The list of semi-finalists selected by NACTOY (North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year) is now known and the association of 50 North American automotive journalists will soon select finalists at its annual meeting, to be held October 17-20.
Each category will be narrowed down to three finalists. These will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16, while a special event will be held in Detroit on January 11, 2023 to announce the 2023 winners.
“This year’s group of semi-finalists highlights the changes we’ve seen happening in the automotive industry in recent years: most mainstream vehicles are now in the utility category; most vehicles in the car category are performance or luxury-oriented, and more electric vehicles than ever are starting to hit the market,” said Gary Witzenburg, NACTOY president.
As a reminder, to be eligible, vehicles must be completely new or significantly revised. The list was reduced from 47 vehicles to just 26 models, including 10 cars, three trucks and 13 SUVs – not surprisingly, the SUV and crossover category has been growing in importance in recent years.
Here is the list of semi-finalists for 2023. We notice that the car segment is mostly focused on luxury and performance, while on the utility side, the offer is closer to motorists who don’t necessarily have the means to afford an expensive vehicle. Finally, on the pickup side, there are two electric vehicles, which means that even the pickup category is changing.
2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE | Photo: Mercedes
Semi-finalists for the North American Car of the Year title
Acura Integra
BMW i4 eDrive40
Genesis G80 Electric
Genesis G90
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Nissan Z
Subaru WRX
Toyota Crown
Toyota GR Corolla
Lordstown Endurance | Photo: Lordstown
Semi-finalists for North American Truck of the Year
Chevrolet Silverado ZR2
Ford F-150 Lightning
Lordstown Endurance
2023 Honda HR-V | Photo: Honda
Semi-finalists for North American SUV of the Year
Audi Q4 e-tron
BMW iX xDrive50
Cadillac Lyriq
Genesis GV60
Honda CR-V
Honda HR-V
Kia EV6
Kia Sportage
Lexus RX
Mazda CX-50
Nissan Ariya
Rivian R1S
Volvo C40 Recharge
