This is the BIG ONE! We now know the list of the finalists in the running for the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY). There are nine finalists for the 2022 awards, narrowed down from an initial list of 36 new vehicles contending for an award this year. I'll share my three picks form the finalist list below.
2022 NACTOY Finalists
The NACTOY awards are a lengthy process. Three different votes takes place over the year, and votes are cast by 50 automotive journalists from an array of magazines, newspapers, websites, and television and radio stations in the U.S. and Canada. Award evaluation criteria includes automotive innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value.
“The diverse opinions of our jurors bring together a combination of expertise and individual testing regimens to select these nine outstanding finalists,” said NACTOY Vice President Jack R. Nerad. “This results in a comprehensive and thoughtful selection process unique to NACTOY.”
Eligibility requirements included that vehicles be either all-new or substantially new. They must also must be on sale, or be available for purchase by the end of year. .
“These nine vehicles represent an unusually excellent and diverse group of finalists,” said NACTOY president Gary Witzenburg. “From new OEMs to vehicles that have created fresh segments in their categories, these vehicles showcase the automotive industry’s current diversification. This year’s finalists also illustrate how many more electric vehicles are becoming available to customers across multiple vehicle types.”
Here are the 2022 finalists:
North American Car of the Year
- Honda Civic
- Lucid Air
- Volkswagen Golf Mk VIII (Golf R/Golf GTI)
North American Truck of the Year
- Ford Maverick
- Hyundai Santa Cruz
- Rivian R1T
North American Utility Vehicle of the Year
- Ford Bronco
- Genesis GV70
- Hyundai IONIQ 5
My predictions?
- Car: Lucid Air
- Truck: Rivian R1T
- Utility: Genesis GV70
Final voting takes place December 30-January 5th and we'll learn who the winners are in early January 2022.
