Drive Revolution 2026 Recap: 20 Cars, 2 Days, 1 Orange Genesis

Every journalist drives every car.

That is the rule at Drive Revolution, and it is the reason the results mean something. No cherry-picking the fun ones. No skipping the subcompact because the supertruck is free. Seventeen members of the Northwest Automotive Press Association, twenty vehicles, two days at The Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, Washington, and a score sheet that does not get turned in until you have driven all of them.

I have been to a lot of press launches. A launch is one car, one carefully chosen road, and a manufacturer that would very much like you to enjoy yourself. Drive Revolution is the opposite of that. It is a Ram TRX at 9:00 a.m., a Miata at 9:30, a Kia K4 at 10:00, and a Hyundai Venue before lunch. Back to back, same roads, same weather, same tired driver.

That is how you find out what a car really is.

How it works

NWAPA started Mudfest in the 1990s to test SUVs when nobody else was. Ten years ago it launched Drive Revolution to do the same for hybrids and EVs. This year's field split into three groups: seven internal-combustion vehicles, five hybrids and plug-ins, and eight battery-electrics.

Each vehicle is scored on eight things: driving dynamics, powertrain, braking, design, interior features, tech, back seat and utility, and value. Then every juror ranks their top three in each category and picks an overall Vehicle of the Year. Ballots go in electronically before you are allowed to leave the hotel.

NWAPA President Tom Voelk called the voting "historically tight," with several results decided by one or two votes.

The field: internal combustion

2026 Acura Integra A-Spec with Technology Package. A 200-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo, a six-speed manual, a limited-slip differential, and adaptive dampers in a $41,195 hatchback. Ours was Performance Red Pearl. 30 mpg combined.

2027 Dodge Charger Scat Pack. The two-door, with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo high-output inline-six, all-wheel drive, an eight-speed automatic, and Brembo brakes. Purple Haze paint, $73,395 as tested, 19 mpg. Longtime Auto News readers know I spent time with the new Charger earlier this year.

2026 Hyundai Venue SEL. The least expensive vehicle at the event at $24,440, with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder, a CVT, a two-tone roof, and 31 mpg. It had to follow the TRX and the Miata in my rotation, which is a tough draw.

2027 Kia Seltos X-Line SX AWD. All new, with a 1.6-liter turbo, an eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive with terrain modes, and a Terrain Brown paint job that looked better in person than it sounds. $37,250.

2026 Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line Turbo. A 1.6-liter turbo, an eight-speed automatic, Harman Kardon audio, and dual 12.3-inch displays for $32,870. Sparkling Yellow. 28 mpg.

2026 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring. The lightest, simplest car in the field. 181 horsepower, a six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, a limited-slip differential, Bilstein dampers, and a power-folding hardtop. Soul Red Crystal, $40,280.

2027 Ram 1500 TRX SRT. A 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8, 35-inch all-terrain tires, and a $108,215 sticker. It was the loudest thing in the parking lot and the only vehicle with a five-year fuel-cost estimate above $16,000. 12 mpg combined.

The field: hybrids and plug-ins

2026 Honda Prelude. The nameplate is back as a two-door hybrid with a 2.0-liter engine, Brembo front brakes, and Honda's S+ Shift mode. Boost Blue Pearl, $43,650, 44 mpg combined.

2026 Jeep Cherokee Overland 4x4. Also back, this time with a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid and an electronically variable transmission. Hydro Blue, $45,990, 37 mpg.

2027 Kia Telluride HEV X-Line SX-Prestige AWD. The new Telluride, with a 2.5-liter turbo hybrid making 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft through a six-speed automatic. Black Jade Green, second-row captain's chairs, a tow package, self-leveling rear suspension, and a $61,180 total. 31 mpg.

2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus. Mazda's crossover with a 2.5-liter hybrid system borrowed from Toyota, good for 219 combined horsepower and 38 mpg combined. Wind Chill Pearl, a panoramic moonroof, 19-inch wheels, and a $43,265 total.

2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport. A plug-in hybrid with 49 miles of electric range, 86 MPGe, and 37 mpg once the battery is gone. GR-tuned suspension, 20-inch wheels, Supersonic Red over black. $51,015. It is the first RAV4 I have seen that looks like somebody at Toyota wanted it to be fun.

The field: battery electric

2027 Genesis GV60 Magma. Dual motors, an 84 kWh battery, an electronic limited-slip differential, electronically controlled suspension with road preview, simulated gear shifts, and a native NACS port. Magma Orange paint is a $650 option and the best $650 in the field. 222 miles, 78 MPGe, $72,145.

2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited AWD. Dual motors, 269 miles of range, 98 MPGe, on 20-inch wheels in Ecotronic Gray Matte. $52,050.

2026 Lexus ES 350e Luxury. The first electric ES. A single front motor with 221 horsepower, a 74.7 kWh battery, 292 miles of EPA range, a NACS port, and a 14-inch screen. Lexus estimates 0 to 60 in 7.4 seconds and a price of $63,770 as equipped.

2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring. 828 horsepower, 386 miles of range, three rows, a glass canopy roof, and a $125,650 total in Aurora Green Metallic. The most expensive vehicle at the event and the longest-range one.

2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ Electric. A compact sedan with 268 horsepower, an 85 kWh battery, 320 kW DC fast charging, and 317 miles of range at 109 MPGe. Patagonia Red, 19-inch AMG wheels, $64,780.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited. Subaru's new electric wagon-crossover with 375 horsepower from dual motors, 274 miles of range, 8.5 inches of ground clearance, and a 3,500-pound tow rating. Subaru says 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds. Daybreak Blue Pearl, $45,840.

2026 Toyota bZ Woodland Premium AWD. The Trailseeker's Toyota cousin: 375 horsepower, 260 miles, all-terrain tires, roof crossbars, and a $49,620 sticker.

2026 Toyota C-HR XSE AWD. Also back from the dead, now as a 338-horsepower electric crossover with 273 miles of range and 112 MPGe. Tandoori Red over black, $43,429.

The winners

Vehicle of the Year: 2027 Genesis GV60 Magma. You could see this one from across the parking lot, and it drove like it looked. "It's a breakout performance machine that's only outshined by the Magma Orange paint our tester was wearing," Voelk said in the official announcement. "NWAPA members are looking forward to getting this car on a track." So am I. The Lucid Gravity Grand Touring and the Mercedes CLA 250+ tied for second.

Best Internal Combustion: 2026 Acura Integra A-Spec. The jurors specifically called out the six-speed manual and the adaptive dampers. In a field full of 300 and 800 horsepower electric cars, they picked the one with a clutch pedal. As a member of "The Manual Gearbox Preservation Society" myself, I was glad to see it. Runner-up: the Dodge Charger Scat Pack.

Best Hybrid: 2027 Kia Telluride HEV X-Line SX-Prestige AWD. It won on three-row packaging, technology, and premium touches. Runner-up: the Toyota RAV4 GR Sport.

Best Battery Electric: 2027 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ Electric. Refinement, easy-to-use tech, and dramatic lighting inside and out. Runner-up: the GV60 Magma.

Best Value: 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line Turbo. The upgraded turbo engine, the crisp eight-speed, and the design won it. The Hyundai Venue SEL and the Kia Seltos X-Line tied for second, which puts three Hyundai Motor Group products on the value podium. That is not a coincidence. Nobody else is putting this much equipment in cars at these prices.

What it means

Twenty cars in two days will recalibrate you. A car you would have called quick on Monday feels ordinary after the Gravity. A car you would have called cheap feels like a bargain after the TRX.

The cars that won did not win for what powers them. They won for being fast, well built, and well priced against what they do. And the best gas car had a manual. Some things do not change.

Videos from all twenty cars are coming to the Cars with Chung YouTube channel. Thanks to NWAPA, Page One Automotive, DriveShop, The Heathman Lodge, and the manufacturers who brought the cars. Drive Revolution 2026 is in the books. Mudfest 2027 is tentatively set for May.

Twenty cars. Two days. One orange Genesis.