2025's best cars revealed at Detroit auto show
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North America's best vehicles, clockwise from top left: Ford Ranger, Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Honda Civic hybrid (Photos courtesy of Ford, VW, Honda)
The Honda Civic hybrid, Ford Ranger and Volkswagen ID. Buzz are the winners of the 2025 North American Car, Truck & Utility of the Year awards.
Why it matters: The selection of a hybrid sedan, a gasoline pickup truck and an electric minivan as the industry's best vehicles offers proof that consumers have a multitude of choices when it comes to car buying.
Driving the news: The winners were announced during the press preview of the Detroit auto show, which opens Saturday and runs through Jan. 20.
The Civic's hybrid version beat the redesigned Toyota Camry — now only sold as a hybrid — and a new gas-powered compact from Kia, the K4, for car of the year.
The new Ranger, jazzed up for thrilling off-road performance, beat a rival mid-sized pickup, the redesigned Toyota Tacoma, and the full-size Ram 1500 in the truck category.
- It's the fifth year in a row that a Ford truck won the NACTOY award.
Volkswagen's retro-inspired electric ID. Buzz edged out another plug-in, the Chevrolet Equinox EV, and the new three-row Hyundai Santa Fe SUV.
💠Joann's thought bubble: I am honored to be among the 50 automotive journalists on the NACTOY jury, but those three weren't my top choices.
- I voted for the Camry, the Tacoma and the Equinox EV.
- But this is a democracy and the majority wins.
One of the best parts of my job as Axios' transportation correspondent is evaluating the latest cars and trucks for this prestigious award.
- NACTOY jurors come from three countries and varied backgrounds, so each juror has their own method for assessing vehicles on criteria that include innovation, design, performance and value.
- I'm not a gearhead. I'm just an ordinary mom who wants safe, reliable and affordable transportation from point A to B.
- I usually give extra weight to value, innovation and how easy it is to use advanced technology — a frequent bugaboo for me.
The finalists in all three categories were excellent, and each had their strengths, but for me, the utility category was by far the toughest to evaluate.
- Clearly I wasn't the only one smitten by the delightful ID. Buzz, which is a battery-powered reincarnation of the quirky VW bus.
- But the ID. Buzz has some big strikes against it, in my view: With a starting price of $61,545, it's too expensive. And its 231-mile driving range isn't competitive with other EVs on the road. Plus, it's extraordinarily difficult to get in and out of, which is a deal killer for families.
- I loved the spacious comfort in the distinctively styled Santa Fe when we toured several national parks last spring. I'm glad it's now offered as a hybrid, too.
The Equinox EV got my vote because of its attractive design, solid driving range of 315 miles and a starting price of $34,995 (excluding a $7,500 federal tax credit).
- At that price and driving range, the Equinox EV represents an industry breakthrough — an electric car that's finally affordable to mainstream buyers.
