Honda Accord and Odyssey Named Finalists for NACTOY Awards at NAIAS 2018
Finalists for the North American Car, Utility, and Truck of the Year awards (NACTOY) were announced in late November during the LA Auto Show media days. Among the finalists were two Honda vehicles—the Accord and the Odyssey. The Accord is up against the Kia Stinger and the Toyota Camry for “Car of the Year” while the Odyssey is vying for “Utility Vehicle of the Year” against the Volvo XC60 and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.
“The 2018 finalists reflect the incredible variety of vehicles and new, advanced technology automakers are adding to their offerings as well as the increasing emphasis on making the most advanced safety features available to consumers even on affordable models,” said Mark Phelan, President of NACTOY.
Last year at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, the completely redesigned Honda Ridgeline took home the prize of “North American Truck of the Year” thanks to its streamlined look and abundance of standard and available features. It should be noted that the Ridgeline not only beat the Nissan Titan, it also stood taller than the ever-popular Ford F-150 Raptor and the Ford F-Series Super Duty.
The two Honda vehicles in this year’s running were evaluated by nearly 60 jurors looking for exceptional quality in categories like design, innovation, handling, safety, driver satisfaction, and value. The process for the voting began in June 2017 and included three rounds of voting leading up to the LA Auto Show.
“We continue to get exceptional contenders each year, and this year is no different. The task of selecting these nine finalists – especially in the car and ultra-competitive utility category – was extremely difficult,” said Secretary-Treasurer Lauren Fix of Deloitte LLP. “And while there may be some favorites among the finalists any of these vehicles could end up walking away with the trophy in their category when we announce winners in Detroit in January.”
These potential awards from NACTOY are just two of the many that Honda has already earned for its lineup of vehicles, including “Best SUV Brand” of 2018 from U.S. News & World Report, five 2018 Consumer Guide Automotive Best Buy Awards for the Civic, Accord, HR-V, Pilot, and Ridgeline, and 2018 Green Car of the Year from Green Car Journal for the Honda Clarity.
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