Michael Accardi 
The nine finalists in contention for the 2022 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards were announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Enthusiast products are well represented across all three segments of the annual awards, including an EV making it to each of the final lists. In the truck category, the Ford Maverick will take on the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Rivian R1T.
Notably, NACTOY’s jurors voted to eliminate the GMC Hummer EV pickup from final contention despite the groundbreaking technology and resurrection of the Hummer brand at GM. It’s unclear if the jurors felt the Hummer simply didn’t provide enough relevance for the majority of consumers in comparison to the smaller and more affordable Rivian R1T, or if enough of the jurors simply weren’t included on the Hummer EV’s first LARP last month in Michigan.
No matter, at least President Biden likes the Hummer EV, right?
In the car category, we see the recently launched Lucid Air advancing to the finals where it will take on the Honda Civic and the Mk VIII versions of the Volkswagen Golf R and Golf GTI. Unfortunately, the Cadillac CT-5 V Blackwing did not advance past the semi-final round.
Lastly, the utility category sees the Ford Bronco taking on the Gensis GV70, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The Bronco certainly has the most sex appeal and machismo of the the three finalists. Notable exclusions include a pair of Jeeps. All three versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee –ICE, PHEV, and L–were up for consideration, as was the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.
Final voting will take place from December 30, 2021, until January 5, 2022. Winners of the 2022 NACTOY Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year winners will be announced in early January.
