NACTOY Names 27 Semifinalists for 2021 Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Awards

DETROIT, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards said today that, following a preliminary vote, 27 new vehicles have made its list of semifinalists for the 2021 awards.

The list includes eight cars, 15 utility vehicles and four trucks available to consumers this year that are either all-new or substantially new. NACTOY accepted vehicle entries from automakers later than normal this year to better accommodate more than the usual number of late-launch vehicles.

"Many of the new models on our semifinalist list make bold statements that are intended to distinguish them within their segments," NACTOY President Gary Witzenburg said. "Several are all-electric, while others have groundbreaking designs or off-the-charts capabilities. It will be fascinating to see which risks pay off this year as our evaluation process continues."

This year's semifinalists were picked by a jury of 50 respected jurors from print, online, radio and broadcast media across the U.S. and Canada.

The next step in the awards process is an annual comparison drive that will take place Oct. 5-8 where jurors will have another chance to evaluate the vehicles that made the semifinalists list. 

Next, jurors will vote to select three finalists from each category, which will be announced in December during an event hosted by the LA Auto Show. Winners will be announced in January 2021 during an event hosted by the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

2021 NACTOY Semifinalists:

Car of the Year

Acura TLX 
Cadillac CT4/CT4-V 
Genesis G80 
Hyundai Elantra family (includes N Line and HEV) 
Kia K5 
Mercedes-Benz E Class Sedan, All-Terrain, Coupe, Cabriolet 
Nissan Sentra 
Polestar 2

Utility of the Year

Cadillac Escalade 
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban 
Chevrolet Trailblazer 
Ford Bronco Sport 
Ford Mustang Mach E 
Genesis GV80 
Hyundai Santa Fe 
Kia Seltos 
Kia Sorento 
Land Rover Defender 
Mazda CX-30 
Nissan Rogue 
Toyota RAV4 Prime 
Toyota Venza 
Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge

Truck of the Year

Ford Super Duty 
Ford F-150 
Ram 1500 TRX 
Jeep Gladiator Mojave

Spanish and French versions of this release will be available on NACTOY's website. For more information about NACTOY and its history: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN CAR, UTILITY AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR

The awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. The organization gives out three awards. They are: "North American Car of the Year," "North American Utility Vehicle of the Year," and "North American Truck of the Year." The awards are unique because they are given by an independent jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada instead of being given by a single publication, website, radio or television station.

SOURCE North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Awards (NACTOY)