{"id":31476,"date":"2023-09-21T17:18:44","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T21:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=31476"},"modified":"2023-09-21T17:18:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T21:18:44","slug":"here-are-the-25-best-of-2024-vehicles-in-the-nactoy-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/here-are-the-25-best-of-2024-vehicles-in-the-nactoy-awards","title":{"rendered":"Here are the 25 &#8216;Best of 2024&#8217; vehicles in the NACTOY awards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Detroit<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards kicked off Wednesday&#8217;s first full day of the Detroit auto show with the \u201cBest of 2024\u201d vehicles nominated for the 2024 prize. Ten cars, five trucks and 10 utility vehicles advance to the semifinal round of the prestigious contest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The list is full of surprises.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In the SUV category, America\u2019s iconic Jeep Wrangler did not make the cut, likely because its 2024 model was more update than remake. That, and electric vehicles are all the rage, and the jury was smitten by pricey EVs like the $56K Chevrolet Blazer EV and the $68K Genesis GV70 Electrified. Clever, compact SUVs like the all-new Chevy Trax and Buick Envista also were overlooked despite affordable, sub-$30K sticker prices at a time when Americans are struggling to afford inflated, $50K-average new vehicle prices. The 25 best were winnowed from a field of 52 eligible 2024 models.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2022\/09\/27\/PDTN\/46c934e3-a3a1-4b51-972c-3f3f4e30b42d-FrontView.png?width=660&amp;height=421&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The Chevy Blazer EV is among the 10 remaining SUVs in the running for Utility of the Year.\" width=\"519\" height=\"331\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The Chevy Blazer EV is among the 10 remaining SUVs in the running for Utility of the Year.\" data-c-credit=\"Courtesy Of Les Stanford Chevrolet-Cadillac\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The affordable Subaru Crosstrek was also passed over (though its sister Impreza hatchback got a car nominee nod) as was the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the luxury brand\u2019s peppy plug-in hybrid that marks a new era of electrification for the Italian brand. Notable Utility nominees include the first electric Chevrolet Equinox, quick Dodge Hornet, stylish Mazda CX-90 and the Kia EV9 \u2014 the first three-row electric SUV.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-auto-features_detroitautoshow-2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The NACTOY awards are among the industry\u2019s most prestigious as 50 independent journalists from the United States and Canada render their judgment after a year of extensive testing. The 25 best will be furthered winnowed to three finalists in each category Nov. 16 at the Los Angeles Auto Show \u2014 and then winners will be named Jan. 4 in Detroit.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/08\/30\/PDTN\/70720417007-refuel-hornetroad.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2024 Dodge Hornet made the semifinal list of 10 SUVs but its sister model the Alfa Romeo Tonale did not.\" width=\"509\" height=\"287\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/08\/30\/PDTN\/70720417007-refuel-hornetroad.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/08\/30\/PDTN\/70720417007-refuel-hornetroad.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2024 Dodge Hornet made the semifinal list of 10 SUVs but its sister model the Alfa Romeo Tonale did not.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2024 Dodge Hornet made the semifinal list of 10 SUVs but its sister model the Alfa Romeo Tonale did not.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cThe value of these awards is in the expertise and diverse perspectives of our jurors,\u201d said NACTOY president Jeff Gilbert. \u201cWe all evaluate vehicles in a different way. We look forward to learning more about them and comparing them with the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">There were surprises in the truck category as well.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-auto-features_detroitautoshow-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"2\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Perhaps the year\u2019s most anticipated truck, the Tesla Cybertruck, did not make the list \u2014 likely because Tesla has not made the pickup available for media testing. Another surprise was the absence of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, the much-ballyhooed remake of the mid-size segment\u2019s best-selling pickup. However, Tacoma will be available for media testing this year \u2014 and will likely debut on the NACTOY list as a 2025 model next fall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Without Tacoma in the mix, the truck wars will be settled by five worthy semi-finalists: the Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Ranger, Ford Super Duty and GMC Canyon. While EVs are all the rage, the Silverado\u2019s $50K-$106K price tag may raise eyebrows. Expect the Colorado and Ranger to fight to the death for top honors.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/11\/26\/PDTN\/9d384ae3-0eba-42f2-96d9-c95c728c5ab7-dtncent02-783ie6ohir516lzav4qt_original.jpg?crop=1452,788,x377,y250&amp;width=660&amp;height=359&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Tesla's Cybertruck has generated a lot of buzz but did not make the &quot;Best of 2024&quot; list of five trucks.\" width=\"476\" height=\"259\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/11\/26\/PDTN\/9d384ae3-0eba-42f2-96d9-c95c728c5ab7-dtncent02-783ie6ohir516lzav4qt_original.jpg?crop=1452,788,x377,y250&amp;width=660&amp;height=359&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/11\/26\/PDTN\/9d384ae3-0eba-42f2-96d9-c95c728c5ab7-dtncent02-783ie6ohir516lzav4qt_original.jpg?crop=1452,788,x377,y250&amp;width=1320&amp;height=718&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"Tesla's Cybertruck has generated a lot of buzz but did not make the &quot;Best of 2024&quot; list of five trucks.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Tesla's Cybertruck has generated a lot of buzz but did not make the &quot;Best of 2024&quot; list of five trucks.\" data-c-credit=\"Tesla\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">While car demand has diminished in recent years in the face of Americans\u2019 thirst for SUVs (Ford doesn\u2019t even make sedans anymore), the best car category is loaded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Nominees include everything from the iconic Ford Mustang to the first all-wheel-drive Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray to the venerable BMW 5-series and reborn Toyota Prius. Expect the Prius to be a favorite as the original hybrid nerd-mobile has been transformed into a swan \u2014 without sacrificing fuel economy.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Michigan Politics<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Washington and Lansing, red and blue, we&#8217;ve got your government covered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Daily<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\"><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Mustang and Prius can expect strong competition from the handsome Honda Accord \u2014 which is targeting 50% hybrid sales \u2014 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6, one of the prettiest sedan designs to come down the pike. Performance enthusiasts will be disappointed that the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and 911 Dakar didn\u2019t make the cut \u2014 but the snarling, all-wheel-drive Toyota GR Corolla will carry the flag for those with a need for speed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/08\/02\/PDTN\/d5ca9660-004a-412a-9302-24f51cd3963a-MustangDarkHorse_tunnel-fr.jpg?width=660&amp;height=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The seventh-generation Ford Mustang, seen here in Dark Horse guise, is a strong contender in the Car of the Year category.\" width=\"506\" height=\"325\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/08\/02\/PDTN\/d5ca9660-004a-412a-9302-24f51cd3963a-MustangDarkHorse_tunnel-fr.jpg?width=660&amp;height=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/08\/02\/PDTN\/d5ca9660-004a-412a-9302-24f51cd3963a-MustangDarkHorse_tunnel-fr.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=848&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The seventh-generation Ford Mustang, seen here in Dark Horse guise, is a strong contender in the Car of the Year category.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The seventh-generation Ford Mustang, seen here in Dark Horse guise, is a strong contender in the Car of the Year category.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The auto industry is at a crossroads as government regulators are forcing automakers to go all-electric \u2014 or pay increasingly onerous fines from 2026 to 2035. Consumers, meanwhile, seem shy to EVs not named Tesla and so gas-fired trucks and SUVs continue to roll off assembly lines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Over the last 30 years, NACTOY has honored automakers who have made substantial innovations in design, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. With the flood of new EVs, jurors are determined to recognize the best of the new breed while also balancing consumer needs.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-auto-features_detroitautoshow-4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"3\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Stay tuned for more NACTOY news as the awards season heats up.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">2024 NACTOY semi-finalists<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>Cars<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">BMW 5 Series<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">BMW i5<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ford Mustang<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Honda Accord<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Hyundai Ioniq 6<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Subaru Impreza<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Toyota Crown<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Toyota GR Corolla<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Toyota Prius\/Prius Prime<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>Trucks<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Chevrolet Colorado<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-auto-features_detroitautoshow-5\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"4\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Chevrolet Silverado EV<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ford Ranger<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ford Super Duty<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">GMC Canyon<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>SUVs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Chevrolet Blazer EV<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Chevrolet Equinox EV<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Dodge Hornet<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Genesis Electrified GV70<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Honda Pilot<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Hyundai Kona<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Kia EV9<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Mazda CX90<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Toyota Grand Highlander<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Volvo EX30<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Detroit\u00a0\u2014 The North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards kicked off Wednesday&#8217;s first full day of the Detroit auto show with the \u201cBest of 2024\u201d vehicles nominated for the 2024 prize. Ten cars, five trucks and 10 utility vehicles advance to the semifinal round of the prestigious contest. The list is full [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31476"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31476"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31477,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31476\/revisions\/31477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}