Chevrolet scored a double victory Tuesday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit as Cars.com and PickupTrucks.com named the 2014 Silverado 1500 and Impala their best pickup truck and car of the year.
The Chevrolets were among six nominees in each of category for the 2014 awards.
The Silverado, one of two GM trucks nominated, beat out Ford F-150, GMC Sierra 1500, Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, Ram 2500/3500 HD and the Toyota Tundra. The Impala outran two Mazdas, the Mazda3 and Mazda6, as well as the Acura MDX, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Forte.
The Cars.com best pickup truck and best car awards came one day after Silverado and the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray were named North American truck/utility and car of the year, respectively, by a jury of automotive writers.
In nominating the Silverado 1500 for its first-ever best pickup truck award, Cars.com said:
“To say preseason expectations were high for GM’s redesigned 2014 models would be a gross understatement. Not only would this be the first big test for the newly restructured GM, but also the Chevrolet Silverado is the largest-selling vehicle it has, and the truck was one of the oldest in the segment. … To be clear, from bumper to bumper, inside and out, this third-generation Silverado 1500 is stronger, smarter, more efficient and more capable, by a wide margin, than the truck it replaces.”
The 2013 Silverado was the second-highest-selling pickup truck in America, trailing the Ford F-Series and beating out the Ram 1500. For more details, see our infographic on The Open Road blog.
Of the Chevrolet Impala, Cars.com said: “The changes from the previous model year are truly astonishing: styling, powertrains, build quality, ride refinement, handling response, materials, fuel economy, you name it, and it’s been dramatically improved. A choice of three engines and seven trim levels means there’s an Impala to suit different tastes and budgets.”
“Each year, there are dozens of newly introduced or redesigned car models,” Cars.com said when it announced the nominations, going on to explain how the six selections in each category were selected for the final consideration. “Throughout the year, our editors drive new cars each week, getting a true, lived-in feel for each car. They get to know its quirks and where it excels and falls short.”
“[The editors] focus their attention on innovations, quality and – above all else – value,” according to Cars.com. “From these weeklong drives, manufacturer events and a lengthy deliberation session, our expert reviewers choose the six models that best represent the crème of the year’s crop.”
For more information on all of the Cars.com award winners and nominees, visit www.Cars.com/awards. Cars.com and PickupTrucks.com are online resources for new- and used-car buyers and sellers.
Cars.com has named RoadLoans as a “Trusted Lender.”
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