Chevy shines to win award

Chevrolet, Kia and Jeep are celebrating after scooping the three honours up for grabs at the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards.

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, pictured, triumphed in the car section, Kia’s Telluride won the utility sector and the Jeep Gladiator scooped the truck title.

After hundreds of hours of test drives, research and evaluation by a panel of 50 independent jurors from across the US and Canada, the winners were recently announced during a ceremony in Detroit.

Jurors voted on the finalists based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

The Corvette Stingray beat fellow finalists the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Supra to be crowned Car of the Year. “A mid-engine Corvette was a huge risk for Chevy’s muscle-car icon,” says Henry Payne, automotive critic for the Detroit News. “They nailed it. Stunning styling, interior, and performance for one-third of the cost of comparable European exotics.”

Kia’s Telluride impressed jurors, who say its “interior layout and design would meet luxury SUV standards, while its refined drivetrain, confident driving dynamics and advanced technology maintain the premium experience”. Other finalists in the utility category were the Hyundai Palisade and Lincoln Aviator.

In the truck section, the Jeep Gladiator fended off competition from the Ford Ranger and Ram Heavy Duty. “What’s not to like about a pickup truck with not only a soft-top removable roof but even removable doors?” says automotive journalist John Voelcker, who was among the judging panel. “The eagerly awaited Gladiator is a one-of-a-kind truck, every bit the Jeep its Wrangler sibling is … but with a pickup bed. How could you possibly get more American than that?”