Meet the Award-Winning Vehicles of 2023
Determining which vehicles are the best of the bunch isn’t easy. Year after year, the available options grow in number and variety — leaving you to compare increasingly-advanced cars, trucks, and SUVs with specs that sound great at first glance. But how can you tell which vehicles are worth the investment and deliver on their promises?
Well, annual auto awards can help.
Reputable names within the auto industry dole out awards for every model year (and calendar year). Choosing one of these award-winning cars, trucks, or SUVs can ensure you’re getting behind the wheel of a vehicle that’s innovative, unique, and impressive. Of course, these trustworthy awards can also help you find the right vehicle for your more specific needs, too, like reliability, alternatives to gas-powered engines, and even fleet-ready trucks.
Check out the cars, trucks, and SUVs that earned top awards and honors in 2023 from three of the top sources – NACTOY, MotorTrend, and Green Car Awards.
North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards (NACTOY)
Handed out to the most outstanding new vehicles of the year, the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards are chosen for three specific segments: car, truck, and utility vehicle. The winners are chosen by an independent jury of automotive journalists from both the U.S. and Canada, and the chosen vehicles are standouts in innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, user experience, and value.
The following three vehicles earned the distinction of being NACTOY award winners for 2023.
Car of the Year: Acura Integra
This luxury upgrade from the Civic, which was relaunched for 2023, is a compact vehicle that’s plenty of fun to drive. Its eager handling, slick shifting manual transmission, and turbocharged engine make it sporty and exciting, and while it may not be the most luxury-laden pick, it’s one that’s highly satisfying to drive whether you’re hitting the open highway or headed to work.
Jurors who voted in NACTOY’s 2023 competition called out the Acura Integra for its sleek design, fun behind-the-wheel experience, and its economical price tag (especially for a luxury pick!)
Truck of the Year: Ford F-150 Lightning
It’s almost no surprise that the all-electric truck based off of America’s best-selling vehicle picked up multiple wins. (You’ll see the Lightning again on this list!) It combines all the classic hallmarks that drivers love in the F-150 – like massive aftermarket support, plenty of storage, and a comfortable and practical cabin design – with instant, massive torque, two electric motors, and an impressive 580 horsepower.
Those who voted for this standout EV call the pickup “remarkable” and “fantastic,” giving you just a small taste of how impressive the F-150 Lightning is in its newly-reinvented, eco-minded 2023 iteration.
Utility Vehicle of the Year: Kia EV6
This sleek and futuristic-looking crossover, which is fully electric and offers 310 miles of driving range, looks like an upgraded pick. Inside, you’ll love all of the comforts – from the spacious back seat and highly functional cargo area to the high-tech driver safety assistance features. Plus, it’s a thrill on the road, with plenty of range for lengthy drives and ultrafast charging so you’re never plugged in for long.
NACTOY jurors called out the Kia EV6 for both its attractive design cues and its impressive performance. Called “eye-popping” and “fun to drive,” this is an electric vehicle that’s well-done from any angle or perspective you take. Oh, and did we mention it’s also reasonably priced?
MotorTrend Awards
If it’s extensive firsthand testing and experience you find most important in ranking vehicles, you won’t want to overlook MotorTrend’s 2023 award winners. A panel of nine judges test drives the contenders for each category – car, truck, and SUV of the year – to assess everything from performance and comfort to design and safety systems. It’s like getting behind the wheel yourself, but with expert insight added.
Car of the Year: Genesis G90
Third time’s a charm – and the 2023 Genesis G90 is certainly charming, at least according to MotorTrend’s panel of judges! This luxury sedan won the title of Car of the Year, marking the third time Genesis has been a top MotorTrend pick. The G90 beat out 20 other contenders, winning for its high sense of style, sophisticated technology, and luxury touches. Modern, fresh, and straight-up elegant, it’s a top-tier choice through and through.
One area that particularly delighted MotorTrend’s panel was the array of settings and switches inside the Genesis G90. Small but impressively smart details, like turn signal noises that can be heard only in the driver’s headrest speakers and blue light adjustment for passengers, help this vehicle rise above the rest.
Truck of the Year: Ford F-150 Lightning
We told you the Ford F-150 Lightning would be a repeat winner, and it’s MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year for 2023! Like the NACTOY judges, the publication’s panel found the all-electric Lightning to be hands-down impressive. In fact, it made history: This F-150 is the very first electric truck to win by unanimous vote.
In addition to being America’s best-selling truck – and electric truck – the new Lightning wowed judges with its nearly instantaneous torque, comfortable ride, and responsive handling. While it’s still a newcomer to the road, experts agree that truck fans really can’t go wrong with all of the positives bundled in this standout EV.
SUV of the Year: Hyundai Ioniq 5
Add another win for Hyundai’s lineup in 2023, because the Ioniq 5 nabbed MotorTrend’s SUV of the Year award – and it’s the first-ever fully electric vehicle to do so. It was chosen because it’s a total game-changer, particularly when it comes to the potential sitting in electric SUVs.
Featuring approachable design cues and controls, it feels like a conventional SUV (making it a smooth transition for those buying their first EV). However, the Ioniq’s performance seriously stands out.
As one of the quickest-charging EVs available right now, the Ioniq 5 utilizes small, energy-dense motors that make it efficient and a breeze to charge. Plus, with a price that tips just over $40K to start, it’s also a wonderfully affordable pick.
Green Car Awards
If you’re searching for a vehicle that’s not only a standout in performance, but also in its environmental pedigree, the Green Car Awards from Green Car Journal offers an array of options. The annual awards, which have been handed out for 17 years now, highlight “green” vehicles that champion better environmental performance. But, of course, they’re also vetted and compared across key metrics like cost, value, safety, performance, and functionality.
The following are the 2023 Green Car award-winners that rank the highest for eco-awareness and overall performance.
2023 Green Car of the Year: Toyota Crown
As the new flagship car within Toyota’s eco-minded lineup, the 2023 Crown won top honors from Green Car. As the Green Car of the Year, this five-passenger sedan got high marks for its impressively high fuel economy rating, low level of carbon emissions, and sleek-looking exterior and interior style.
The Toyota Crown boasts a 2.5-liter THS hybrid engine, and it can deliver up to 38 MPG combined. Inside the cabin, this slick lifted sedan is comfortable and feels almost like a luxury vehicle, thanks in part to the high-tech additions like ambient interior lighting, eight-way power adjustable seats, and dual climate control.
2023 Luxury Green Car of the Year: Cadillac Lyriq
With upscale styling and premium touches inside and out, this all-electric ride delivers. You can choose from single or dual motor versions, rear or all-wheel drive, and as many luxury details as you’d like with multiple trim level choices.
Best of all, you’ll enjoy great performance. The 2023 Lyriq boasts a 312-mile driving range per charge, and you’ll love the 340 horsepower that comes from just the single motor model. (You’ll get a whopping 500 horsepower from the dual motors!)
2023 Family Green Car of the Year: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
You’ll easily be able to fit your whole family – and all of their gear – inside the 2023 Family Green Car, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. This dynamic-looking SUV is a hybrid, with twin motors, standard all-wheel drive, and a newly-revamped and improved electric battery range of 38 miles – 420 miles overall. That should provide plenty of bandwidth for road trips and long drives.
Green Car loved the upscale features and roomy interior of the new Outlander PHEV, which offers three rows of seating (a new addition compared to previous models). There’s also a slew of modern tech in the cabin to make every drive more convenient.
2023 Green Truck of the Year: RAM 1500
When it comes to pickup trucks, the RAM 1500 is a staple pick for many, especially those looking for a hardworking model. And the latest iteration of the 1500 won Green Truck of the Year, thanks in part to its versatility and functionality. The RAM 1500 beat out other hot picks like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Toyota Tundra because it offers two hybrid options – a 3.6-liter eTorque V-6 and a 5.7-liter eTorque HEMI V-8 – plus a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel option.
The RAM 1500 also offers a wealth of different configurations and functionality for drivers. You can opt for a Quad Cab or Crew Cab, and you can customize this pickup to carry a payload of up to 2,300 pounds or two trailers weighing up to 12,750 pounds. Now that’s performance!
2023 Green SUV of the Year: Fisker Ocean
This all-electric utility vehicle is both attractive and sporty, sleek and uncluttered. But that doesn’t mean it skimps on any technology or safety features; the Fisker Ocean comes loaded with both.
Available in three different versions with a driving range that can stretch from 250 to 305 miles per charge, this SUV offers zero-emission drives that cover plenty of distance. Additionally, Green Car loved the added sustainability built into the design. The Ocean is constructed with over 110 pounds of recycled materials, like plastics from bottles and fishing nets.
2023 Commercial Green Car of the Year: Ford F-150 Lightning Pro
While the Lightning didn’t win truck of the year, the Pro version is a standout for Green Car because it can take an entire commercial fleet and turn it into an electric powerhouse. Available to fleets, the Lightning Pro offers between 240 and 320 miles of range, plus a payload capacity of up to 2,235 pounds.
And if you’re in need of extra-special details for your fleet, this Ford EV is more than capable. There’s a Special Services Vehicle variant available for police departments, and you can customize your rig with perks like more towing capacity and Pro Power Onboard.
2023 Urban Green Car of the Year: MINI Cooper SE Electric
For those who need a compact car made for crowded city streets, the MINI Cooper SE Electric might fit the bill. This diminutive hardtop may be small, but it doesn’t skimp on fun or performance. It’s almost like driving a capable go-kart – zippy on the road, with a small footprint that slides right into compact spaces and makes lane changes breezy. The high maneuverability is a big plus, too.
And of course, you won’t want to overlook the electric build of this compact winner. The MINI Cooper SE Electric is a zero-emission vehicle, and you’ll enjoy a range of up to 114 miles per charge.
2023 Green 4×4 of the Year: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
Lastly, if you’re looking for a rugged SUV that offers eco-minded benefits and solid off-road performance, check out the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. While it’s no surprise that a Jeep badge nabbed this top honor, what is surprising is the build of this vehicle. It’s like the conventional SUVs you already know well, but with the perk of plug-in hybrid capability. Trail-rated and ready for anything off road, this Cherokee can tow up to 6,000 pounds and ford up to 24 inches of water. (Yes, even though it’s electric!) Under the hood, a 2.0-liter turbo engine and two electric motors will keep you going in even the toughest conditions. With a total 470 miles of combined range, you’ll never want to stop the fun.
