Official: 2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year short list released

Filed under: Etc.

It's that time of the automotive year again, where the changing of the seasons yields a fresh crop of cars and trucks at dealers and a new bounty of awards. North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year jurors(*) have been flogging all manner of new sheetmetal, and they've culled their long list down to a shorter, more manageable roster, which has just been released.

The list of eleven cars and nine truck/utility vehicles arguably offers few surprises. On the car side, domestic brands have five nominees, as do the Japanese, leaving one slot for a European. On the Truck/Utility side - the award has been renamed to reflect the inclusion of crossover and sport-utility vehicles in addition to traditional body-on-frame trucks - there are three domestic models, four Japanese offerings, a pair of Germans and a Korean.

If there's any conspicuous absence on the list, it's likely the Tesla Model S, which has drawn widespread praise for its electric driving experience, expressive design and impressive performance. As it ramps up production, Tesla has been particularly parsimonious with test vehicles, however, and despite multiple attempts by NACTOY to confirm seat time, few jurors have been able to drive and assess the car.

The jurors will now focus their attention on assessing the vehicles below before another round of voting culls each category down to three finalists. Another round of evaluation and voting will follow, and the winners will be announced at a press conference at the start of Detroit Auto Show media days in January.

The self-funded, completely independent and non-profit NACTOY jury made up of 50 U.S. and Canadian journalists chose the Hyundai Elantra and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque as the winners last year.

Look over the short lists below, then leave your best guess about the winners (or who you think should win) in Comments.

*Full Disclosure: Author is a NACTOY jury member.

2013 North American Car of the Year Short List:

• BMW 3 Series
• Cadillac ATS
• Chevrolet Malibu
• Dodge Dart
• Ford Fusion
• Honda Accord
• Lincoln MKZ
• Nissan Altima
• Scion FR-S
• Subaru BRZ
• Toyota Avalon

Truck/Utility of the Year Short List:

• Acura RDX
• Audi Allroad
• BMW X1
• Ford C-Max
• Ford Escape
• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Infiniti JX35
• Mazda CX-5
• Nissan Pathfinder
• Ram 1500

2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year short list released originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/02/2013-north-american-car-and-truck-utility-of-the-year-short-list/

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