Chevy Malibu, Mazda CX-9 Win Top Awards
January 13, 2008

The Chevrolet Malibu is the 2008 North American Car of the Year, and the Mazda CX-9 is the 2008 North American Truck of the Year.

The winners were announced Sunday at a news conference at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit’s Cobo Center.  However, the auto show does not give the awards.

It looked like General Motors could have a second-year sweep of the awards since it had four of the six finalists, but the Mazda soundly defeated the Buick Enclave and the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. On the car side, however, GM took the most votes for the Malibu and the Cadillac CTS, with the Honda Accord coming in a distant 3rd.

GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said he was disappointed that GM didn't sweep again this year as it had last year with the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Silverado, but was happy that the Malibu won the car of the year, especially by such a resounding margin over the Accord. GM aimed the Malibu squarely at the Accord and Toyota Camry.

Lutz noted that he respects the awards because it is voted on individuals who make their choices in private, not in a group consensus.

He further noted that three of the four GM finalists -- the Enclave, Malibu and CTS -- are in extremely short supply. "We're looking at investments to increase the capacity of all three," he said. GM recently boosted production of the Malibu by adding assembly of it at a plant in Michigan; it previously was built only in Kansas.

Jurors praised everything about the Malibu, from the exterior and interior design to its driving dynamics content and, above all, value, a key aspect in the selection of award winners.

Rob Graziano, executive vice president of Mazda Motor Corp., said the CX-9's win can be a significant marketing tool for Mazda, which has never won either the North American Car or Truck of the Year award. Graziano noted that the CX-9, while a crossover competing in the truck category, has the soul of a sports car and Mazda's "zoom-zoom." That clearly was recognized by award jurors, who praised its fun-to-drive aspects.

The awards are unique because, instead of being given by a single media outlet, the winners this year were chosen by 45 automotive journalists who represent newspapers, magazines, television, radio and Web sites in Canada and the United States.

The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

Although dozens of new 2008 vehicles were eligible, the jurors whittled the field down to 15 cars and 13 trucks on which they voted in December.

The jurors sent their ballots to the Detroit office of the accounting firm, Deloitte. The three car and three truck finalists were revealed in December.

However, Deloitte kept the winners secret until Sunday.

The number of points each vehicle received, according to Deloitte’s tally, are as follows:

On the car side, the Chevrolet Malibu got 190 votes. Cadillac CTS got 165 votes. The Honda Accord received 95 votes.

On the truck side, the Mazda CX-9 got 201 votes; the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, 140 votes; and Buick Enclave, 109 votes.

Last year the North American Car of the Year was the Saturn Aura while the North American Truck of the Year was the Chevrolet Silverado.

Not including this year, domestic automakers have won North American Car of the Year seven times. Japanese automakers have won three times. European automakers have won four times.

Not including this year, domestic automakers have won North American Truck of the Year nine times, Japanese automakers have won three times (Honda and Acura took two of those) and European automakers have won twice.

Previously, hybrid vehicles have won three times. The Toyota Prius was named the 2004 North American Car of the Year; the Escape Hybrid was named 2005 North American Truck of the Year and the Honda Civic Hybrid was included when the Civic lineup won the 2006 North American Car of the Year.

Information on previous winners and the jurors is available at the awards Web site, www.northamericancaroftheyear.org

Michelle Krebs, editor of AutoObserver, is a juror for the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.

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