Land Rover News

January 09, 2012

DETROIT, -  The all-new Range Rover Evoque is the 2012 North American Truck of the Year.
 
The winners were revealed Monday morning at a news conference at the North American International Auto Show.

The winners were chosen by a jury of 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada.

The awards are unique in the United States because instead of being given by a single media outlet they are awarded by a coalition of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites.

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

It was the first win for Land Rover although Land Rovers were finalists twice before.

The jurors gave the Evoque 254 points, the CR-V 142 and the X3 94.

Juror, Alex Taylor, of Fortune magazine, wrote: “Range Rover successfully charts a new direction for the venerable SUV trailblazer with a fresh design and advanced thinking about environmental issues.”

Domestic automakers have won North American Truck of the Year 12 times. Japanese automakers have won four times. European automakers have won three times.

To be eligible a vehicle must be all new or substantially changed. The jurors considered dozens of new vehicles before sending their ballots to Michelle Collins, a partner at Deloitte & Touche early in December.

On December 15th the three car and truck finalists were announced.  But only Ms. Collins knew the winners until she handed over envelopes today to Tony Swan, editor-at-large at Car and Driver magazine and a member of the awards’ organizing committee. Mr. Swan announced the winners.

This is the 19th year of the awards, which were inspired by the “Car of the Year” in Europe.

They are administered by an organizing committee and are funded with dues paid by the jurors. There are no paid positions. Automakers do not pay to have their vehicles considered or to use the awards in ads.

MORE INFORMATION: More information on the awards -- including names of the jurors, previous finalists and winners -- is available at: www.northamericancaroftheyear.org.