Congrats to the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) award winners! The recipients of the 30th annual awards were announced earlier this month in Detroit - the culmination of a year-long evaluation process that included hundreds of hours of research and three rounds of voting by NACTOY jurors.
And the winners are:
- North American Car of the Year: Toyota Prius & Prius Prime
- North American Truck of the Year: Ford Super Duty
- North American Utility Vehicle of the Year: Kia EV9
This year NACTOY jurors started with an initial list of 52 eligible vehicles. That list was whittled down to 25 vehicles deemed “The Best of 2024". From that group NACTOY narrowed it down to 9 finalists.
NACTOY says over the course of the year, its jurors spent hundreds of hours test driving, researching and evaluating vehicles on automotive innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction, user experience and value, leveraging their experiences and expertise to cast their votes for the 2024 NACTOY award winners.
“Our winners reflect the fact that a modern vehicle must be a combination of style, utility and technology,” said NACTOY President Jeff Gilbert. “I commend our fifty jurors for coming up with some excellent choices.”
Winners and Judge’s Comments
Car: Toyota Prius and Prius Prime
The Toyota Prius and Prius Prime are not just handsomely styled hatchbacks, they represent the future of the automobile by blending traditional internal combustion with electric drivetrains. Of particular note is the plug-in version which offers more than 40 miles of pure electric range, allowing most owners to skip regular gas station visits.
–Matt DeLorenzo (tightwadgarage.com)
The Toyota Prius was the butt of jokes for its looks so long that the new one is unrecognizable–and stunningly attractive. It still has Prius fuel economy (40-50 mpg under any conditions), the Prime plug-in hybrid version has a lot more EV range, and I expect this year’s Prius to appeal to a whole new group of shoppers.
–John Voelcker (Car and Driver, Green Car Reports, Charged EVs, et al)
Truck: Ford Super Duty
The Ford Super Duty retains its leadership in the heavy-duty pickup truck category with its impressive towing, payload, torque, and horsepower figures. Its four engine choices are highlighted by the new standard 6.8-liter gasoline V8 and 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8. And the big Super Duty is remarkably comfortable and easy to drive.
–Jack R. Nerad (America on the Road Radio/JDPower.com/TrueCar.com/USNews.com)
Ford’s F-series Super Duty pickups embody the concept “a workhorse and a show horse.” Equally suited to construction sites and towing million-dollar trailers, it’s loaded with technology to simplify its chores and keep the driver comfortable.
–Mark Phelan (Detroit Free Press)
Utility (SUV): Kia EV9
The Kia EV9 offers a genuine 3-row configuration in a battery-electric SUV at a price significantly below the six-figure tab for all other 3-row electric SUVs. It opens new territory for EVs, and its looks draw attention well before anyone finds out it’s electric. And it’ll be built in the U.S. within a year. Another home run for Kia.
–John Voelcker (Car and Driver, Green Car Reports, Charged EVs, et al)
The Kia EV9 should scare the stuffing out of other mass market brands. Kia is rapidly moving upscale with head turning design and all the latest technology at prices below the premium brands. That’s a recipe for success.
–John McElroy (Autoline)
About the Awards
The NACTOY awards, founded in 1994, are the longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a single publication. They are judged by 50 professional automotive journalists from a wide variety of print, online, radio and television media outlets in the United States and Canada. The votes are confidentially tallied by Deloitte LLP, ensuring each stage of the award cycle is the collective decision of all jurors. Votes for the 2024 NACTOY winners remained secret until envelopes were opened onstage during today’s event.
