Ford took home two of the three NACTOY awards for the second straight year. This is the third time the Honda Civic has won since the awards were introduced in 1994. The Ford Maverick compact hybrid pickup truck was named the 2022 North American Truck of the Year, and the Ford Bronco won Utility Vehicle of the Year. Finally, the Honda Civic claimed the Car of the Year title. What earned these models the honor of 2022 NACTOY awards winners?

Ford Bronco, Ford Maverick, Honda Civic: 2022 NACTOY Awards winners

According to Automotive News, Ford managed to take home two of the three honors from the NACTOY awards for 2022. This is the second straight year the American automaker dominated the awards. Ford eliminated some sedans from its lineup in the last few years and focused on more popular products. These include SUVs and pickup trucks, like the Maverick and Bronco. These Ford options quickly became the most popular in the automaker’s lineup, so popular in fact that buying a Bronco is next to impossible.

As for the Honda Civic, it simply does what it needs to to be the ideal sedan. Other models have been attempting to keep up with the Civic and Toyota Camry for years. These models provide a luxury experience for an affordable price, which rivals can’t beat. Additionally, Hondas are well-known for being very reliable and long-lasting. That’s something that customers are always looking for when buying a vehicle. The Honda Civic also won the award in 2016 and 2006.

Which other models were finalists to win the 2022 NACTOY awards?

This year’s winners of the NACTOY awards are the Ford Maverick, Bronco, and Honda Civic. However, there were three finalists for each one of the categories. Which models were almost deserving of winning the title? For the Truck of the Year award, the other two finalists were the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Rivian R1T. Compact pickups are a popular trend, with all three finalists being on the small side. Each of these models is innovative and has capabilities and features you wouldn’t expect.

Competing against the Ford Bronco for Utility Vehicle of the Year were the Genesis GV70 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. The GV70 was a popular choice among many reviewers for SUV of the year, so it’s no surprise to see it as a finalist. As for the Ioniq 5, it’s another innovative and different model trying to head into the future. The NACTOY awards were heavily influenced by the automaker’s ability to innovate and move the industry forward.

Lastly, the Lucid Air and Volkswagen Golf Mk VIII were the two finalists that lost to the Honda Civic. While the Lucid Air looks like a sedan from the future, the Golf and Civic have been around for a while. There’s nothing wrong with the classics, and the Lucid Air will have plenty more opportunities to win titles like this one. For now, it’s a bit too expensive to compete with the other models, starting at $77,400.

Are the award winners the right models for you?

Are you shopping for a truck, SUV, or sedan? Like many other people, one of these award winners might be the right choice. Unfortunately, models like the Maverick and Bronco are hard to come by, thanks to the chip shortage and lack of available inventory. However, the brand new pickup truck managed to sell 13,258 units before the end of the year after launching in September.

As for the Bronco, it’s even harder to find one in stock. It went on sale in June and managed to sell 35,023 units before the end of 2021. It would’ve been even more if there were enough to go around. The Honda Civic was redesigned for the new model year and made a big splash. The automaker sold 263,787 units of the classic compact sedan in 2021, giving it its third NACTOY award since 2006.

It’s easy to see that each of these models is one of the best in their respective classes. Although some are new to the scene, they quickly showed they’re not going to take it slow. No matter which type of vehicle you need, the 2022 NACTOY award winners and the other finalists are excellent options.