X

Here are the finalists for 2016 North American Car and Truck of the Year (pictures)

Each year, a couple dozen members of the automotive press, including CNET's own Chris Paukert, vote on candidates for the North American Car and Truck of the Year. The award is given out at the Detroit Auto Show, and just before that the list of finalists is announced. Here are the six cars vying for this year's pair of awards -- three finalists for cars, and three finalists for trucks.

Andrew Krok
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2016hondaciviclnch-019.jpg
1 of 6 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

2016 Honda Civic

Honda's venerable compact car is new from the ground up for its 10th generation. The Civic sports new drivetrain options -- including, for the first time, a turbocharger -- and some very emotional styling. The interior is positively cavernous in its latest iteration, and it's pretty great to drive, to boot.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2 of 6 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda's all-new, fourth-generation roadster loses some weight and gains a sharp new face for 2016. It keeps with Miata tradition by retaining a low-horsepower four-cylinder and rear-wheel drive, but the weight loss has it driving better than ever. Most "fun cars" cost a great deal of money, but the MX-5 has always been the enthusiast's affordable offering.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu
3 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

2016 Chevrolet Malibu

The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu has truly stepped up its game. Its dimensions are perfect for the mid-size segment, and thanks to a focus on engineering, it's lighter than the previous-gen Malibu. Throw in a great deal of cutting-edge technology, and you've got a car that's moved from detention to the honor roll in the course of just one year.

2016 Nissan Titan XD
4 of 6 Chris Paukert/CNET

2016 Nissan Titan XD

Nissan is blasting away the mountainside of traditional trucks with the Titan XD, which rests between your typical half-ton pickup and the more hardcore heavy-duty trucks. The XD sports a Cummins turbodiesel engine and some very impressive towing and hauling figures, giving buyers a bit more than a standard half-ton without forcing them to buy a truck that's roughly the size of a small apartment building.

2016 Volvo XC90
5 of 6 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

2016 Volvo XC90

Everything about the XC90 is new. The design language is new, the underpinnings are new, the infotainment system is new -- heck, even Volvo's parent company is new. Concerns about Chinese automaker Geely's purchase of the Swedish brand have been put to rest, as the XC90 has come straight out of the gates gunning for supremacy in a very strong segment.

2016 Honda Pilot
6 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

2016 Honda Pilot

Honda's slowly getting its groove back. The third-generation Pilot comes loaded up with a more family-friendly countenance and an excellent pairing of efficient drivetrains and advanced safety systems. As with other cars on this list, the Pilot is lighter in its latest iteration. Almost makes you forget about minivans entirely...

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos