At the Detroit Auto Show, the Chevrolet Volt was named North American Car of the Year today.  The Ford Explorer was voted Truck of the Year.

The North American car and truck of the year awards are voted on by a jury of up to 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada.

While General Motors acknowledges that the Volt won’t add to the automaker’s profits for years, GM has used the car as a marketing tool.  The Volt appeared in Chevrolet advertising for years before its November introduction.

Many industry analysts were worried that if the Volt turned out to be a “bad” car, or even a “mediocre” car, that GM’s image would be badly tarnished. Fortunately for GM, journalists and analysts have largely given the car a favorable greeting, and the title of Car of the Year certainly doesn’t hurt.

Prior to this award, the Volt had already won several other awards in the United States, including the Motor Trend Car of the Year. 

The Ford Explorer SUV was also an important comeback vehicle for Ford in its own respect.   The Explorer was once the top-selling passenger vehicle in the United States, but its sales had fallen when gas prices rose, as customers turned to more efficient crossover SUVs.

Tags: chevrolet, chevrolet volt, volt, north american car of the year
Categories: Cool Cars