43 Models Vie for Top Vehicle Awards in N. America

The organizers of the North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year awards have announced the preliminary list of 43 vehicles they’ll be considering for the 2017 competition.

Contenders for the first-ever SUV title, which also assesses crossovers and minivans, include the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, Buick Envision, Cadillac XT5, Chrysler Pacifica, GMC Acadia, Infiniti QX30, Kia Sportage, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Jaguar F-Pace, Mazda CX-9 and Nissan Armada. Until now, these types of vehicles generally were grouped under the truck category.

The truck category now is composed of pickups, cargo vans and commercial vehicles. Only four models made the initial cut: the Ford F-series Super Duty pickups, Ford F-150 Raptor, Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Titan half-ton pickup.

The list of top cars includes four Mercedes-Benz models: the E-Class sedan, S550 Maybach supercar, SL roadster and SLC sports car. There were two entries each for Audi (the A4 and R8), Buick (the Cascada and LaCrosse) and Chevrolet (Bolt and Cruze).

The other cars vying for the 2017 award include the Acura NSX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Bentley Mulsanne, Cadillac CT6, Fiat 124, Genesis G90, Hyundai Elantra, Infiniti Q60, Jaguar XE, Kia Cadenza, Lincoln Continental, Mini Clubman, Mitsubishi Mirage/G4, Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Toyota Prius Prime and Volvo S90.

Sixty American and Canadian automotive journalists will conduct three rounds of voting, the first of which begins in September. Each award will have three finalists, which will be named on Dec. 6, with the winners announced during the Detroit auto show on Jan. 9.