Suzuki Utility Truck
Each year the 50 jurors of the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards pick a list of cars, trucks, and utility vehicles that deserve consideration for the top journalist pick of the new model year. The time for the 2013 list is upon us, and while the vast majority of these vehicles will be shorn on the way to shorter lists as the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) draws near, just making the initial long list indicates a degree of success in design.This year, the category name for the Truck of the Year award has been tweaked slightly--the award will be for the top Truck/Utility of the Year. Otherwise, the process, and the list, remains much like years past: successive rounds of voting will narrow the field to yield a single winner in each category.In 2012, the Car of the Year was the Hyundai Elantra, while the Range Rover Evoque won the still-inaptly named Truck of the Year title.For 2013, American, German, and Japanese manufacturers are all well-represented in the cars category, though Japanese brands secure 12 of the 30 nominations, followed by 10 American cars, five nods for Germany, and three for Korea. The truck/utility sector is heavy on Japanese marques, with six of the 15 spots, followed closely by the Germans, with five on the list. America grabs three truck spots, and Korea takes the final slot.