DETROIT — The 2016 North American International Auto Show is just a month away. That means it’s time to find out which vehicles are finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) awards. The top three in each category were revealed during an Automotive Press Association luncheon on Tuesday afternoon at the Detroit Athletic Club.
Denny Moyer, a partner at Deloitte & Touche, announced that there are 49 launches in 2015, 76 expected launches in 2016 and there will be 74 in 2017, according to analysts. “Whittling them down into smaller groups, we pick a dozen or so autos from a long list,” says Moyer. “This is a result into a short list.
“Vehicle evaluations in October are held in Hell, Michigan. Early in December, we vote on short list vehicles. They are sent to Deloitte & Touche. A maximum of ten points are given to each vehicle in each category. The short list establishes the three cars and trucks for which we are here today. All ten points have to be used. All ballots go directly to Deloitte,” added Moyer.
Moyer then introduced Lindsay Brooke, Automotive Engineer, to announce the truck finalists. They are the 2016 Honda Pilot, the 2016 Nissan Titan XD and the 2016 Volvo XC 90.
Joann Muller, Forbes, announced the car finalists of the year. They are the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, the 2016 Honda Civic and 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
It has been 23 years since the inception of the NACTOY awards. Deciding factors include: innovation, driving safety, handling, driver satisfaction, value and best vehicle development in their segment. Vehicles must be brand new or substantially changed to be eligible for an award.
Last year’s winners were the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford F-150.
The winner will be announced during the first press day of the 2016 North American International Auto Show.
