The North American International Auto Show has just begun in Detroit and, as always, the winners of the 2017 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year titles have been announced.
These awards are held in high respect by automotive manufacturers due to the way in which they have been designed and structured. Judged by a group of over 60 automotive journalists from the United States of America and Canada covering a host of magazines, newspapers, televison, radio and websites, the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year titles are awarded based on factors like innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value.
New for 2017 is the Utility Vehicle of the Year award which is now split from the Truck of the Year title, signifying the growing popularity and importance of Sport Utility Vehicles and crossovers.
From dozens of new vehicles that went on sale last year in each category, the jurors has shortlisted three finalists for each of the three titles before zeroing in on the winner.
In cars, it was the Chevrolet Bolt that came out on top for 2017. With an EPA-certified range of 238 miles on a single charge and prices that start under $30,000 after applying tax credits, the Bolt is trying to take the IC-engined market head-on and take the EV revolution to the next level. It's no wonder then the jurors were mighty impressed with this compact Chevy, handing it the 2017 North American Car of the Year title. That it left it's competent rivals, the Genesis G90 and the Volvo S90, far behind in the final scores speaks for itself.
2017 NACOTY Results
- Chevrolet Bolt - 364
- Genesis G90 - 105
- Volvo S90 - 101
Previous NACOTY Winners
- 2016 - Honda Civic
- 2015 - Volkswagen Golf/GTI
- 2014 - Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
- 2013 - Cadillac ATS
- 2012 - Hyundai Elantra
Moving on to the trucks, it was the Honda Ridgeline that beat rivals like the Ford F-Series Super Duty and the Nissan Titan to be crowned the 2017 North American Truck of the Year. The midsize pickup from Honda impressed the jurors with its smoother ride, thanks to the car-style chassis, and innovative features like a trunk under its cargo bed and a double-hinged tailgate that opens down or from the side. With 364 points in its kitty, the Ridgeline made it a no contest with the Ford and the Nissan that ended up with 193 and 72 points respectively.
2017 NATOTY Results
- Honda Ridgeline - 364
- Ford F-Series Super Duty - 193
- Nissan Titan - 72
Previous NATOTY Winners
- 2016 - Volvo XC90
- 2015 - Ford F-150
- 2014 - Chevrolet Silverado
- 2013 - Ram 1500
- 2012 - Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Winning the inaugural North American Utility Vehicle of the Year title is the Chrysler Pacifica. At a time when minivans are down and out and manufacturers are getting out of the segment as soon as they can, Chrysler had the guts to go all out on a stylish new model and slap a plug-in hybrid powertrain in it. With an electric range of 35 miles on a single charge, the Pacifica can do daily driving duties without the need to fill in fuel. Mazda CX-9 and Jaguar F-Pace were the other finalists that vied for top honours.
2017 NAUOTY Results
- Chrysler Pacifica - 300
- Mazda CX-9 - 135
- Jaguar F-Pace - 125
Congratulations to the winners.
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