Contenders Shortlisted for the Award of Top North American Automobile, Pickup Truck, and SUV of the Year
2025 NACTOY Awards: A Balanced Field of Finalists
The North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards have announced their semifinalists for 2025, showcasing a diverse and balanced selection of vehicles that excel in innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, user experience, driver satisfaction, and value.
The jury, comprising 50 veteran automotive journalists with diverse ideologies, has selected three finalists in each category: Car, Truck, and Utility. This year's competition features a well-balanced mix of electric vehicles (EVs), hybrids, and gasoline-powered vehicles.
In the Car category, the finalists include the BMW 3 Series, BMW M5, Cadillac Celestiq, Dodge Charger EV, Fiat 500e, Honda Civic Hybrid, Kia K4, Mercedes-AMG E Class, Porsche Panamera, and Toyota Camry.
The Truck category finalists are the Ford Ranger, GMC Sierra EV, Ram 1500, Rivian R1T, and Toyota Tacoma. Notably, the Ford Ranger has already been confirmed as the winner of the North American Truck of the Year award, making it a gasoline-powered model.
The Utility Vehicle category finalists include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Honda Prologue, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Jeep Wagoneer S, Lincoln Nautilus, Porsche Macan EV, Toyota Land Cruiser, VW ID. Buzz, and an unspecified electric vehicle.
The exact names of the EV finalists are not provided, but it is noted that this year's competition includes a significant, but not majority, representation of electrified vehicles, marking a change from the 2024 field which was half EVs.
The finalists in each category will be announced in Los Angeles on November 21, and the winners will be announced at the Detroit Auto Show on January 10, 2025.
These prestigious awards are highly coveted in the automotive industry because they lack association with any single publication. Unlike other awards, the NACTOY Awards are given by an independent jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada, making them unique and highly respected.
The group will convene in October for an annual meeting and comparison drive before announcing the final winners. The semifinalist vehicles were revealed at an event called "Cars at the Station."
The event was developed by automotive enthusiast brand Hagerty, Michigan Central Station, Newlab, and the City of Detroit. The candidates for the 2025 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards include vehicles from brands such as BMW, Cadillac, Dodge, Fiat, Honda, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, and Volkswagen.
The evaluation of vehicles is done based on each finalist's performance within its product segment rather than directly against finalists from other categories. This approach ensures a fair and accurate assessment of each vehicle's merits.
[1] Source: NACTOY Awards website and press releases.
- The diverse automotive industry is well-represented in the 2025 NACTOY Awards, with a balanced mix of electric vehicles, hybrids, and gasoline-powered vehicles in the Car, Truck, and Utility categories.
- The Truck category features both electric vehicles and gasoline-powered vehicles, with the Ford Ranger securing the North American Truck of the Year award preliminarily.
- Lifestyle changes and advancements in transportation are evident in the Utility Vehicle category, with a significant representation of electric vehicles competing against traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
