The announcements have been made: Genesis, Hyundai and Ram are three of the big award-winners of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The Genesis G70 mid-size luxury sedan is the 2019 North American Car of the Year (NACOTY). Parent company Hyundai made headlines with its Kona and Kona electric as Utility of the Year. And the Ram 1500 beat out General Motors’ Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 for the Truck of the Year designation.
“The Genesis G70 doesn’t just go toe-to-toe with segment mainstays like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class – it beats them all in driver engagement while positively slaying them on value for the dollar,” said Paukert, one of the jury members and executive editor of Roadshow by CNET. “No longer just a value play, it’s the real deal.”
On SUVs, NACTOY Secretary-Treasurer Kirk Bell said the utility class is the most hotly contested of all the categories.
“Contenders range from game-changing electrics to mainstream brands that have upped their game to luxury brands that are pushing the envelope,” said Bell. “Our winner in this class will face the stiffest competition in the auto industry’s hottest market.”
On trucks, juror John Davis (who is also the executive producer at MotorWeek), says Ram continues to pay as much attention to interior conveniences and ride comfort as to cargo hauling and towing.
Vehicles that receive the title of North American Car, Utility or Truck of the Year must achieve a certain benchmark status based on a range of factors, such as: innovation, design, safety, handling, value for money and satisfaction.
The 2019 jury for the Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards included 54 automotive journalists in the U.S. and Canada, representing everything from newspapers and magazine experts to broadcast veterans, digital columnists, and freelancers. A total of eight journalists on this year’s jury are Canadian.
