All the finalists for North American Car of the Year 2025

The finalists for the 2025 NACTOY Awards

The 2025 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards are getting closer, with the finalists now confirmed.

It means just three contenders in the Car, Truck, and Utility vehicle categories remain. Jurors now have to choose a winner for each one.

Before the successful vehicles are crowned in January 2025, we have profiled the three finalists vying for victory in each class.

The road to NACTOY success

The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Award process is a lengthy one. It starts in the fall, with the selection of 10 eligible vehicles for each category.

A test drive event sees 50 judges get behind the wheel of each eligible vehicle, evaluating them in side-by-side comparisons. Voting narrows the vehicles down to the nine finalists.

There is then an ultimate vote to establish the winners, which are announced as part of the Detroit Auto Show. For the 2025 edition, this will be on January 10 2025.

Car Finalists: 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid

The first contender in the Cars category for the 2025 NACTOY Awards is an updated version of a recent winner.

Following a mild facelift for the 2025 model year, the latest Civic Hybrid will hope to emulate the standard Honda Civic, which claimed the NACTOY trophy in 2022.

Acting as a replacement for the previous, hybrid-powered Honda Insight, the 2025 model year Civic Hybrid now comes in both hatchback and sedan forms. Honda expects the hybrid version of the Civic will account for up to 40 percent of sales in North America.

2025 Honda Civic Hybrid

The Civic Hybrid’s 2.0-litre engine, combined with an electric motor, generates a combined output of 212 horsepower, plus 232 lb-ft of torque. This makes it the most powerful Civic without a Type R badge attached.

Both the gasoline engine and hybrid electric system are produced at Honda’s factory in Ohio, making this very much a homegrown contender for the top prize.

2025 Kia K4

Although SUVs dominated the show halls at the LA Auto Show, Kia has not abandoned consumers who want a more traditional option. The new K4 comes as a sedan to start with, but Kia has promised a hatchback version will join the range later.

As a sedan, it certainly looks bold, with a fastback design and plenty of sharp angles. A 2.0-litre 147 horsepower engine is the starting point for the front-wheel-drive sedan, with a 190 hp turbocharged motor expected for the forthcoming GT-Line version.

2025 Kia K4

Acting as a replacement for the Kia Forte, the Korean brand will hope the new K4 continues the success of its predecessor. Kia sold more than 123,000 examples of the Forte across the United States in 2023, making the K4 an important model to get right.

On EX versions and above, the K4 uses the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit operating system, first seen in the electric EV9 SUV. It includes a digital instrument panel and large central touchscreen, offering a huge amount of display real estate.

2025 Toyota Camry

Toyota hopes the Camry can finally achieve success in the NACTOY Awards. Despite consistently being the best-selling car in the United States for two decades, the Camry has never claimed the Car of the Year title

It has twice been a finalist, in 2007 and 2018, but perhaps 2025 will be the year Toyota’s top-seller claims top honors.

2025 Toyota Camry

The latest, ninth-generation Camry is the most powerful version of the four-door model to date, and is offered with a 225 horsepower hybrid powertrain only. This does mean a V-6 engine is no longer available, but the Camry boasts improved efficiency to keep running costs down, with the potential to average 51 mpg.

All new Camrys come with dual-zone climate control, bi-LED headlights, wireless smartphone connectivity, and wireless smartphone charging.

Truck Finalists: 2025 Ford Ranger

Some 2.75 million pickup trucks were purchased in the United States during 2023, making success in the Truck of the Year category important for any manufacturer.

The first finalist for the 2025 truck prize is the Ford Ranger, here in its latest, fifth-generation form. Although the Ranger has been sold in North America since the introduction of the fourth-generation truck in 2019, this new model was actually designed with American buyers in mind.

2025 Ford Ranger

Ford’s proven 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine is standard across the range, as is a SuperCrew layout. A blend of affordability and practicality has made the Ranger a popular choice in the midsize truck market.

For those who want more performance, Ford offers the Ranger Raptor, powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 405 horsepower. That’s more power than Raptor buyers in Europe or Australia get, thanks to less stringent emissions regulations.

When fitted with the optional Trailer Tow Package, the latest Ranger is also capable of hauling up to 7,500 lb.

2025 Ram 1500

The fifth-generation Ram 1500 won the truck category of the NACTOY Awards in 2019, when it was first launched. With the popular pickup receiving an update for the 2025 model year, Stellantis is hoping for more success.

Perhaps the biggest change for the 2025 model year is that the Ram 1500 is no longer available with the famous Hemi V-8 engine. In common with other Stellantis products, the eight-cylinder option has been replaced with the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter “Hurricane” inline-six. The Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 continues to be used, too.

2025 Ram 1500

For the 2025 model year, the Ram 1500 offers the choice of nine trim levels, including the RHO off-road performance truck. Fitted with a 540 horsepower version of the Hurricane engine, it replaces the 1500 TRX in the Ram lineup. The new RHO is certainly effective in the dirt, if not quite as much fun as the old Hemi-powered model.

Ram has also given the 1500 an updated look for 2025, with customizable “walk up” visuals and updated LED headlights. The interior boasts the option of a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, touted as being the largest in the midsize truck class.

2024 Toyota Tacoma

Launched for the 2024 model year, the fourth-generation Toyota Tacoma is designed to be an effective contender in the midsize truck category. It too is a finalist for the 2025 NACTOY Awards.

Styled by Toyota’s CALTY design centers in California and Michigan, the latest Tacoma is said to embrace its Baja racing heritage. There is also an extensive list of TRD upgrades available, for those who really want to go dune-bashing.

2024 Toyota Tacoma

As part of the modernization process, a hybrid gasoline engine has become the most powerful option in the Tacoma range. With 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, the “i-Force Max” is an effective performer.

A turbocharged 2.4-liter gasoline engine remains available, plus Toyota has a six-speed manual transmission option.

Other changes include upgraded infotainment systems with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay included. Toyota has also tried to make the Tacoma feel more luxurious, without denting its practicality.

Utility Finalists: 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV

The last category for the 2025 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle Awards is now perhaps the most important of all. Almost 12.3 million new SUVs were sold in the United States last year, close to four times the number of cars purchased.

Electrification is a big key part of General Motors’ SUV plans, as it pins hopes on the Chevrolet Equinox EV. Built on GM’s BEV3 platform, it is related to the Honda Prologue and Buick Electra E4.

2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV

For the 2025 model year, front-wheel-drive versions of the Equinox EV are capable of covering up to 326 miles when fully charged, while quicker all-wheel-drive models can manage 307 miles.

This makes it competitive in the EV world, especially when the Equinox’s $41,990 starting price is considered. Standard equipment includes an 11.1-inch digital information cluster, plus a gigantic 17.7-inch central touchscreen.

2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe is the only non-electric SUV finalist in the utility class, demonstrating the direction of travel being taken by the NACTOY judging panel.

Since the first-generation Hyundai Santa Fe arrived in the early 2000s, this has been one of the most popular SUVs in the Korean marque’s model range.

For this new fifth-generation version, Hyundai has given the Santa Fe a dramatic exterior makeover, which also makes the boxy SUV more aerodynamic than its predecessor.

2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

Santa Fe buyers are able to choose from gasoline or hybrid powertrains, and there are five trim levels as well. All versions come with seven seats, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, a hands-free tailgate, and adaptive cruise control.

The fanciest Calligraphy version brings 21-inch alloy wheels, Nappa leather upholstery, a Bose sound system, and even an integrated UV-C sanitizing compartment.

With three rows of seats, keen pricing, and plenty of technology, it is easy to see why the Santa Fe has become a NACTOY candidate for 2025.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz

When it comes to excitement, few NACTOY finalists have garnered so much attention as the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.

Initially launched in Europe at the start of 2022, the retro-styled electric minivan has only just arrived in North America.

This had coincided with the release of a long-wheelbase version, bringing three rows of seats, and making the ID.Buzz far more practical as a result. A performance GTX model has also been added to the range, serving up 335 horsepower.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz

The star of the show is, of course, the throwback design. Like the classic models the ID.Buzz pays tribute to, it boasts a practical interior. Removable third-row seats can create a huge load area when needed.

An 82 kWh (usable) battery pack should allow an official range of 234 miles, with DC rapid charging requiring 26 minutes.

Given the countless concepts and pre-production teasers, the wait for the Volkswagen ID.Buzz has been a long one. Expect this to be a strong contender to win the NACTOY utility category.

Remembering the winners from 2024

While we await the announcement of who has won the NACTOY Awards for 2025, let’s have a quick reminder of the winners in 2024.

The Toyota Prius took victory in the Car category, which came 20 years after the Prius had first taken the trophy in 2004.

In the Utility category, the Kia EV9 emerged victorious, while the Ford Super Duty took the prize as the top Truck.

We only have a few weeks to wait until we discover which of the finalists will triumph in 2025.