Who should win the 2008 Detroit Auto Show Car and Truck of the year awards?

Seeing the show is in Detroit, we already know the fix is in for the American entries but what the heck, let's pick the one WE think should win...

NORTH AMERICAN CAR AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Four General Motors vehicles, a Honda and a Mazda were the six vehicles voted as finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.

Finalists for the 2008 North American Car of the year are the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Malibu and Honda Accord

Finalists for the 2008 North American Truck of the Year are the Buick Enclave, Mazda CX-9 and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid.

The finalists for the prestigious awards were announced Wednesday at a Detroit Economic Club luncheon to promote NAIAS 2008. Winners will be announced at the first press conference at the NAIAS on Jan. 13, 2008.

Established in 1994, the NACTOY awards honor vehicles that set new standards or become new benchmarks in their class. Each vehicle is judged and ranked by various categories. Those include general design, safety, fuel economy, handling and general roadworthiness, performance, comfort, assembly quality, functionality, technical innovation, driver satisfaction and price. Value for the dollar and affordability are particularly important factors.

The jury of 48 people comprises a wide range of professional journalists across North America who report on cars and the auto industry. They created their own organization to independently determine the best new products automakers offer each year.

Earlier this fall, journalist-jurors narrowed a long list of new models introduced in 2007 to a short list of candidates that consisted of 15 cars, including minivans, and 13 trucks, which also includes sport utilities and crossovers.

In the second round of voting, journalist-jurors dispersed 25 points to the various candidates in the two categories. Jurors could give a maximum of 10 to one vehicle, but no other vehicle could receive more than nine of those points.

In the third round of voting, jurors will disperse 10 points to the three finalists in each category.

S4cabriofoxone - 12/14/2007 1:20:01 AM

+5 Boost

Cadillac CTS and Mazda CX-9.

Good night.

american_made - 12/14/2007 1:45:19 AM

-1 Boost

CTS and Enclave, that Buick is a beaut, not may crossovers can compare for both luxury and power

S4cabriofoxone - 12/14/2007 11:37:23 PM

+2 Boost

Luxury? The Enclave still has the same cheap center stack as other GM SUVs, and has acres of faux wood and aluminum to make you THINK it's a luxury car. I hate that.

Power? What?

Htay7500 - 12/16/2007 9:56:55 AM

+1 Boost

you can in the gaudy-looking r-class.

no1listensanyway - 12/14/2007 3:41:36 AM

-1 Boost

CTS and Enclave.

ericisamazing335 - 12/14/2007 4:11:20 AM

+5 Boost

hmmm i would also have to pick the CTS, and it's a toss up between the Enclave and the Mazda, but i would prefer the mazda

pacotacolol - 12/14/2007 7:07:16 AM

+1 Boost

Malibu And Enclave

austin219 - 12/14/2007 9:24:03 AM

-2 Boost

LMAO

farabira1 - 12/14/2007 8:47:16 AM

+4 Boost

accord and CX9, or probably CTS and CX9.

austin219 - 12/14/2007 9:24:59 AM

+2 Boost

You have a pretty descent grip on reality..... its a shame we're the only ones

austin219 - 12/14/2007 9:23:20 AM

+1 Boost

Honda Accord........ Without a doubt

jasaero - 12/14/2007 9:31:36 AM

+4 Boost

Accord has not real true design superiority or originality in it's class and really doesn't bring anything really new to the table. It's a good car, but many have stated it isn't as good of car for the tradition Accord buyer as the previous car. Really I think Malibu deserves the award more than accord simply for it's design, but that is subjective so I would never give an award based on design. CTS is definately more significant in it's class than either of these two anyhow.

jasaero - 12/14/2007 9:27:32 AM

+2 Boost

CTS is probably the best choice for the car. For truck it's a real toss up between the three. The CX9 is probably the most significant as it takes a truck/crossover in a new direction altogther by being a great crossover as far as holding lots of stuff or people while also being a very involving drive. The Enclave probably has a design and true utility advantage and maybe is just as signifacant on those things alone. The Hybrid Tahoe will allow you to have a true truck capable SUV that get's 20+ mpg all the time other than maybe while actively towing. Doubt the CX9 or Enclave will get all that close to 20mpg around town. It really could be the Tahoe Hybrid simply for the tech it brings to the table in the truck world. If it weren't for the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia I would probably pick the Buick. I would probably pick the Tahoe Hybrid based on tech and because it's really the only Truck of the three anyhow. They need three awards these days with all the vehicles that exist that are kinda somewhere between being a car and a truck.

jasaero - 12/14/2007 10:12:49 AM

+3 Boost

Nice! Spoken like a truly ignorant sole!

jasaero - 12/14/2007 10:49:16 AM

+2 Boost

I never thought about it this way. CTS is probably more significant than Malubu to it's class, but I think buyers looking for cars in the Malibu's class will probably take it more seriously than the badge snobs the CTS has to go up against. I don't think Camry or Accord buyers care what badge their car has so long as they feel they got the most car for the money. So long as Malibu is priced right and people perspective buyers trust GM is building reliable cars again I think Malibu sales could take off once early adopters comfirm the car is reliable and dependable after a couple years of use. So it could have more sales increase potential than any car in this class if the dependability is there. Not sure it would catch accord or camry, but if it split the Accord, Camry, Altima sales pot into 4 it's current volume plus it's share of that pot could get it well above the Altima.

EL34 - 12/14/2007 10:58:54 AM

-4 Boost

The Malibu And Enclave will win.


The Accord is an awful looking car.

montyz81 - 12/14/2007 11:02:49 AM

0 Boost

FX37,FX45,FX30d for Truck of the year
New Maxima for Car of the year

montyz81 - 12/14/2007 11:04:09 AM

+1 Boost

(hit replay before i finished) I would take the Accord from this list.

skinny - 12/14/2007 8:07:04 PM

0 Boost

for COTY, Definately Malibu. Finally after over 2 decades a mid-size sedan from Detroit that can take on Camry & Accord in terms of quality(at least based on initial drives), performance, Fit & finish, features, and comfort.

For Truck of the Year, again the Buick Enclave. Again, a American crossover SUV that finally competes with the foreign SUVs. GM made no excuses and made a competitive SUV. Year of pathetic SUVs like the Explorer, Trailblazer, etc. finally can go out the window.

StickShiftCamry - 12/15/2007 3:56:21 AM

+1 Boost

All i saw was that GS, and since i wanna get it, i think it should win, with deeper 22's though.

Htay7500 - 12/16/2007 9:55:55 AM

+1 Boost

cts

SteveL - 1/11/2008 1:14:32 PM

+1 Boost

The Mazda CX-9 is boring. It looks like a lot of other SUV/Crossovers. I am sure its nice and dependable. I do not find it appealing but thats just me.
I for one am jealous of some people with American cars. People who have newer Corvettes, H3 Alphas, Vipors, Cadillacs, Jeep Rubicon, 2008 GMC 3/4 ton diesel with extra full cab (now thats awsome)! Ov course these are not cheap.