AUTOS

Finalists announced for 2018 North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year

Phoebe Wall Howard
Detroit Free Press
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator is one of three finalists for North American Truck of the Year.

LOS ANGELES — Finalists for the 2018 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards were revealed Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and it's a diverse mix peppered with some surprises.

This year, the 2018 finalists are:

  • Car: Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Kia Stinger
  • SUV: Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Honda Odyssey and the Volvo XC60
  • Truck: Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator

“We continue to get exceptional contenders each year, and this year is no different," said Lauren Fix, secretary-treasurer of the NACTOY. "The task of selecting these nine finalists — especially in the car and ultra-competitive utility category — was extremely difficult.” 

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Winners will be announced Jan. 15 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“The awards are unique because of the number and diversity of jurors. They come from all types of media — papers, radio, magazines, TV, digital only,” said Mark Phelan, president of the non-profit organization that added a third category for utilities in recent years. “The 60 jurors from across the United States and Canada reflect viewpoints and outlets ranging from performance enthusiasts to business writers to the general consumer.”

The 2018 Honda Accord is one of three finalists for North American Car of the Year.

Industry leaders have monitored the list of winners over the past 24 years because it’s created by a team of judges whose knowledge and preferences can forecast sales trends. This year, the sport utility vehicle category, which was split away from trucks in recent years, was the largest. 

“The 2018 finalists reflect the incredible variety of vehicles and new, advanced technology automakers are adding to their offerings as well as the increasing emphasis on making the most advanced safety features available to consumers even on affordable models,” said Phelan, auto critic for the Detroit Free Press.

This round marks the third year since the truck category was separated into trucks and utilities. To be eligible, a vehicle must be all new or significantly updated and go on sale this year.

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is one of three finalists for North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

“While there may be some favorites among the finalists, any of these vehicles could end up walking away with the trophy in their category,” said Fix, an automotive author who appears frequently on national news programs.

The vehicle evaluation process began in June 2017 by first assessing vehicle eligibility, and includes three rounds of voting. Vehicles were selected based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value. Votes are tallied by Deloitte LLP and remained sealed until they were announced Wednesday.

In 2017, the winners were the Chevrolet Bolt electric car, Honda Ridgeline pickup truck and Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: phoward@freepress.com or 313-222-6512. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid.