- The Volkswagen Group and Hyundai-Kia each have placed four vehicles on the short list for 2012 North American Car of the Year.
- The short list for Car of the Year also includes three Toyotas and two GM products.
- While no BMWs made the cut for COTY, two models — the BMW X3 and the Mini Countryman — are on the Truck of the Year short list.
DETROIT — The Volkswagen Group and Hyundai-Kia each have placed four vehicles on the short list for 2012 North American Car of the Year.
Released Tuesday, the Car of the Year short list also includes three Toyotas and two GM products, but only one car each from Ford and Chrysler, and none from Honda, Nissan or Mercedes-Benz.
While no BMWs made the cut for COTY, two models — the BMW X3 and the Mini Countryman — are on the Truck of the Year short list. Honda, Nissan and Mercedes placed one vehicle each on the TOTY short list.
Unlike last year, when the COTY race came down to two highly publicized "green" cars, the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt (the Volt ultimately took top honors), this year's short list includes only one purpose-built hybrid, the Toyota Prius V.
The short list for North American Car of the Year includes 17 entries: Audi A6, Audi A7, Buick Verano, Chevrolet Sonic, Chrysler 300/SRT8, Fiat 500, Ford Focus, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Veloster, Kia Rio/Rio 5, Scion iQ, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius V, VW Beetle and VW Passat.
The short list for North American Truck of the Year includes seven entries: BMW X3, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Mini Countryman, Nissan Quest and Saab 9-4X.
The three car and three truck finalists will be announced in December. The winners will be announced in January at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.
Inside Line says: Seems like the momentum may be shifting back toward foreign brands.
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lzks says:
12:59 PM, 10/06/2011
sniperruff is right. NA COTY is a joke. Saturn Aura wins 2007? With Camry as runner up?
isend2c says:
05:59 PM, 10/05/2011
The Passat is worse than it's predecessor, the Beetle is average at best. The Verano, Impreza and Prius are all ho-hum. I'd like to see the Rio / Accent or Veloster win.
The SUV list is pretty good except for the ML-class and the CR-V... I'd be happy with all the other candidates. Especially the X3...
motorstreet says:
04:51 PM, 10/05/2011
I want to see the new VW Passat win because of the TDI. The Ford Focus is a good candidate too.
peartree1 says:
02:10 PM, 10/05/2011
I'm inclined to think the Elantra will win COTY. Though I would personally pick the 500.
urbansophistic says:
12:08 PM, 10/05/2011
I'm inclined to believe the winner will be the Fiat 500.
It's had an overtly conspicuous introduction to the US market, and it's also shown up in nationwide rental fleets. Plus it's got that snob appeal that award contests love...kinda like how the Academy Awards tends to pick a film for Best Picture that only 2 percent of audiences have seen.
ilovecars12 says:
11:51 AM, 10/05/2011
@wikiwiki
"When did momentum shift away from foreign brands to begin with?"
I don't know...how about:
2011 North American Car of the Year: Chevrolet Volt
2011 North American Truck of the Year: Ford Explorer
2010 North American Car of the Year: Ford Fusion Hybrid
2010 North American Truck of the Year: Ford Transit Connect
mayyyyyyybe that is what the author meant?
wikiwiki says:
11:29 AM, 10/05/2011
When did momentum shift away from foreign brands to begin with?
Either way I pick the two winners to be:
1. VW Beetle
2. Honda CR-V
sniperruff says:
11:28 AM, 10/05/2011
Lets see some past winners:
2007 Saturn Aura
2006 Honda Ridgeline
...and in 2001...
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Honda Insight
Toyota Prius
(note the absence of BMW E46 M3)
This list has no credibility whatsoever at all.
dagmar3 says:
11:27 AM, 10/05/2011
I though the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet would have been nominated in the AWD/Crossover/Convertible category.
bonamana says:
11:15 AM, 10/05/2011
Come on Anita Lienert! it's not 2012 NACTOY, it's 2012 NACOTY. change your headline.