The North American International Auto Show is underway in Detroit with the vehicles of the year announced Monday morning.
For the category of Car of the Year, the 2018 Honda Accord took home the prize. The 2017 Volvo XC60 won for best Utility Vehicle and the Lincoln Navigator took home the prize for Truck of the Year.
Kumar Galhotra, group vice president, Lincoln, and chief marketing officer for Ford, said winning the award fuels pride in the brand working to revitalize its image among consumers. In accepting the award onstage, he acknowledged the designers, suppliers and the UAW workers who assemble the product.
The comfortable and luxurious Navigator, with a base price of $72,055 excluding destination, features 30-way adjustable seats and laser-etched wood trim. The Lincoln badge on the grille lights up a soft blue-white when the car is running.
In the highly competitive SUV category, Volvo XC60 prevailed with its Swedish design and loads of safety and driver-assistance features. Its distinguishing qualities include a very large power sunroof and lean lines, with a base price of $41,500, excluding destination. The interior is roomy and comfortable, with trim made from salvaged driftwood.
“Like the XC90, the XC60 offers Volvo’s distinct brand of luxury and it may even be more appealing than its bigger brother. The ride is exemplary, and when smartly equipped, it is a fine value,” said NACTOY juror and freelance auto writer Kirk Bell.
The trusted Honda Accord, a consumer favorite for more than 40 years, won the car of the year. The new, 10th generation Accord, whose base price is $23,570 excluding destination, offers high fuel efficiency, nimble handling, sleek lines and the biggest trunk in a segment crowded with excellent cars.
“Honda seems to have executed some sort of magic trick — not only is this 10th-generation Accord far sleeker and more decisively styled than its predecessor, it’s somehow roomier inside, too,” said Chris Paukert, a NACTOY juror and managing editor of Road Show by CNET. “Even in low-end trims, it drives well and offers a strong amount of standard equipment.”
The 60 jurors who vote on the awards come from all types of media — newspapers, radio, magazines, TV, digital-only from across the U.S. and Canada. They reflect viewpoints and outlets ranging from performance enthusiasts to business writers to the general consumer.
NAIAS officially opened Sunday with pledges from the U.S. Government to advance autonomous vehicle technology. Ford kicked off the show by unveiling the 50th anniversary version of the Mustang that Steve McQueen drove in the iconic movie “Bullitt.”
Ray Tanguay, automotive advisor to the governments of Ontario and Canada told crowds about how the province and country will maintain key roles in the North American automotive production and are determined to play an even greater role in autonomous vehicle development and deployment.
71 new vehicles will be unveiled at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The doors will open to the public on Saturday.
(with files from the Associated Press)
