2015 North American Car/Truck of the Year finalists announced

After several months of evaluation, the jury has released its list of finalists for the 2015 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year (NACTOY) awards.

The three finalists for North American Car of the Year are the Ford Mustang, Hyundai Genesis and Volkswagen Golf/GTI. On the truck/utility side of things, the jury will choose from the Chevrolet Colorado, the Ford F-150 and the Lincoln MKC.

The winner in each category will be announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

The NACTOY selection process happens in three phases. Jurors from automotive publications first pool all eligible vehicles (of which there were more than 50), then pare those selections down to a short list for the car and truck/utility categories. From those short lists (below), the finalists are chosen and a vote is held to determine both winners.

2015 North American Car of the Year short list
Acura TLX
Audi A3
Chrysler 200
Ford Mustang
Honda Fit
Hyundai Genesis sedan
Hyundai Sonata
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Toyota Camry
Volkswagen Golf/GTI

2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year short list

Audi Q3
Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Tahoe
Ford F-150
GMC Canyon
Lexus NX
Lincoln MKC
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
Nissan Murano
Porsche Macan
Subaru Outback
Toyota Highlander