We’ve learned a lot over the years. What we like, what we don’t, what we aspire to, what we’re ready to leave behind. As we begin the new year it’s fun to look back a decade to see what we’re still doing and what we’d do again. That’s the idea behind 2026 is the new 2016.
So we took a look back at the cars we were driving then, what was new and how those trends still, a decade later, shape how we buy and drive our cars.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Hybrid Driving is Everything, and Will Be More, 2026 and Beyond
When Chevrolet introduced the Volt, a plug-in hybrid that offered 30 miles of electric range and hybrid MPG in the high 30’s, it was revolutionary. I was new to reviewing cars but as a person who hates stopping for gas—as well as planning to get gas, waiting in line for gas, standing at the pump, getting my hands dirty and paying for gas—the idea of plugging in a car every day intrigued me.
Fast forward to 2016 and the second generation Chevy Volt and I was in love: the company increased all-electric driving to 50 miles, added heated seats and a heated steering wheel standard and increased gas-only MPG.
The sad news is that GM abandoned the Volt after a few years. The great news is that hybrid technology has exploded and will grow even more in 2026. Its now cheaper, more efficient and if you want a PHEV for all electric driving, you’ll be able to get it on lots and lots of cars and SUVs.
Big, Bold Luxury Is a Staple in American Driveways
Every time I see this generation of the Infiniti QX80, and I still see it on the road a lot, I am reminded that yes, families buy luxury cars, but also, that luxury cars are built to go the distance. As in, hundreds of thousands of miles. Not just the engine and chassis, but the leather, the surfaces, the carpets.
And so are the designs; while yes, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 looks more modern and sculpted than the last generation, the 2026 is the new 2016 resemblance is very clear; you can see the continuing flow of Infiniti’s inspiration.
Girls Love Trucks. Always Have, Always Will
Little did I know when I posed for this photo on a trip to Austin, TX, that I would soon be a resident of this town. Just two years later we would make the move. But I also didn’t realize at the time how much the world of pickup trucks would explode. At the time the Toyota Tacoma was one of the few mid-size trucks on the road. Just a year before Chevrolet and GMC re-entered the mid-size truck market and in the years since Ford, Jeep, Nissan, Hyundai and Honda have become more competitive with their mid-size and compact truck offerings.
Why does this make us so happy? A full size truck is a lot to manage—parking, washing and fueling. But a mid-size truck makes truck ownership easier. Look for more smaller trucks in the future, too: Slate, Ford and others have more trucks on the drawing board .
The MVP and the One To Beat: Ford Explorer
By 2016 Ford was on a roll with the Explorer. The model celebrated its 25th birthday that year and was a top seller as a capable family SUV that could do double-duty off-road and on family road trips. Redesigned for 2016, it was once again setting trends and in quick succession other SUVs came for Explorer’s lunch: VW Atlas, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
And if this design looks a little Land Rover-esque, you’re not wrong; Ford was fresh off selling its Jaguar Land Rover division, a group that has influenced so many of the company’s designs. While Ford has gone more rough and rugged in Explorer’s modern design, this one still holds up.
I Loved This One So Much I Bought It—and Still Own It!
Infiniti was on a roll in 2016: Great engines, great design, lovely interiors. The brand would evolve quite a bit in the decade to follow, but the roots of this transformation could be seen in the QX50, a compact SUV with an elegant feel. While the company’s design language has changed, a basic tenant that gives the feel of flowing metal has not.
A few years later we were shopping for a car and came across this exact model, so we grabbed it. And every time I see one in traffic, I smile.
Our Love For Rugged Good Looks Has No End
As our love for athleisure, hiking sneakers and knit beanies has continued to grow, so has our penchant for SUVs that embody the life we’d like to live all the time. The Toyota 4Runner was an early instigator of the trend for its always-on sense of adventure.
“Every time I get in this car I feel like I’m going to have an adventure,” writer Chastity Vasquez told us when she reviewed it. The 4Runner has gone on to be redesigned and reinvented, but only with more adventure advantages, not fewer.
Your Car—As Jewelry To Hold, Not Just Wear
In 2016 we began to see the spaces around us a bit differently; not just cloth or leather, gear shifters and volume dials, but eye-catching, sense-delighting surfaces and materials. Volvo was one of the first places we saw this with its textured volume dial and engine start dial, both of which carried the heft and lovlieness of a watch bezel or a woven platinum band. Soon, Volvo would add crystal details to its interiors, spawning a trend that BMW, Cadillac and others would follow.
I’ll always choose jewelry, and now I can choose it in my car. Thank you, Volvo.
Our Fave 2026 is the New 2016 Trend: Getting Your Luxury Car Dirty
Not all luxury cars and SUVs are intended to get dirty, but those that are should be treated to a regular route of dirt, mud, hills and trails. Put the Lexus LX in that category, then and now. By 2016 I’d begun hearing of enough people who increasingly were taking their luxury full-size SUVs off-road, even modifying them for more rigorous drives and competing them in rallies. And then I got the chance to try it out—with Sara Lacey at the wheel.
In the time since we’ve seen nearly every full-size luxury SUV either add off-roading capability or add a trail-ready trim. As ever, Lexus was ahead of its time.
Small Cars Come and Go
The Smart ForTwo reminds us that as Americans, we like to take our stuff and our people with us. We don’t like to feel like a speck on the road. Those were the two pushbacks against this car, which is still sold overseas but ended sales in the US. Other tiny car brands, from Fiat to the Chevy Spark, also either left the market or notched down their presence.
Will we see small cars return as a 2026 is the new 2016 trend? These are usually an ebb-and-flow trend driven by a growing number of younger car buyers and those who feel price-pinched in the car market. So, with the prices of cars inching up—the average new car costs $50K now—we just might. Maybe even the Smart ForTwo with its impenetrable steel cage that makes it completely safe on the road.
The Versatility of a Single Car Can Build a Company
When Nissan rolled out the redesigned Rogue in 2016, we were smitten by its sporty good looks. And then, the company introduced iteration after iteration after iteration: a 3-row version, a hybrid version, a luxury version, an off-road version, a blacked-out version, a Storm Trooper version. There seemed no end to upgrading, customizing and modifying this do-it-all SUV could be for every buyer, and the strategy fueled tremendous growth for Nissan.
But what we really learned is that we can love a car and love its take on life, and that my Rogue can be different than your Rogue and that’s perfectly all right.
The Rebelle Rally Taught Us About Off-Roading—And Ourselves
In 2016 we were introduced to a completely new thing, a competition, a place in the world, a sisterhood: Rebelle Rally. In the decade since the Rebelle has changed us, giving us not only more confidence in ourselves and our capabilities, but a view into a life that many of us had never considered and that others of us relished the opportunity to dive into. Our first story on Rebelle was written by warrior Holly Reich who we sadly lost just a few years later, but we’ll never forget how her passion for this competition, and this competition itself, changed us forever.
These Would Change Our View of Driving
It was a novel thing to see an EV charger back in the day. They were few, far between and generally slow. Many of them were free and anchored the best parking spots in a lot. Now, we drive by them, have to pay and don’t stay all that long because they are fast.
In 2026 and beyond these will take on new life, with companies like Ionna creating entire lounges around EV charging and EV charging becoming a staple at highway fueling stations and gas stations around the country. Isn’t it nice to have freedom in how you fuel and drive your car?
The Look of Autonomous Driving Wasn’t Too Far Off
This was a fun one to find in our archive—and fun to see how on the money Nissan was in envisioning the autonomous future: The flat top and bottom steering wheel is indeed a thing. The modern-lounge car seats are growing in popularity. The smaller screen and white interior trends are gaining ground, as is the boldness of the coach doors, which we see more of now but still, not many (they are great fro getting in and out, but parking lots can be difficult when parking next to another car).
We Have Come Full Circle on the Minivan
Chrysler debuted the Pacifica for the 2016 model year, reigniting the minivan trend. And the trend hasn’t stopped since, with minivans growing more and more popular. The Pacifica reminds us that we can be chic and practical at the same time (sit inside one if you don’t believe me) and that having a vacuum cleaner and plug-in hybrid power really are luxurious.
Classic Style Never Ages. Never
Who hasn’t been enamored with the Mini Cooper at least once? Its adorable, iconic face, British heritage, cute cabin and a fun-to-drive experience is enough to convince many to dive into the Mini life. Looking back at the 2016 model rekindles the feelings, with the introduction of a convertible version made us swoon. Fast forward and the company has evolved, just getting better at its heritage design and still, keeping a convertible in the lineup. It’s one idea we’re not ready to give up and we’re glad Mini felt the same.
2026 really is the new 2016!
