The North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year jurors narrowed down the 26 semifinalists to the vehicles up for the big award. We'll find out the winners on January 11, 2023, at a special event in Detroit, Michigan.
The finalists for North American Car of the Year are:
The finalists for North American Truck of the Year are:
The finalists for North American Utility of the Year are:
"Our nine finalists for 2023 represent a diverse cross-section of this year’s best new vehicles, ranging from sports cars to powerful pickups to three electric utility vehicles – which is the first time in our history that all three finalists in a specific category are battery-electric," said NACTOY President Gary Witzenburg.
Six EVs being finalists for this award is a new record for NACTOY.
During the October test drive event, the NACTOY jurors took part in an informal poll about their thoughts on EVs. They believe that 50 percent of vehicles up for the award would be electric by 2024 or 2025. They think "public charging limitations" is the primary reason people aren't buying electric vehicles. Misinformation about the models and cost are other major issues.
In June, the NACTOY organizers announced the 47 vehicles competing for this year's award. There were 31 SUVs and crossovers, 13 cars, and 3 trucks. They sliced it down to 26 vehicles as semifinalists in September.
A jury of 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada start with a long list of all of the new or substantially updated vehicles in a year. Throughout the year, the jurors whittle down the nominees to semifinalists, finalists, and eventually the winners.
Last year, the Honda Civic was the North American Car of the Year. The Ford Maverick won the truck category, and the Bronco took the utility class.
