Back in August 2019, the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Awards Eligibility List was released. Vehicles were rounded updating back to June 2019 when eligibility of each was determined through three rounds of voting by a panel of judges. At the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) awards commenced with the finalists for each of the three categories - car, utility vehicle, and truck. In the middle of January 2020, the winners were announced, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, 2020 Kia Telluride, and 2020 Jeep Gladiator won their respective categories.

The 2020 NACTOY awards started off with 46 individual vehicles from 22 automotive brands. NACTOY awards are some of the most prestigious in the automotive industry, recognizing the most outstanding new vehicles of the year every year. The vehicles that win become the official benchmarks for their respective segments based on innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, and value for the dollar. An independent jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada make up the judging panel, a total of 50 from print, online, radio and broadcast media platforms. The winners were announced at a news conference at the TCF Center in Detroit on January 13, 2020.

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator has been wowing consumers and journalists since its debut. With the auto market currently lacking when it comes to midsize pickup trucks, the Gladiator was the perfect truck to re-introduce the segment. Basically, a combination of the Jeep Wrangler and a Ram truck, the Jeep Gladiator was quick to make a name for itself. The Ram Heavy Duty was even alongside Jeep in the truck category of finalists. When it came to naming a winner, with the versatility and 4x4 capabilities that the 2020 Jeep Gladiator offers, the answer was clear.

Who can blame the jurors of NACTOY for choosing the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for “Car of the Year”? The auto market may still be saturated with SUVs and crossovers, but there was definitely no shortage of adrenaline-pumping, excitement-inducing, and compelling contenders this year. Not many would have guessed the Stingray, a mid-engine corvette, could handle the pressure of also being known as Chevy’s muscle-car icon. Instead, it’s stylish, luxurious, and performs better than its competition for one-third of the cost.

The 2020 Kia Telluride has been winning awards since its release. This is the largest SUV in the Kia Motors lineup, was released in March 2019, and already has a long list of accolades. Still, the NACTOY awards distinguish three vehicles from the rest every year, and the 2020 Kia Telluride was the chosen vehicle for the Utility of the Year Award. It may be a large SUV, but it offers the driver and passengers a smooth ride in various driving conditions and offers luxurious features without the luxury price. Plus, the 2020 Kia Telluride offers a great selection of advanced automatic safety features, many of which come standard throughout the lineup.

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Photo Source/Copyright: NACTOY