Five of the nine finalists vying to earn the titles of 2025 North American Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year can be powered by a hybrid powertrain, while two are all-electric, and just two are exclusively powered by internal combustion engines (ICE).
The finalists were revealed today at an event held ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show's doors opening to the public. The three cars that have earned the nod are the hybrid Toyota Camry and Honda Civic Hybrid, as well as the gas-only Kia K4.
In the truck segment, the ICE-only Ford Ranger will compete against the Ram 1500 and the Toyota Tacoma, both of which are available with hybrid powertrains.
Finally, the three finalists in the SUV segment are the all-electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Chevrolet Equinox EV, as well as the Hyundai Santa Fe, which can also be ordered with a hybrid powertrain.
The finalists were decided upon by a group of 50 automotive journalists who work across a wide variety of media outlets in Canada and the United States, including AutoTrader editor-in-chief, Jodi Lai. Eligible vehicles are evaluated based on their innovation, design, performance, driver satisfaction, and value, among other criteria.
“The competition for these awards will be fierce this year,” said NACTOY President Jeff Gilbert, who is also the automotive reporter for WWJ Radio in Detroit. “We have a well-balanced crop of EVs, hybrids and gasoline-powered vehicles. It will be hard to narrow each category down to just one winner – they’re all great choices.”
Despite that, jurors will be tasked with picking their number one vehicle in each category, and the winners will be announced on January 10, ahead of the Detroit Auto Show.
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