Phoenix — Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti, no longer offers the Q50 compact sedan. But no worries, the Nissan Sentra SR will do the trick.

Twin 12.5-inch digital instrument and infotainment displays in a 15-inch hoodless screen. Chromed climate vents. Wireless Android Auto and charging pad. Eighteen-inch machined wheels. Stitched leather steering wheel. Fashionable black front fascia and rear diffuser.

I pulled into a service station in my Bluestone Pearl Nissan and a local pulled me aside as I rounded the pumps.

JAMES LIPMAN, James Lipman

“Excuse me, but what is that you’re driving?”

“The new 2026 Nissan Sentra.”

“It’s gorgeous.”

“It’s $26,000.”

“Even better.”

If you’ve been on Mars for the last 10 years, you would have missed the tech ‘n’ design transformation of the compact car class into the best bargain segment in the industry. Not just the hot hatches that readers of this column know I adore, but sub-$30,000 bargains with technology and design that once was exclusive to luxury cars like Infiniti, BMW, Audi.

Cars like the Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4, Mazda3, Subaru Impreza and Honda Civic. Sadly, Motown badges like Focus and Cruze long ago left the playing field. In SUV Nation, small sedans have separated themselves from the average ute box with eye-catching design. Add Sentra to that list.

Always a bargain buy, the wallflower Sentra has upped its game for 2026 with a premium wardrobe makeover.

Styling is subjective and my design tastes lean iPhone simple — Mazda3, Tesla Model 3, Porsche 911. My Sentra SR’s signature blacked-out grille lean in the other direction like the Hyundai Elantra N. The Sentra comes at you with attitude — the expressive design sweeps rearward with a McLaren-like (yes, McLaren) blacked-out greenhouse, distinct shoulder line, horizonal taillights and black diffuser. That’s a lot of makeup.

The Sentra saves simplicity for its powertrain. HRRRRRRGGGHHHH!

I flattened the throttle pedal and the ol’ nail, 2.0-liter four-cylinder awoke and we merged into afternoon traffic on the Arizona-101. No turbos here. Or even a higher-output 2.5-liter, 181-horse option like Subie Impreza offers.

You shall have 149 horsepower and 146 torque and you shall like it. That’s half the power of a luxury offering like the discontinued Infiniti Q50. In the digital era, powertrains are the biggest difference between mainstream and premium models.

Even in its mainstream class, Sentra’s four-banger is a reminder that Nissan is about value. While competitors like Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Volkswagen offer multiple engine options, transmission choices and performance models with racy badges like N, Type R, GTI, GR and Turbo, Nissan sticks to its bread ‘n’ butter.

Nissan’s NISMO badge (see the Z) is there for the taking, but Sentra stays in its affordability lane. Nissan says its broad, 25-54 year-old 50% female/50% male customer wants a tireless gerbil wheel rather than a weekend track beast.

Not that the Sentra is somnolent.

Compact sedans are inherently athletic with their low center of gravity and lightweight chassis. Nissan engineers complemented the 3,153-pound bantamweight with independent front-and-rear suspension and increased chassis rigidity. I flogged Sentra over north Phoenix’s state Route 202, where it proved a playful companion.

Even the continuously variable transmission was smooth. CVTs are the bane of enthusiasts, their sound the auto equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. DROOOOONE! But, like so many things, electronics has made them bearable — like the Sentra with its subtle upshifts. Paired with cabin sound-proofing, the CVT is OK IMO.

Oddly, my sporty Sentra SR Sport didn’t sport shift paddles to add to the fun. But the interior is otherwise thoughtfully engineered with a row of climate vents and healthy console room. Steering-wheel ergonomics are a personal obsession, and Sentra features thoughtful, if not class-leading, tools. Driver aids are raised buttons so I could find them with my fingers without diverting my eyes from the road — consider the right-spoke scroll wheel for navigating the instrument display or left-spoke toggle for adjusting adaptive cruise control.

Speaking of ACC, Nissan’s value-mobile is generous with standard features.

No matter which trim you get — starter $23,645 S, volume SV, SR, premium SL — you’re guaranteed ACC and blind-spot assist — two safety essentials often charged a la carte in luxury vehicles. Climb further up the trim tree and Sentra offers premium features like Bose audio, 360-degree camera, blind-spot intervention and leather seating.

I’d recommend the SR model for its aforementioned wardrobe — plus standard goodies like wireless charging and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.

The latter made it easy to navigate Arizona’s tangle of highways and surface streets on a busy workday. As much as I’d like an earth-pawing, high-horsepower Elantra-challenging Sentra NISMO, technology is what makes 9-to-5 commutes comfortable.

That comfort is augmented by one of the roomiest interiors in class. The compact class traditionally offers compact rear legroom (Corolla, Mazda3, VW Golf), but recent-gen models like Civic and Elantra have grown legroom to rival midsize cars.

Sentra has class-leading front legroom as well as rear comfort for six-footers. I folded my giraffe frame into the back seat and sat behind myself with knee-room to spare. In back, the trunk opening has been enlarged and now offers best-in-class low lift height. Good for hauling in, for example, Mrs. Payne’s giant suitcases.

Here again, Sentra cedes territory to competitors by not offering a hatchback version. Buyers will want to divert to the Kia K4 hatchback and Impreza hatch for that option. Neither does Sentra offer an all-wheel-drive variant (Subaru), stick shift (Mazda3), or sippy hybrid (Civic).

Sentra is a meat and potatoes recipe. Now, for 2026, plated with premium presentation.

Next week: Tesla vs Cadillac

2026 Nissan Sentra

Vehicle type: Front-wheel drive, five-passenger compact sedan

Price: Base $23,645, including $1,245 destination charge ($31,945 with Premium Package as tested)

Powerplant: 2.0-liter inline-4 cylinder

Power: 149 horsepower, 146 pound-feet torque

Transmission: Continuously variable automatic

Performance: 0-60 mph, 8.2 seconds (Car and Driver est.); top speed, 125 mph

Weight: 3,153 pounds

Range: EPA est. mpg, 30 city/38 highway/33 combined; range, 471 miles

Report card

Highs: Affordably upscale; standard features galore

Lows: Polarizing fascia; lack of drivetrain/performance options

Overall: 3 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

And then there were nine.

The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards unveiled the 2026 model year finalists Thursday with three contenders in each category. Finalists for Car of the Year are the Dodge Charger, Honda Prelude and Nissan Sentra. The Ford Maverick Lobo, Ram 1500 Hemi and Ram 2500 will fight it out for Truck of the Year. And for Utility of the Year — by far the largest category of new vehicles hitting the market — jurors will consider the Hyundai Palisade, Lucid Gravity and Nissan Leaf.

Finalists were announced at the opening of the 2026 Los Angeles Auto Show, and the winners will be crowned at the Detroit Auto Show on Jan. 14.

Fifty jurors (including the author of this article) from U.S. and Canadian media outlets selected the finalists after testing 30 nominees across all categories, 19 of them SUVs. Of the nine finalists, two are electric. Nominee average price is $46,248 with the $96.5k Gravity the most expensive model and the $23.4k Sentra the cheapest.

“These finalists show the wide range of choices that consumers have in the marketplace,” said Jeff Gilbert, president of NACTOY and automotive reporter at WWJ Radio (950 AM). “Our jury of distinguished auto reporters has come up with a great selection of fantastic vehicles that truly reflect the best of the best.”

Count the Sentra, Ram 1500 and Leaf as front runners.

In the car category, the Charger and Prelude mark the return of sexy, legendary badges. Detroit’s sentimental favorite will be the $51,990 Charger, reborn for ‘26 after the previous, V8-powered generation exited the market in 2023 chased by federal emissions regulations. The Charger Daytona EV replacement has been a misfit with muscle car buyers, so the new, gas-fired Charger (dubbed Sixpack after its high-horsepower, twin-turbo inline-6 cylinder engine) is well-timed for hungry customers and a change in Washington management. Dressed in a sleek, retro-‘60s, Coke-bottle wardrobe, Charger Sixpack also boasts a more refined chassis, interior and utilitarian hatchback.

For the first time since 2001, Prelude is back with a different mission. As its badge implies, the sporty, $43,195 coupe is a prelude to Honda’s future. The Japanese automaker is leaning into gas-electric hybrids and hatchback Prelude is a hybrid halo showcasing good looks, peppy drivetrain and an S+ Shift tech feature that simulates a gearbox in an e-motor-driven car that doesn’t have one.

Cool, but count Sentra the jury favorite. At a time when the average price for a new vehicle is over 50 grand, the $23,645 compact sedan is affordable without being cheap. While its 149-horse 4-banger won’t wow, its sleek looks and high-tech interior will. Twin, hoodless digital screens and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay indicate Sentra punches above its weight.

The Truck Wars are dominated by Detroit brands with Ram securing two spots with its refreshed, light-duty 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 pickups.

Ram 1500 is the front-runner. Like sister Stellantis brand Dodge, Ram spiked its Hemi V-8 — the choice of most buyers — for the ‘25 model year, which led to a swoon in sales. The eight-holer (officially the eTorque V-8) is back for ’26 with a rebel’s yell.

Ram has stamped every V-8 model’s fender with the “Symbol of Protest” badge featuring a ram’s head atop a Hemi engine. Available in a dizzying array of trims, from work truck Tradesman to off-road Rebel to refined Longhorn, the Ram boasts one of the most refined interiors — and rides — in the truck biz. The Heavy Duty never lost its V-8 or diesel engines (spared by separate federal emissions rules) and brings Ram refinement to the big truck space.

The $37,625 Lobo adds a street performance trim to the Maverick’s XL, XLT, Lariat and Tremor lineup. Flexing a lowered chassis, stiffer springs and a torque-vectoring, rear twin-clutch, the all-wheel-drive Lobo is down to clown.

The SUV category should be a down-to-the-wire horse race between the three-row Hyundai Palisade and wee Nissan Leaf EV.

The electric Lucid Gravity is a mesmerizing first SUV from the creators of the Air sedan — perhaps the prettiest car on the market today. The three-row ute is a mix between supercar acceleration, minivan utility and Porsche Taycan interior style. Not to mention a frunk so big it sits two.

Gravity is also a nearly $100k luxury chariot. At half the price of Gravity, the Hyundai comes with major upgrades for 2026, including head-turning style and hoodless, digital display not unlike Lucid. It also gains an XRT Pro off-road trim so you can take the family beyond the asphalt.

The Nissan Leaf buries its nerdy reputation with a stylish, all-new model. Think the transformation of the nerd-to-swan Toyota Prius hybrid, which won the 2024 Car of the Year award. With a healthy 303 miles of range, Leaf is still affordably priced at $29,990. Leaning into the jury’s preference for affordability, the Nissan is the only EV available for under $30k — an important metric at a time when the $7,500 federal subsidy has disappeared.

The third generation of Nissan’s Leaf EV gets a facelift. Nissan

Along with the $23k, 500-mile-range gas Sentra, Nissan could grab two NACTOY trophies this January.

Awarded by a geographically diverse, independent jury of automotive journalists (not a single publication), NACTOY is recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious baubles. Vehicles are judged as benchmarks for their segments based on factors including innovation, design, handling, user experience and value.

Link here for more information about NACTOY: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org.

2026 NACTOY finalists

Car of the Year

Dodge ChargerHonda PreludeNissan Sentra

Truck of the Year

Ford Maverick LoboRam 1500 HemiRam 2500

Utility Vehicle of the Year

Hyundai PalisadeLucid GravityNissan Leaf

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

Ann Arbor — In the early morning light, I rotated my gorgeous red 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack Scat Pack onto empty Huron River Drive. I floored the throttle and awakened the beast. WAAUUUUUGHH! All four paws translated 531 pounds of torque to the asphalt and I exploded toward the twisties — my fingers rifling through the gears with steering-mounting paddle shifters. WHAP! WHAP!

The Dodge Charger is back, unplugged and untethered.

After three dark years in the government woodshed, Dodge has restocked its stable with an earth-pawing, gas-fed pony car next to the electric Charger Daytona. The Daytona was an answer to a question customers weren’t asking: what if we made the best-selling V-8 muscle car electric? Dodge sales fell off a cliff.

Henry Payne, The Detroit News

If the four-cylinder Ford Mustang II was the symbol of 1970s “Malaise Era” regulatory excess, then the charged Charger is the symbol of the 2020s’ forced electric-vehicle push. It makes artificial V-8 sounds. It’s heavier than the Titanic. It jumped the shark.

But in reducing Stellantis NV’s exposure to government emissions fines, it served its purpose and helped rebirth the gas-powered Charger. The legendary Hemi V-8 is coming, but first: the 3.0-liter, 550-horse twin-turbocharged inline-6 cylinder Hurricane Sixpack. Sixpack as in the gateway drug to the hard stuff.

It ain’t too shabby.

I hammered the Charger Sixpack and Daytona EV Scat Packs across Washtenaw County’s rural roads. Based on a flexible chassis that can house gas and electric powertrains, the hatchback (more on that feature later) Chargers are beautiful to look at with their throwback, 1968-era fascias, Coke-bottle bods and digital interiors.

The Sixpack is six times better. The driving experience is more visceral, more alive, more genuine. Push the START button next to the naughty pistol-grip shifter and Sixpack growls menacingly. Start the Daytona EV and it roars to life. An electric roar? The sound is synthetic and its obnoxious volume only calls more attention to the forgery.

There’s nothing fake about the Daytona’s electric power, though. With a stump-pulling 623-pound feet of torque, the e-Charger slammed me into the back of the seat as I nailed it onto I-94. BRAWWWWWRRH! went the fake V-8 sound as I eclipsed (number withheld to preserve my license) mph.

But at 4,815 pounds, Sixpack weighs 20% less than Daytona, making it a lot more playful around the cloverleaf that prefaces the rocket launch into the four-lane. That lesser girth also means that, despite giving up 120 ponies to the 670-horse Charger Daytona, the Sixpack sports the same 1:8.7 power-to-weight ratio.

With 100% of torque available at launch, Daytona out-drags the Sixpack to 60 mph (3.3 seconds to 3.9), but the gas-guzzler is more fun everywhere else.

On an empty Huron Drive, I initiated launch control in the Sixpack by burying the brake pedal, then the accelerator. RPMs spiked to 3,000 and held — RRRRRGGGH — as I kept both feet in it.

Release the brake. Release the Kraken.

Like the EV, Sixpack comes standard with all-wheel drive to better harness the enormous power coming through its driveshafts. The Charger slewed right briefly on the cold morning asphalt before all four tires hooked up, launching me into fall splendor.

Sixpack offers $4,995 Customer Preferred Pack 22B, which includes goodies like wireless charging pad, ambient lighting, head-up display, auto windshield wipers, eight-way power seats, 360-degree camera, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Get it for the head-up display. It’s awesome.

I pulled the downshift paddle and automatically engaged the eight-speed tranny’s MANUAL mode. WHAP! In fourth gear, I entered a tricky right-left uphill complex. The horizontal tachometer in the head-up display was in my direct line of sight. 3,000 RPM. WHAP! I pulled the paddle again into 3^rd gear and the engine screamed at 5,000 RPM.

I tore though the twisties, then upshifted to 4^th at 6,000 RPM — the gear indicator right there in the head-up display — on my way to the moon.

That’s visceral fun the EV can’t provide. Good as the Sixpack was, I still dreamed of what the new Charger would feel like with a good ol’ Scat Pack V-8 at the other end of my lead foot.

“Have you looked at the new Charger Sixpack?” I asked a friend who owns a V8-powered, 2022 Charger Scat Pack.

“Yeah, it’s good looking,” he replied.

“Going to get one?”

“I’ll wait for the V-8.”

I get it. And when the V-8 comes, it will benefit from the same major chassis upgrades that make Sixpack a joy. When last-gen Charger (and its Challenger coupe stablemate) exited the market in 2023, they took with them an aging, rear-wheel-drive platform that could barely contain its Godzilla drivetrains.

Three years on and the new, all-wheel-drive STLA Large Platform is 25% stiffer. This is still a big car — gaining six inches in length and two inches of width over last gen. Add AWD, hatchback and more legroom and SixPack is a significant 500 pounds heavier than its predecessor. And that’s BEFORE you put a V-8 boat anchor up front.

The upgrades are all worth it.

I’ve touched on the benefits of a stiffer platform and AWD to keep this rocket on the road. But when you’re not setting fire to asphalt like a 4,800-pound Road Runner cartoon, you’ll find the car’s new-found utility commendable.

Readers of this column know I’m a missionary for hot hatches like the VW Golf GTI, Golf R, Mazda3 Turbo and Honda Civic Type R as the market’s best all-around value: fun, utilitarian, affordable. The Charger Sixpack is the world’s biggest hot hatch.

And relatively affordable. At $56,990, my tester was $10K cheaper than a comparably-equipped, inline-6-powered, $67K BMW 540i xDrive (not to mention the $64K Charger Daytona EV) while offering better looks, utility, rear legroom and speed.

Open the rear deck and Charger will swallow a cart-full of luggage. Flatten the rear seats and add bicycles to your cargo. It’s a taaaall hatch but Dodge has thoughtfully put the automatic OPEN/CLOSE button on the left rear of the trunk for easy access.

The four-door model will be preferred by most Charger customers, but the rear seats of the coupe model I tested are plenty big too — unlike, say, Mustang rear seats that require removal of your legs. Rear passengers will also benefit from the $995 panoramic roof option.

 Cockpit ergonomics are typically superb for a Dodge product, with raised buttons on the steering wheel for adaptive cruise control, buttons on the back for volume/station changes. Drive modes hang below the left spoke so your hands never need leave the wheel.

So when you come up on a 375-horse BMW 540i on a cloverleaf, you can toggle SPORT mode and drag him off the exit.

As you blow by, be sure and shout: “The Charger is back, baby!”

Next week: 2026 Nissan Sentra

2026 Dodge Charger

Vehicle type: All-wheel-drive, five-passenger coupe and sedan

Price: Base $51,990, including $1,995 destination charge. Sedan an extra $2,000. $67,360 Scat Plus coupe with Customer Preferred Package as tested

Powerplant: 3.0-liter, twin-turbo inline-6 cylinder

Power: 420 horsepower, 468 pound-feet torque (R/T); 550 horsepower, 531 pound-feet torque (Scat Pack)

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.9 seconds (Scat Pack, mfr.); top speed, 177 mph (Scat Pack)

Weight: 4,815 pounds

Range: EPA est. mpg, 16 city/26 highway/20 combined (Scat Pack); 91 octane fuel required

Report card

Highs: Gorgeous hot hatch; AWD/head-up display/hatchback goodies

Lows: Gets pricey; no V-8 yet

Overall: 4 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

Tochigi, Japan — The last manual Honda Prelude Type SH coupe I drove was a 2001 model. Stylish and whip quick, I took it by the scruff of the neck and whipped it around Oakland County, rowing its high-revving VTEC engine with abandon.

The 2026 Honda Prelude is not that vehicle.

The sleek, all-new Prelude, which enthusiasts have been thirsting for since it wowed as a concept at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show, is a new coupe for a new Honda generation. It lives up to its name as a gateway to Honda’s latest technology.

Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Where the last-generation Prelude was a performance brand halo pushing engine RPM and suspension limits (alongside the S2000 sports car), Prelude joins a 2026 model lineup already loaded with athletes: the manual pocket-rocket Civic Si and winged Civic Type R hot hatch. The Prelude’s mission is less track rat and more grand tourer.

I got a sneak peak of Prelude before it hits dealer lots in January. I flogged it from the streets of Ann Arbor to Honda’s test track here in Tochigi north of Tokyo, where the hot hatch proved itself unflappable (if less engaging than its predecessor) with an impressive 500 miles of range.

The 2001 ‘Lude was a shot of Red Bull; the 2026 model is a tasty latte.

Indeed, with the $42K Prelude and $46K Type R, Honda offers buyers $40K-something performance models with distinctive personalities, not unlike what Corvette has done with its E-Ray grand tourer and Z06 track rat at the, ahem, $110K price point.

Like the Z06 with a Z07 package, Type R lets known its intentions right away with a standard rear wing that arches from its back like a scorpion tail. With muscular fenders, black trim, hood scoop and three tailpipes out back, this Orca is ready to hunt.

Prelude, on the other hand, greets you with a dolphin smile.

Its thin, pleasant front grille integrates with equally thin headlights that sweep backward across a sloped hood. That hood gives way to a long, tapered hatchback making for a classic coupe profile that could pass for a mid-engine sports car. It stopped showgoers in their tracks on the ‘23 LA Show floor, and my white tester in Ann Arbor was no less grabbing.

A woman staying in Weber’s Hotel (where I was testing Prelude for the North American Car of the Year jury) came out the front door and made a beeline for the ‘Lude. “I want that car,” she exclaimed.

Also like a mid-engine sports car, Prelude’s big C-pillar comes with serous visibility issues. Pulling out of Weber’s onto Jackson Avenue, the rear blind-spot was, well, blinding. Happily, Prelude comes loaded with safety features including blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control, auto-braking, and so on. Maybe Honda could option a camera mirror like a Corvette C8?

Coupe also means Prelude’s back seat is tougher to access than a Type R — or any other Civic for that matter. There’s a reason that niche-coupes Prelude, Honda Accord Coupe, Nissan Altima Coupe, Eagle Talon, Infiniti Q60, Mercury Cougar, Chevy SS and Chevy Camaro have dropped away over the years, leaving few choices like the Prelude, BMW 2-series and Ford Mustang: practicality.

Need to seat four? Child seat access? Take the kids to school? The Prelude coupe is more limited than its sedan brethren, which is why even the former-coupe Civic Si has gone four-door. What Prelude does offer, however, is a huuuuge rear hatchback. Drop the rear seats and it gets even bigger.

For coupe buyers, that practicality will get the attention of, say, $40K Mustang Ecoboost shoppers who want hatchback room and rear seat comfort. The Prelude’s five-inch shorter wheelbase than the Type R means just 32 inches of legroom, but that still beats the Ford (and Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch) by three inches.

Prelude doesn’t have the pony car’s natural rear-wheel-drive athleticism, but it’s surprisingly nimble for a front-wheel-drive car because it shares the front suspension and Brembo brakes with the track-tastic Type R. Ooooooh.

At the end of a long straight on Honda’s Tochigi, Japan test track, I stomped ‘Lude’s ‘Bos and we rotated nicely into a 90-degree hairpin. Credit torque-vectoring technology that brakes the inside front wheel, say Honda engineers, helping overcome the front-wheel-driver’s natural tendency to push. (Hot tip: the formula will get even better in the next-gen Civic, which we had the privilege to test at Tochigi in camouflage.)

In 1997, our colleagues at Car and Driver crowned Prelude the best-handling car under $30,000 ($60K in today’s dollars), beating out rear-wheel-drive hotties like the BMW 3-series, Chevrolet Camaro and Mazda Miata thanks to its similarly sophisticated front suspension, high-revving mill and precise manual gearbox.

As the torquey Prelude exited the hairpin turn, I stomped on the right pedal, and … what’s this, no manual?

If you want to row a box, get the Type R or Si. Prelude is here as prelude to Honda’s hybrid future. The Japanese brand is going all in on hybrids (like its cross-Tokyo rival Toyota) with a target of being all-EV in 2040. Not only does sixth-gen Prelude not have a manual, it doesn’t even have a gearbox, as twin electric motors translate engine power to the wheels like a single-speed EV transmission.

It’s a drive system but behaves like an automatic tranmsission with synthetic shifts. Expect a low six-second 0-60 mph dash, which beats a Civic Si (6.6) but trails the 315-horsepower Type R’s 4.9 secs, or the 315-horse Mustang EcoBoost’s 4.5.

Honda recognizes the visceral void left by a stick shift, and fills it with … more tech!

‘Lude introduces a nifty feature called S+ Shift — you can’t miss the American game-show button in the middle of the console — that is meant to impersonate a geared transmission. Your speed freak reviewer frequently punched the big S+ Shift button.

I’ll take SIMULATED ELECTRONIC FEATURES for $42,000, Alex!

S+ Shift nicely approximated an eight-speed gearbox as I tore around the Tochigi Proving Grounds (and Ann Arbor’s Huron River Drive). Simulated upshifts were crisp and downshifts were rev-matched like a manual transmission. I used the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, which even simulated bouncing off a rev-limiter if revved to high. Comical that.

Cruising Ann Arbor’s morning traffic, I was content with the “trigger-shifter” console shifter ripped right out of Honda’s Acura luxury cars. It’s another indication of the Prelude’s upscale, tech-focused vibe relative to boy toy Type R.

My tester’s two-tone salt ‘n’ pepper cabin echoed that sophistication. Paired with Civic’s already appealing honeycomb dash and digital displays, it’s an interior where you can comfortably spend hours on the road.

Hours on track? A used, low-mileage 2001 Prelude Type SH stick shift will set you back about $20K.

Next week:

2026 Honda Prelude

Vehicle type: Front-wheel-drive, four-passenger sport coupe

Price: $42,000 (est.)

Powerplant: 2.0-liter, inline-4 cylinder mated to two electric motors

Power: 200 horsepower, 232 pound-feet torque

Transmission: Direct drive with S+ Shift

Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.2 seconds (est.); top speed, 126 mph

Weight: NA

Range: EPA est. mpg, NA. Est. 500 mile range.

Report card

Highs: Head turning looks; S+ Shift

Lows: Smaller back seat than Civic; blind spot the size of Rhode Island

Overall: 3 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Montreal — On two-lane Route 117 in Quebec, I jumped into the left lane, nailed the throttle in my 544-horsepower, 2026 Polestar 4 and — ZOT! — was past the truck in front of me in the blink of an eye. I glanced in the rear camera mirror, pulled back into the right lane, and gave the truck a wave.

Except the Polestar 4 has no rear window, and the trucker never saw my gesture. Haw.

Polestar’s latest compact SUV is quick, cool and — as its clever rear design implies — innovative; just like Tesla models that pioneered the EV segment over the last dozen years. With Tesla in mind, Volvo (and its Chinese owners) spun off its Polestar performance badge in 2017 as a full-line electric vehicle brand. Where Volvo has developed EVs with its safety and design north stars, Polestar has leaned into speed and innovation.

The fourth — and most important model to date in Polestar’s young journey — the 4 is a Scandinavian Tesla Model Y. Call it Polesla.

Like the camera mirror in Tesla’s Cybertruck, the 4’s rearview unit is necessitated by its radical rear roof design. Determined to make the compact SUV look like a racy sports coupe (while maintaining utilitarian rear seat and cargo space), the Polestar 4 does without a rear window, confident that the advance of digital mirrors and blind-spot assist would cover the void.

It works, though old habits (like my trucker wave) will die hard.

It’s a reminder that digital technology is changing every tool in the automobile. Cadillac innovated the camera mirror last decade. At the Detroit Grand Prix in 2018, I asked race car driver Jorden Taylor what his 600-horsepower, $730,000 winged Cadillac DPi.V.R cyborg shared with a production Cadillac.

“Two things,” said the affable race pilot. “The V-8 engine block and the camera mirror. You can’t see out of these mid-engine race cars, and the camera mirror allows me an unobstructed view out back to I can see my competitors and slower traffic around me. I love it.”

Now it’s standard in the $57,400 Polestar 4. It will not be to everyone’s liking in a ferociously competitive premium class that includes Model Y, Cadillac Optiq, Mustang Mach-E, Genesis GV70, BMW iX3 and Lexus RZ. All with rear windows.

What won’t be polarizing is the Polestar’s rear head and legroom. At a charging station (more on that later), I hopped into the back seat, where the standard panoramic roof arched backward above me. It easily cleared my 6’5” head before plunging into the rear tailgate, much further rearward than other roofs in the segment. The result is plenty of light for the rear passenger. Sun too strong? Opt for the cool two-mode roof that will turn opaque at a touch of a button.

I could also move the rear seat back, comfortably stretching my legs to sit behind myself. Still, competitors like Tesla and Optiq offer more room.

Like its peer internal combustion engine segment, compact EV SUVs are where the sales are, and brands have brought their A game.

The Model Y is so good it was the second best selling non-pickup in the market last year after the gas-powered mainstream Toyota RAV4 compact SUV. The Polestar follows the formula with distinctive styling, a simple interior and raw speed.

South Korea-made and Chinese-owned (Geely), the 4 is the third mass production model in the Polestar lineup, following the (now withdrawn) 2 hatchback and 3 midsize SUV. The 4 (Polestar numbers its vehicles in order of rollout) has matured with its own design cues.

Gone are the Volvo-like Thor’s Hammer headlights in the 2 and 3, replaced by dual-blade headlights, grille-less sports car fascia and horizontal tail lamps. The separation from Volvo is important, even as Polestar stays true to spare Scandinavian style prized by everyone from Ikea furniture to Orrefors glass shoppers.

The 4’s exterior is cleaner than the busier lines of the 2 and 3. With its wide stance, coupe roofline and deeply-scalloped rocker panels, the SUV gives off a sporty, athletic vibe.

The simplicity continues inside. With key in pocket, the 4 recognized me as I approached, extending the flush door handles like a handshake. When I settled into the comfortable high-backed seats, the Polestar automatically turned on. No need to touch the brake pedal, push a button, insert a key. Slick.

As was the spare interior anchored by a 15.4-inch horizontal screen. No buttons cluttered the dash or doors. Tesla-like, I adjusted my side mirrors, steering wheel and air vents in the screen. Operated by Google Built-in (like General Motors EVs), other functions can be controlled by voice command.

Hey, Google, set driver temperature to 70 degrees.

Done.

Hey, Google, navigate to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.

Done.

Hey, Google, make the roof opaque.

Done.

Hey, Google, tell me a joke.

“How do trees access the Internet? They log in.”

The cockpit of the 2026 Polestar 4 features twin screens and minimalist steering wheel controls.

Henry Payne, The Detroit News

I like a car with personality, and the 4 has it in droves. Tesla has fart cushions, tracks Mars, and names its drive modes (like Plaid) after the movie “Spaceballs.” Polestar tells jokes, tracks the solar system and weaves its interior fabrics like Swedish textiles.

It tracks Tesla on charging, too, with NACS (North American Charging Standard) connector so you can navigate to — and fill up at — Tesla’s ubiquitous Supercharger network.

The 4 trails the segment’s best EVs, the Model Y and Optiq, in two respects.

First, while my $64,300 all-wheel-drive tester boasts eye-popping acceleration numbers on par with a Model Y Performance, the Polestar is a significant 800 pounds porkier and a big financial ask (especially with the $7,500 federal welfare gone) for a new luxury badge.

Second, while the equally luxurious Optiq is also porky, both the Cadillac and the Tesla offer superior hands-free driving systems. Navigate from, say, Montreal to Detroit, and the Tesla (and Caddy) will take you there hands-free on four lanes. Not the 4, which only sports adaptive cruise control.

Still, it’s great to see a new badge mature, and the Polestar 4 is a welcome addition to the U.S. market. Just remember to roll down your window if you want to wave at the trucker you just blew by.

Next week: 2026 Nissan Sentra

2026 Polestar 4

Vehicle type: All-wheel-drive, five-passenger compact SUV

Price: Base $57,400, including $1,400 destination charge ($64,300 Dual Motor as tested)

Powerplant: Lithium-ion battery pack mated to single/dual electric motors

Power: 272 horsepower, 253 pound-feet torque (single rear motor); 544 horsepower, 506 pound-feet torque (dual front and rear motors)

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.7 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 124 mph

Weight: 5,192 pounds (as tested)

Range: 310 miles (single motor), 280 miles (dual front and rear motors)

Report card

Highs: Cool design; electric performance

Lows: Polarizing design; lacks full self-drive

Overall: 3 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.