "run to the bathroom" speed. It will get the job done, but it is not winning any drag races at the charging station. If you do most of your charging at home and only road trip occasionally, it is perfectly manageable. If you are impatient or allergic to waiting, you may grumble a bit.
Most importantly, it is still one of the few EVs on the market that falls into the “normal person can actually buy this” price range. We are grading on a curve here since the average EV costs as much as a kitchen renovation, but the Leaf remains an attainable electrified option with a starting price in the low $30s.
If you want a crossover EV that is practical, comfortable, and not financially reckless, the 2026 Nissan Leaf absolutely belongs on your list.
2026 Subaru Crosstrek: Quietly Excellent
The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek is technically a refresh, not a full redesign, and honestly that is fine because Subaru focused on the part everyone has been begging for. We finally get a Crosstrek Hybrid. And yes, it uses Toyota’s hybrid technology, just like the new 2025 Forester Hybrid. This is the automotive equivalent of two stable, drama-free adults finally deciding to date. It just makes sense.
Visually, the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek gets a few tweaks to sharpen things up, but nothing over the top. It still looks like a Crosstrek, just a slightly more confident version of itself. Inside, the cabin is practical, comfortable, and designed for people who actually use their cars. The seats feel great. The second row is surprisingly roomy for a subcompact SUV. And the cargo area is genuinely useful instead of being sacrificed for style.
Subaru kept the controls simple, which I appreciate. The big vertical touchscreen is easy to navigate even if your relationship with technology is… complicated. Subaru understands usability better than most brands, and it shows in how intuitive everything feels.
Visibility is classic Subaru too. Sloped roof or not, the Crosstrek still gives you real rear visibility, not just a backup camera doing all the work. Add in the Toyota hybrid system and you get mileage, reliability, and everyday drivability wrapped into one tidy package.
No drama. No flash. No gimmicks. Just a solid, practical little SUV that finally gets the hybrid powertrain it (and you) deserve.
The 2026 Subaru Outback Finally Grows Up
The 2026 Subaru Outback stopped me in my tracks. I rounded a corner, saw it, and thought, “Well look at you, no longer the love child of an SUV and a station wagon.” Subaru went bold this year. This is a true radical redesign, not the usual gentle Subaru evolution. The new 2026 Outback is upright, confident, and fully committed to the SUV identity.
Some people are going to love the new look. Others may miss that quintessential Subaru vibe, the slightly quirky wagon shape that made the Outback feel like the official car of camping trips, college towns, and people who own hiking boots even if they never actually hike. And honestly, I get it. But this more rugged redesign makes the Outback far more competitive in the midsize SUV world while still preserving its outdoorsy roots.
The only thing missing? A hybrid. Subaru has not confirmed anything yet, but the whisper mill suggests we may see a hybrid Outback for the 2027 model year. Considering how good the Toyota based hybrid tech is in the Forester and Crosstrek, that cannot come soon enough.
2026 Hyundai Palisade and Hybrid: A Feature-Packed Three Row SUV With a Few Quirks
I walked into the show fully expecting the new 2026 Hyundai Palisade, especially the hybrid, to be my pick of the show. And honestly, I still absolutely love this SUV. It is stunning. It is luxurious. It is loaded with features you will not find in most other three-row vehicles, and in many ways it continues to set the bar for comfort and family usability. And best of all, it now comes as a hybrid. Whoo hoo!
The 2026 Palisade dazzles at first, but a closer look turns up a few quirks worth noting.
The exterior styling is sleek and modern, but there is a lot of plastic pretending to be something fancier. Plastic does not age gracefully. It cracks, fades, and yellows. Time will tell whether the Palisade holds up or starts looking like my old kitchen appliances.
The Calligraphy trim is an absolute showstopper. You get a massaging driver’s seat with thigh extension, power-adjustable second-row captain’s chairs, power recline and sliding for the heated third-row seats, front and rear dash cams, and enough convenience touches to make you forget you are driving a family hauler. And then there is the germ sterilization bin tucked into the console, which is very cool. Too bad you cannot fit children in it.
Inside, everything looks thoughtfully designed, high quality, and beautifully minimalist. Fun fact: those four little lights on the steering wheel, along with the matching pattern on the headrests, are not random. They represent the letter H in Morse code. It is a subtle, clever way of saying Hyundai without plastering logos everywhere, and the nerd in me loves it.
But tell me - whose bright idea was it to put a white interior in a family vehicle? Every manufacturer seems to be doing it right now. Hyundai calls it “gray,” but your monthly cleaning bill knows it's white. It is gorgeous, absolutely, but a questionable choice for families who travel with small humans who leak and spill.
Now for the eyebrow-raiser. The power-folding seats move at a glacial pace, and the exposed seat rails on the floor will absolutely collect every Goldfish cracker and gummy snack your children can generate, which is not ideal for a system full of moving parts.
The control buttons for the second and third rows require more thought than a luxury vehicle should. They use a tiny toggle to switch between rows, and instead of intuitive up and down controls, the seats use forward and backward motions that feel like a puzzle. It works, but it shouldn't require an engineering degree to figure out.
Then there's the jamming issue. If the driver’s seat is pushed back, the second row can wedge itself right into it without stopping. No sensing. No gentle warning. Just determination. You will want to practice your seat choreography now, because this is how you become that parent holding up the entire school drop-off lane.
Quirks aside, the Palisade remains one of my favorite midsize three row SUVs, and in my not so humble opinion it punches well above its weight against a lot of luxury brands. The hybrid makes it an even smarter choice. Just maybe skip the uber light interior and buy the extended warranty, because those clever rear seat systems are going to get dramatic eventually.
Toyota Crown Signia: Stylish but Not Quite Premium
The 2025 Crown Signia replaces the previous hybrid-only Venza with a sleeker, more luxurious take on the midsize crossover. It has a smooth ride, a comfortable cabin, and strong hybrid efficiency. But it comes with some odd compromises.
The sloped roofline eats into the cargo space. The interior materials are a mixed bag. And whoever decided one front cupholder was enough clearly does not drink beverages like the rest of us. For fifty thousand dollars, a gently used Lexus RX hybrid will give you more luxury and more value.
2026 Toyota Camry: The Commuter King Rolls On
Okay, so it's not an SUV, and it's not exactly new, but the Toyota Camry is always worth a look. The 2026 Camry carries over the full redesign that debuted for 2025, and Toyota made the right call by going hybrid only. It drives well, sips fuel, and continues to be the epitome of Toyota reliability.
The exterior is sportier, and the interior is, well, unmistakably Camry. A little plasticky, a little conservative, but extremely functional. The seats are comfortable, the controls make sense, and everything is exactly where you expect it to be.
Then there is the glovebox. Or what is left of it. Toyota shrank the glovebox to free up more passenger legroom, which created a taller wall between the front seats. That design choice, combined with the tall center console, sends any chance of front-seat hanky panky. But Toyota has always taken safety seriously. Air bags, driver aids, and now… built-in birth control.
All jokes aside, the Camry remains one of the smartest, most reliable commuter cars money can buy. If you want a car that will outlast your job, your appliances, and possibly a couple of major life chapters, this is the one.
The 2026 Honda Passport Takes the WTF Award
The fully redesigned 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite looked promising from across the show floor. Big stance. Rugged styling. A badge that implies adventure. I wanted to love it. I genuinely walked over ready to be impressed.
And then I got inside.
The seats are flat and surprisingly uncomfortable, especially for an SUV that wants to live in the “weekend warrior” category. The infotainment screen feels undersized for the class, especially when every competitor is going bigger, brighter, and easier to use.
Honda keeps insisting the Passport is an off road contender. It is not. The ground clearance, angles, and articulation just do not match the marketing. It will absolutely get you down a gravel road or muddy trail to a campsite, but don't expect to go rock crawling with your Jeep buddies.
The V6 is solid, but the fuel economy is bad, and Honda still refuses to offer a hybrid. There is also a strange open tube in the engine bay that is designed to be an air intake but looks like a portal specifically designed to swallow 10 millimeter sockets. Every mechanic in America is going to hate this thing.
And the price? Fifty five grand. Absolutely not. For that money, there are several midsize SUVs, including some luxury models — that offer better off-road capability, better tech, and better fuel economy.
So yes, the 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport Elite earned my WTF Award. Not because it is terrible, but because it had so much potential, yet somehow managed to miss in every category where Honda usually shines.
Final Thoughts
The biggest thing this year proved is that real-world usability wins over show-floor glamour. When you test drive a car, don't get dazzled by the swanky interior and the fancy screens. Do real-world usability testing based on your lifestyle. Fold and move the seats. Check rear visibility. Play with the controls. Make sure your Stanley fits in the cup holder. Trust me - if it annoys you in the showroom, it will drive you crazy in daily life.
If you want the full story with all the snark and details I could not cram into this article, go listen to the podcast episode. And if you want to see the cars I’m talking about, the YouTube version has b-roll sprinkled in so you can follow along.
Until next time, drive safe and remember: comfort is in the butt of the beholder.
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