The race for one of the automotive industry’s more closely watched annual honors is officially taking shape as the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards have announced their Best of 2027 contenders. NACTOY jurors narrowed an original field of 56 new or substantially redesigned vehicles down to 25 models, giving us an interesting snapshot of where the new-car market is headed. This year’s group includes everything from traditional gasoline-powered pickups to hybrids, high-performance EVs, affordable electric vehicles, and a few completely new entries that could shake up their respective segments.
The North American Car of the Year category is surprisingly compact with only five vehicles advancing. It is an unusually varied group, especially considering how much the traditional passenger-car market has contracted in recent years. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 N brings serious electric performance into the mix, while the Kia K4 Hatchback represents a more attainable and practical approach. The redesigned Lexus ES, Audi A6, and electrified Mercedes-Benz CLA 220 Hybrid give the category a strong luxury presence as well.
North American Car of the Year contenders
Things get even more interesting in the North American Truck of the Year category, where just four models made the cut. Chevrolet’s Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 will compete against the Ram 1500 TRX SRT and the radically different Slate Truck. That last entry should make the truck competition especially fascinating since Slate is approaching the pickup market from a very different direction than the Detroit heavyweights. Instead of an enormous feature-packed luxury pickup, Slate has built much of its identity around simplicity, customization, and a smaller electric platform.
North American Truck of the Year contenders
As expected in today’s market, utility vehicles absolutely dominate the 2027 field with 16 contenders. The group stretches across compact crossovers, three-row family vehicles, performance EVs, rugged off-roaders, and luxury models, making this easily the broadest and potentially most competitive category of the three. Jeep and Kia each have multiple entries, while several important new EVs and electrified models add even more variety to the field.
North American Utility Vehicle of the Year contenders
Those jurors, made up of independent automotive journalists from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will continue evaluating the vehicles for areas such as design, innovation, safety, performance, technology, value, and overall driving experience. The next big test comes during NACTOY’s annual Ride & Drive in Michigan from October 20 through October 22, where contenders can be evaluated back-to-back under similar conditions. Three finalists from each category are scheduled to be announced November 19 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, followed by the 2027 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year winners on January 14 at the Detroit Auto Show. With everything from the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N and Ram TRX SRT to the Rivian R2 and Slate Truck in contention, this year’s awards should provide one of the more diverse showdowns we’ve seen in some time.
