Ford hopes to smoke the competition with the 2015, 50th anniversary remake of the Mustang.
With most of the new 2015 models now in showrooms, and the stragglers soon set to follow, the nearly 60 journalists on the North American Car and Truck jury are beginning to weigh all the options in the hunt for the top products of the year.
Members of the group – which includes this author – were asked to weigh in on dozens of new offerings, from the little Honda Fit to the full-size Ford F-150 in the first of a three-part voting process that will wrap up in time for the annual Detroit Auto Show next January.
The jurors have culled the original list down to a much more manageable 10 cars and a dozen trucks and utility vehicles. That includes two U.S, three European, three Japanese and two Korean passenger car models. Domestics dominate the truck list, however, with five separate entries, including the Ford F-150 and GM’s new midsize pickups, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. The Japanese have four, with European makers landing three models on the truck/utility list.
Now entering its 22nd year, the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury was significantly expanded for 2015 to reflect the diversity and breadth of the region’s automotive market.
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The two winners will be announced during the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, next January. The NACTOY ballot picks are generally considered to be the industry’s most prestigious awards, winning automakers routinely playing up their victories in electronic, print and broadcast advertising.
Better known for its sports cars, Porsche could nab the Truck/Utility trophy with the new Macan.
For 2014, General Motors pulled off a clean sweep, capturing North American Car of the Year with its then-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and North American Truck of the Year with the redesigned Chevy Silverado pickup.
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Over the years, Detroit’s Big Three makers have nabbed the car trophy 12 times, while the Japanese have won three times and Europeans four times. Korea’s Hyundai has won twice.
On the truck side, domestics have won 14 times, the Japanese four times and Europeans three.
The products to pass the first muster:
2015 North American Car of the Year Short List
Acura TLX
Audi A3
Chrysler 200
Ford Mustang
Honda Fit
Hyundai Genesis sedan
Hyundai Sonata
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Toyota Camry
Volkswagen Golf/GTI
2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year Short List
Audi Q3
Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Tahoe
Ford F-150
GMC Canyon
Lexus NX
Lincoln MKC
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
Nissan Murano
Porsche Macan
Subaru Outback
Toyota Highlander