Motor Trend Car of the Year
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Motor Trend magazine was the first to give a Car of the Year award, doing so to a Chrysler in 1949. It has since expanded the award category to include the Truck and SUV of the Year, awarding these seperately from the Car of the Year. Until 1999, the award was only eligible to American-made cars; imports had their own category, the Import of the Year. Since the combination of the awards, American cars have won it four times, with imports getting the trophy three times. However, getting "The Calipers" is no guarantee of success: the nostalgic Ford Thunderbird, awarded the prize in 2002 to wide acclaim, was pulled from the market two years later due to criticism of its performance and surprisingly low sales.
To be eligible for the award, a car must be a new model introduced in a given model year, or given a fundamental redesign for that year ("freshenings" are ineligble for the award). All vehicles are given the same battery of tests: standard car tests such as skid-pad ratings, acceleration and quarter-mile times, and evaluations of the interiors are combined with a track run conducted by SCCA-licensed testers and taking the cars out on normal roads to test their drivability under normal conditions and fuel economy. Trucks and SUVs add towing capacity and speed, plus an off-road course, to the normal regimen. The trophy for the winner, a depiction of calipers, is well-known to Americans, and is often used in the winner's advertising post-victory.
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[edit] Car of the Year
- 2006 Honda Civic
- 2005 Chrysler 300C
- 2004 Toyota Prius
- 2003 Infiniti G35
- 2002 Ford Thunderbird
- 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
- 2000 Lincoln LS
- 1999 Chrysler 300M
- 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
- 1996 Dodge Caravan
- 1995 Chrysler Cirrus
- 1994 Ford Mustang
- 1993 Ford Probe GT
- 1992 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan
- 1991 Chevrolet Caprice Classic LTZ
- 1990 Lincoln Town Car
- 1989 Ford Thunderbird SC
- 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
- 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
- 1986 Ford Taurus LX
- 1985 Volkswagen GTI
- 1984 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
- 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
- 1981 Chrysler K Cars, Dodge Aries / Plymouth Reliant
- 1980 Chevrolet Citation
- 1979 Buick Riviera S
- 1978 Chrysler, Dodge Omni / Plymouth Horizon
- 1977 Chevrolet Caprice
- 1976 Chrysler, Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volare
- 1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2
- 1974 Ford Mustang II
- 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
- 1972 Citroën SM
- 1971 Chevrolet Vega
- 1970 Ford Torino
- 1969 Plymouth Road Runner
- 1968 Pontiac GTO
- 1967 Mercury Cougar
- 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado
- 1965 Pontiac Motor Division
- 1964 Ford Motor Company (Not for the Mustang)
- 1963 American MotorsRambler
- 1962 Buick Special
- 1961 Pontiac Tempest
- 1960 Chevrolet Corvair
- 1959 Pontiac Motor Division
- 1958 Ford Thunderbird
- 1957 Chrysler Corporation
- 1956 Ford Motor Company
- 1955 Chevrolet Motor Division
- 1954 No award
- 1953 No award
- 1952 Cadillac Motor Division
- 1951 Chrysler Corporation
- 1950 No award
- 1949 Cadillac Motor Division
[edit] Import Car of the Year
After the 1999 model year, Import Car of the Year became one and the same with Car of the Year.
- 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
- 1998 Lexus GS
- 1997 BMW 5-Series
- 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- 1995 Nissan Maxima
- 1994 Honda Accord
- 1993 Mazda RX-7
- 1992 Lexus SC 400
- 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
- 1990 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
- 1989 Mitsubishi Galant GS
- 1988 Honda CRX Si
- 1987 Acura Legend Coupe
- 1986 Mazda RX-7
- 1985 Toyota MR2
- 1984 Honda Civic CRX
- 1983 Mazda 626
- 1982 Toyota Celica Supra
- 1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD
- 1980 Honda Civic
- 1979 Datsun 280ZX
- 1978 Toyota Celica
- 1977 Mercedes-Benz 280E
- 1976 Toyota Celica Liftback
- 1970 Porsche 914
[edit] Truck of the Year
- 2006 Honda Ridgeline
- 2005 Toyota Tacoma
- 2004 Ford F-150
- 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
- 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2001 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty
- 2000 Toyota Tundra
- 1999 Chevrolet Silverado
- 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
- 1997 Ford F-150
- 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
- 1994 Dodge Ram
- 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 1992 Ford Van Chateau Club Wagon
- 1991 Mazda Navajo
- 1990 Ford Aerostar
- 1989 Toyota Truck Xtracab SR5
- 1980-1988 No award
- 1979 Chevrolet LUV
[edit] Sport/Utility of the Year
- 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
- 2006 Nissan Xterra
- 2005 Land Rover LR3
- 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
- 2003 Volvo XC90
- 2002 GMC Envoy
- 2001 Acura MDX
- 2000 Nissan Xterra
- 1999 Lexus RX300
[edit] Car of the Year in China
Motor Trend magazine's China-market cousin, Auto Club-Motor Trend, also issues a "Car of the Year" award for that market.
[edit] Car of the Year
- 2006 FAW Toyota Crown
- 2005 Changan Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6
- 2004 First Automotive Works Mazda6
- 2003 Shanghai VW Polo
[edit] SUV of the Year
- 2006 Shanghai GM SRX
- 2005 Dongfeng Motors CR-V
- 2004 Chang Feng Liebao Feiteng
