Pure Gas Engines Dropped From Wards 10 Best List
The 2026 awards marked the first time in program history that every winning vehicle utilized some form of electrification.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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WardsAuto announced the 2026 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems winners, selecting 10 vehicles that all feature hybrid or battery-electric power. For the first time since the awards began in 1995, zero pure internal-combustion engines made the final list.
Why it matters
This shift highlights a marketplace moving away from traditional combustion propulsion as electrification gains dominance. The competition, renamed in 2020 to reflect these technological changes, demonstrates the industry-wide transition toward varied power solutions.
The 2026 winning propulsion systems consist of four BEVs, four HEVs, and two PHEVs. Vehicle pricing across the group ranges from $43,035 to $242,060, with seven of the ten winners priced under $55,000.
The players
WardsAuto
This organization is an industry-leading provider of automotive news, data, and analysis for professionals.
Chevrolet
This American automotive brand is a division of General Motors and produces the Corvette series.
The details
Judges evaluated 26 vehicle nominees by testing them under real-world driving conditions to score their performance. Criteria included horsepower, torque, noise, vibration, and harshness management, as well as overall efficiency and technology.
Timeline
The Wards 10 Best program was established in 1995.
The Toyota Prius received the first electrification award in 2001.
The competition was officially renamed to Engines & Propulsion Systems in 2020.
The 2026 award winners were announced on October 13, 2026.
Roadmap
The total shift away from pure combustion engines reflects an industry-wide transition toward electrification over the last three decades. This evolution positions automakers who have prioritized hybrid and battery development as the current leaders in high-performance and efficient propulsion.
Buyers can note that seven of the ten winning propulsion systems are available in vehicles priced under $55,000. This suggests that hybrid and electric technology is becoming increasingly accessible across mainstream price brackets.
The takeaway
The complete absence of pure internal-combustion winners signals that electrification is now a standard requirement for industry-leading vehicle performance. Consumers looking for efficient or high-output engines will increasingly find these capabilities exclusively in hybrid or electric powertrains.
Further reading
Explore more industry trends on the Electric Vehicles section page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ward's Communications Online.
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