Motor Trend 2016 Car of the Year

Every year, the team from Motor Trend gathers together all the latest vehicles and puts them to the test in an effort to find out which new car, truck or utility vehicle is the single best available that year in America. The candidates are judged on six criteria: advancement in design, efficiency, engineering excellence, performance of intended function, safety, and value.

At the outset, Motor Trend selected 15 new cars as eligible for its coveted Car of the Year trophy. Partway through, the field was whittled down to just seven finalists. In the end, there could be only one winner.

Click on the image above to find out which new model won Motor Trend's 2016 Car of the Year award.

And the winner is... The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro. The Motor Trend team praised the Camaro for its “world-class sports car performance and dynamics.” 

As you might imagine, Chevrolet is quite pleased with the award. "It's amazing, the fact that it's been recognized by the industry ... all the work that's gone into the car," said Al Oppenheiser, Chief Engineer of the Camaro. "It's an emotional thing. It's more than a car to us," he added.

While the Chevy Camaro was the big winner, there were six other vehicles that Motor Trend considered as finalists. Click above to find out what the Camaro beat in 2016.