Test drive: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is Hyundai's first pickup and the smallest one you can buy in the U.S. Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu sees how it measures up.
The nine finalists for the 2022 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards have been announced at the L.A. Auto Show ahead of voting early next year. A panel of 50 journalists will decide the winners, which will be announced in January.
Hyundai topped the list with three models from its mainstream and Genesis luxury brands, while Ford received two nominations and newcomers Lucid and Rivian secured spots among the finalists.
Here are the three vehicles in contention for each of the three categories:
Car of the Year
Honda Civic
The compact 2022 Civic is available in sedan and hatchback models at prices starting from $22,915. (Honda)
Lucid Air
The all-electric Lucid Air is available in a version that can cover 520 miles per charge and another with 1,111 horsepower. (Lucid)
Volkswagen Golf Mk VIII
The eighth-generation VW Golf will only be offered in the high performance GTI and Golf R models in the U.S. (Volkswagen)
Truck of the year
Ford Maverick
The 2022 Maverick is Ford's cheapest model at $21,490 and comes standard with a hybrid powertrain. (Ford)
Hyundai Santa Cruz
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a compact pickup that competes directly with the Maverick. (Hyundai)
Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1T is the first all-electric pickup to go on sale in the U.S. (Rivian)
Utility Vehicle of the Year
Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is offered in two-door and four-door models, both with removable roofs. (Ford)
Genesis GV70
The Genesis GV70 is the brand's second SUV. (Genesis)
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an all-electric SUV with a range (Hyundai)
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What do you think should win? Let us know in the comments.