Kona, G70 North American Cars of the Year
Hyundai Motor Group swept the 2019 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) awards, winning two of three awards with its Kona SUV and Genesis G70 sedan at the annual North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the carmaker said Tuesday.
The NACTOY awards have recognized the most outstanding car, truck and SUV based on innovation, design, safety, performance, handling, driver satisfaction and value since 1994. The awards jury is made up of 54 journalists and analysts based in the U.S. and Canada.
With the Kona and G70 wins, Hyundai Motor Group now has four NACTOY-winning vehicles, following the Genesis sedan in 2009 and the Elantra, an export version of Hyundai’s compact sedan Avante, in 2012.
The Kona and its electric version, Kona Electric, won the best SUV title, beating out the higher-end Jaguar I-Pace electric car and the Acura RDX.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our innovative new Kona and Kona Electric crossover winning the prestigious North American Utility Vehicle of the Year,” said Brian Smith, chief operating officer of Hyundai Motor America.
“It’s setting new standards for its segment, with appealing design, cutting-edge connectivity and class-leading available safety features.”
The G70 is the third Korean sedan to win the NACTOY award. It competed against the Honda Insight and the Volvo S90.
Lauren Fix, president of NACTOY, said the Genesis G70 is a game changer for the sedan market. “The G70 offers a sophisticated, impressive vehicle that delivers an inspired driving experience, safety and technology at a reasonable price,” Fix said.
Ram, a spinoff from the Dodge Ram truck, won the truck award with its Ram 1500. It held off the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra.