An Icon Returns as VW ID.Buzz Wins North American Utility Vehicle of the Year – Here Are the List of Winners

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz took top honors as the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year on Friday morning during a ceremony marking the start of the annual Detroit Auto Show. As for the other winners? Headlight.News has the full story.

Electrified vehicles dominated the award ceremonies during the opening of this year’s Detroit Auto Show, battery-based products taking two of the top three honors for North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicles of the Year — mercifully abbreviated NACTOY.

Of the nine finalists, two were all-electric, with hybrid packages either standard fare or offered as an option on three more. That marks the accelerating acceptance of green drivetrain technology seen in recent years among NACTOY finalists and award winners.

The new Volkswagen ID.Buzz won in the most closely watched category: North American Utility vehicle, capping the automaker’s return to the market with an all-electric version of the iconic VW Microbus minivan. The Ford Ranger won as Truck of the Year, the Honda Civic Hybrid taking honors in the Car of the Year category.

Here’s more on the winners.

Return of an icon

Over the decades, Volkswagen repeatedly tried to come up with a viable replacement for the legendary Microbus but one concept after another either failed to click with potential buyers or ran into technical or business issues. The German automaker finally clicked with the electric Buzz concept first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2017. Still it took until 2023 to get it into production in Europe, and a year longer to launch an extended, longer-range version for the U.S.

This time the formula clicked, winning over the 50-member NACTOY jurors who also had to consider two other finalists: the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Chevrolet Equinox, versions offered in both gas and all-electric form.

“This really proves what we were striving for,” Petar Danilovip, senior vice president — Product Strategy, told Headlight.News, “bringing a halo product back to the market. We delivered on our promise.”

The Buzz has taken a few hits, primarily for its pricing, which starts at $59,995 before delivery fees. But Danilovip confided that “We will see how demand develops” and would “consider” bringing in a more affordable model, if justified.

Honda electrifies

Honda was an early pioneer when it comes to battery power with its original Insight SUV. But it has been slow to compete with several competitors, notably Toyota — which now offers gas-electric drive options for virtually its entire lineup. Some are now hybrid only, including the Toyota Camry, one of the three finalists for North American Car of the Year. But jurors swung for the new Honda Civic Hybrid as they tallied votes.

“We’ve been slow into the electrification game,” Honda Zone Manager Josh Beckner told Headlight.News. “But this (new Civic Hybrid) is part of our strategy … (and) a key part of our approach to flexible electrification.”

Honda made waves earlier in the week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, first by revealing the production version of the all-electric Afeela 1, a high-tech EV sedan developed in partnership with Sony. It followed with two more EVs developed in-house to be sold under its new 0 Series badge, a “saloon” and an SUV. The latter models will reach U.S. showrooms in 2026.

The Kia K4, the third finalist for North American Car of the Year, was the only model not offered in some electrified form — in the U.S., anyway. Company insiders say a hybrid may yet make it to market here.

Ford keeps on trucking

In what seems to have become a ritual, Ford Motor Co. took North American Truck of the Year honors for the fifth year in a row. Think of it as a clean sweep. Its entire current lineup has now won. The Ranger is the latest and overcame a tough challenge from two newly redesigned finalists: the Toyota Tacoma and the Ram 1500.

“It validates we’re focused on the market,” said Jim Baumbick, Ford’s vice president of advanced vehicles.

The latest Ranger was more clearly focused on the U.S. market than the model it replaced, Ford has emphasized, offering a more targeted interior design and improved features and functions. Jurors clearly agreed.

While the 2025 Ford Ranger is offered in gas-only configuration, Baumbick broadly hinted it may soon follow up with a hybrid option, much like the bigger F-Series and the little Maverick pickup.

“Our strategy is to give consumers a choice,” he explained.

About NACTOY

This marks the 31st year for NACTOY, widely considered one of the most significant among automotive awards programs in North America. Winners routinely highlight their victories in everything from press releases to Super Bowl ads.

In its early years, jurors handed out awards for the best car and truck models. In 2017, the third category — Utility Vehicle of the Year — was added, reflecting the growing popularity of both conventional SUVs and more car-like crossover-utility vehicles.

As they have from the start, the 50 journalist members of the NACTOY jury are charged with test-driving every new vehicle available in the U.S. and Canadian markets. They consider factors such as design, performance, price, significance to the market, and quality. Three rounds of voting result in the winners announced each January.

Editor’s Note: Paul A. Eisenstein is a longtime member of the NACTOY jury.