Detroit, Michigan — The 2022 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) award winners have been announced, recognizing two old favourites and one new contender that is making its mark in the truck market.
The winners of the 2022 NACTOY awards are the Honda Civic, the Ford Maverick and the Ford Bronco, for top car, truck and utility vehicle categories respectively.
Praise for the 2022 Civic is cause for little surprise as the model continues to dominate the Canadian car market in terms of sales and popularity.
NACTOY judge and former executive at Kelley Blue Book, Jack R. Nerad, said “If carmakers were limited to building just one car model the Honda Civic should be that model. It combines just about every positive attribute you can think of — low-cost, high fuel efficiency, utility, comfort, dependability, and fun to drive among them.”
The Ford Maverick sticks out from the crowd, however, as the new gas-electric hybrid model aims to fill a gap being left by its more popular cousins; the Ford F-series of full-size trucks.
Judges lauded the Maverick for being an urban-friendly and highly-functional compact truck at an entry-level MSRP of only $19,995.
“The Ford Maverick hybrid establishes the first new vehicle category since the Chrysler minivan of the 1980s,” said Dan Carney, an American freelance automotive journalist.
“Would-be contenders in this segment have been too expensive, too thirsty, or too precious. The Maverick is the first affordable, efficient, entry-level vehicle that happens to provide pickup truck utility.”
In the utility vehicle category, the rugged Ford Bronco claimed the top prize over flashier offerings like Genesis’ GV70 and the Hyundai IONIQ 5.
“The Ford Bronco is a home run, a credible competitor to the Jeep Wrangler that also bears the looks and electronic wizardry to take on the more expensive Land Rover Defender. If the Bond bad guys had had the Bronco’s Sasquatch package, ol’ James might have been in trouble,” said Henry Payne, an automotive columnist at The Detroit News.
The three winners were chosen by a collective of 50 automotive journalists from across Canada and the U.S. and based their critiques on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.
