Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/12/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-finalists/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/12/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-finalists/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/12/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-finalists/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

North American Car of the Year crystal award

2012 is almost in the books and automakers are spending December gearing up for the 2013 auto show season, which tips off next month at the Detroit Auto Show. Traditionally, the latter opens up with the announcement of the North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards, and this year figures to be no different.

But up until this moment, we didn't know which six vehicles would be parked ahead of the stage as finalists, with executives and engineers waiting for the winners to be disclosed. Whittled down from October's "short list" of nominees (11 cars and 10 truck/utility vehicles), the finalists are as follows:

2013 North American Car of the Year:
2013 North American Truck/Utility of the Year:
As determined by a non-profit, independent jury of 50 US and Canadian journalists(*), the pair of lists above arguably feature a surprise or two, and they open up some potentially interesting story lines. Will the Ford and Honda, which compete against each other in the marketplace, split votes among jurors who only want to vote for one family sedan? Did the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins miss making the finalists' list because they were listed as separate entries, or did they just not win over enough jurors? Until the voting patterns of the jurors are released (after the awards are announced), we won't really know if any of these scenarios played into the calculations.

What do you think of these six vehicles? Which would you vote for? Which do you think will win? Participate in our polls below by guessing which vehicles will win, then state your case for who should win in Comments.

*Full disclosure: Author is a NACTOY jury member.

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Continue reading 2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]

2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists announced [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>15002013 cadillac ats2013 ford c-max2013 ford fusion2013 honda accord2013 mazda cx-52013 ram 1500accordatsc-maxcadillaccx-5fordfusionhondamazdanactoynorth american car of the yearNorth American truck of the yearnorth american truck utility of the yearramWed, 12 Dec 2012 13:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20400146/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/12/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-finalists/20400146/article-detail.xml 20400146 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal.jpg <![CDATA[2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year short list released]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/02/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-short-list/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/02/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-short-list/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/02/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-short-list/#commentsFiled under:

NACTOY crystal award

It's that time of the automotive year again, where the changing of the seasons yields a fresh crop of cars and trucks at dealers and a new bounty of awards. North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year jurors(*) have been flogging all manner of new sheetmetal, and they've culled their long list down to a shorter, more manageable roster, which has just been released.

The list of eleven cars and nine truck/utility vehicles arguably offers few surprises. On the car side, domestic brands have five nominees, as do the Japanese, leaving one slot for a European. On the Truck/Utility side - the award has been renamed to reflect the inclusion of crossover and sport-utility vehicles in addition to traditional body-on-frame trucks - there are three domestic models, four Japanese offerings, a pair of Germans and a Korean.

If there's any conspicuous absence on the list, it's likely the Tesla Model S, which has drawn widespread praise for its electric driving experience, expressive design and impressive performance. As it ramps up production, Tesla has been particularly parsimonious with test vehicles, however, and despite multiple attempts by NACTOY to confirm seat time, few jurors have been able to drive and assess the car.

The jurors will now focus their attention on assessing the vehicles below before another round of voting culls each category down to three finalists. Another round of evaluation and voting will follow, and the winners will be announced at a press conference at the start of Detroit Auto Show media days in January.

The self-funded, completely independent and non-profit NACTOY jury made up of 50 U.S. and Canadian journalists chose the Hyundai Elantra and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque as the winners last year.

Look over the short lists below, then leave your best guess about the winners (or who you think should win) in Comments.

*Full Disclosure: Author is a NACTOY jury member.

2013 North American Car of the Year Short List:
Truck/Utility of the Year Short List:

2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year short list released originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car of the yearnactoynorth american car of the yearnorth american truck of the yearnorth american truck utility of the yeartruck of the yearutility of the yearTue, 02 Oct 2012 10:55:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20339190/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/02/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-short-list/20339190/article-detail.xml 20339190 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal.jpg <![CDATA[2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year Award long list announced]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/11/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-award-long/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/11/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-award-long/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/11/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-award-long/#commentsFiled under:

NACTOY crystal award

The 2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year award "long list" is out, and 45 vehicles of all descriptions are set to scrap for the hardware. In 2012, the Hyundai Elantra and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque took home the coveted crystal.

This year's crop of 2013 model-year entries is a diverse bunch in every sense of the word, from styling to powertrain to price point and intended audience size. Car offerings range from mainstreamers like the Dodge Dart, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima to small-volume players including alt-fuel darlings like the Fit EV and Tesla Model S and high-performance supercars like the SRT Viper. In the Truck/Utility category, mainstream offerings include the Escape, Ram 1500 and Mazda CX-5 along with niche models like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Toyota RAV4 EV.

The long list is so named because it functions as an all-encompassing roundup of new or substantially changed vehicles that will debut in time to be considered for the annual awards. Some of the vehicles may not have even been driven by the 50-member jury yet - it is in essence an eligibility list. Later this autumn, when jurors have driven the vehicles and have a clearer picture of which models deserve further consideration, an initial round of voting will be held. The resulting "short list" of around a dozen vehicles will then be culled further into a list of three finalists in each category after further testing and a subsequent second vote. Voting on the finalists will ensue and the winners will be announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

As further evidence that the long list is merely a fluid roster of eligible vehicles, the Lexus LS has been added and the Mazda6 and Kia Cadenza have been removed from consideration (the latter vehicles appeared on earlier published lists but won't be available in time for judging).

Quick studies will notice that there's been a slight but important change to one of the award's names. Reflecting the market's shift away from body-on-frame trucks to more amorphous sport and crossover utility vehicles, the award formerly known as Truck of the Year will be henceforth known as North American Truck/Utility of the Year. Both traditional body-on-frame vehicles and more car-like crossovers will be considered for this diverse category.

See the complete 2013 long list for both categories by scrolling below, then hop into Comments to talk about who you think will win this year's awards.

*Full Disclosure: Author is a NACTOY jury member.

Continue reading 2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year Award long list announced

2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year Award long list announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car of the yearnactoynorth american car and truck of the yeartruck of the yeartruck utility of the yearWed, 11 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20275124/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/11/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-award-long/20275124/article-detail.xml 20275124 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal.jpg <![CDATA[NACTOY changes truck award to "Truck/Utility of the Year"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/nactoy-changes-truck-award-to-truck-utility-of-the-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/nactoy-changes-truck-award-to-truck-utility-of-the-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/31/nactoy-changes-truck-award-to-truck-utility-of-the-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque wins 2012 North American Truck of the Year award

This year's selection for North American Truck of the Year was something of a sign of the times as the pool of nominees didn't really fit the traditional definition of "truck" - beasts of burden with features like a low range, open bed and/or body-on-frame construction. Not only were all three finalists crossovers (including the winning 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque), but so were the other four on the short list of nominees.

The jury has been monitoring the market's shift from body-on-frame SUVs to unibody-based crossovers for years now, and detailed discussions about whether to alter the name of its Truck of The Year award have been a staple conversation among members of the voting pool for perhaps half a decade. Those debates have finally bore fruit. Beginning with next year's award, instead of North American Truck of the Year, the hardware will be awarded as the North American Truck/Utility of the Year.

The name change should not only be a bit cleaner when it comes to including the market's ever-diversifying pool of crossovers, it will also afford room on the other end of the spectrum for the inclusion of heavy-duty full-size trucks, a segment of vehicles that previously weren't eligible. The change reflects another shift in the market, where vehicles like the Ford F-Series Super Duty and Ram 2500 HD are no longer being considered solely for purchase as work trucks - more and more everyday consumers are looking to them as capable daily drivers. The jury had previously considered only light-duty trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Toyota Tacoma for the award.

With the crossover segment mushrooming in popularity and diversifying rapidly, it's become difficult to readily classify what constitutes a crossover vehicle as opposed to a car. Branches of the U.S. government classify the exact same vehicle as a car and a truck, automakers invent new terminology to trumpet, journalists call them one thing and consumers end up labeling them another. The NACTOY jury will thus look to indicators like overall height and capability to help funnel eligible vehicles into the Car of the Year or Truck/Utility of the Year category.

NACTOY changes truck award to "Truck/Utility of the Year" originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car of the yearnactoynorth american car and truck of the yearnorth american car and truck utility of the yearnorth american car of the yearnorth american truck of the yearnorth american truck utility of the yeartruck of the yeartruck utility of the yearutility of the yearTue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20160921/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/31/nactoy-changes-truck-award-to-truck-utility-of-the-year/20160921/article-detail.xml 20160921 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/evoque-nactoy-win_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/evoque-nactoy-win.jpg <![CDATA[Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #261 LIVE]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-261-live/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-261-live/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-261-live/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Autoblog Podcast

We record Episode #261 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #261
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #261 LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100 worst cars of all timeautoblog podcast topicsnactoynorth american car and truck of the yearsaab bankruptcyMon, 19 Dec 2011 17:55:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20131321/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/19/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-261-live/20131321/article-detail.xml 20131321 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp.jpg <![CDATA[Your 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists are....]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/15/your-2012-north-american-car-and-truck-of-the-year-finalists-are/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/15/your-2012-north-american-car-and-truck-of-the-year-finalists-are/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/15/your-2012-north-american-car-and-truck-of-the-year-finalists-are/#commentsFiled under:



The finalists for the 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year have just been announced, and this year, the three candidates in each category are as follows:

Car: Truck: The above finalists are the result of voting by a 50-member jury of full-time automotive journalists and broadcasters from a longer "short list" composed of 30 cars and seven trucks (an award category that also includes sport utility and crossover utility vehicles). Eligibility requirements dictate that the vehicles up for consideration must be new or substantially revised for the model year.

The jury will now vote again on these shorter lists, and the winners will be named on the opening morning of the Detroit Auto Show, with this year's press conference falling on January 9.

Last year's hardware was awarded to the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the 2011 Ford Explorer.

Who do you think should win? Levy your votes in Comments.

*Full Disclosure: Author is a NACTOY jury member.

Continue reading Your 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists are....

Your 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists are.... originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cr-vcrvelantraevoquefocusnactoynorth american car of the yearnorth american truck of the yearpassatx3Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20128914/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/15/your-2012-north-american-car-and-truck-of-the-year-finalists-are/20128914/article-detail.xml 20128914 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/nactoy-award-crystal.jpg -1 2