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Genesis G80, GV80 Vie for 2021 NACTOY Awards

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2021 Genesis GV80 NACTOY
The 2021 Genesis GV80 luxury SUV
Photo: Genesis

The North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards stand out as some of the industry’s most highly sought-after honors. For 2021, the NACTOY jury has named nine finalist vehicles in three categories. These include a pair of Genesis models: the GV80 luxury SUV and the G80 midsize sedan.


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“In this very challenging year, these nine vehicles emerged as our finalists out of an unusually strong field of 27 semifinalists,” said Gary Witzenburg, the president of NACTOY. “Each one of them — especially the 15 in the ultra-competitive utility vehicle category — is excellent in nearly every way.”

In that hotly contested Utility of the Year category, the all-new 2021 Genesis GV80 is going up against the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Land Rover Defender. The highly anticipated GV80 is the first SUV from Genesis. Its sleek styling, cutting-edge technologies, and luxurious comfort have drawn significant attention across the industry.

The redesigned 2021 Genesis G80 is facing off against the Hyundai Elantra (its sibling) and the Nissan Sentra for Car of the Year. The G80 is characterized by its athletic design, powerful performance options, and premium interior.


More on the New G80: Get the details on this beautifully designed sedan


2021 Genesis G80 NACTOY
The 2021 Genesis G80 sedan
Photo: Genesis

Each year, a panel of 50 independent automotive experts select a slate of NACTOY semifinalists, finalists, and winners. These jury members are primarily journalists who publish their work in a wide variety of media outlets across the U.S. and Canada.

To be eligible for consideration, vehicles must be “new or substantially changed” for the current model year. Jurors take into account criteria like overall value and driver satisfaction, design, safety, performance, and much more.

The three winners for 2021 Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year will be chosen this weekend. They’ll be officially announced Jan. 11.