Subaru Just Got Shut Out Of The North American Car Of Year Finalists

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The North American Car of the Year finalists have been announced. Where is Subaru? They are shut out. See why the brand is no longer relevant, at least for now.

The North American Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year Awards (NACTOY) are given every year in January. However, the jury that granted the awards narrowed the field to several finalists. Where is Subaru? The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek and 2024 Subaru Impreza were candidates but failed to make the cut. 

Why is Subaru shut out of the awards?

The 2024 Subaru Impreza was a North American Car of the Year candidate, and the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek was a Utility Vehicle of the Year Candidate. Both failed to make the cut because they aren't among the hot new electric or hybrid models. 

A report from Kelley Blue Book reveals why. Six of the nine vehicles shortlisted for the North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards this year use some form of electric propulsion, and five are purely electric.

All of the finalists for the SUV award are electric vehicles (EVs).

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek and 2024 Subaru Impreza are all-newly remodeled, but they are internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and do not have a hybrid or electric trim level for the next-generation models. 

As the shift to electric vehicles sweeps globally, the judges who decide which cars get the nominations are leaning heavily toward new electrified models. A jury of 50 automotive journalists votes on the awards.  

KBB says, "They're narrower in price range this year than usual. The least expensive starts at around $28,000, with the most expensive at about $67,000. And they hail from three continents. But pickup trucks are the only North American vehicles — save the Honda Accord, built in Ohio — to make the finals of the North American vehicle awards."

2024 North American Car of the Year Finalists:

  • Honda Accord
  • Hyundai Ioniq 6
  • Toyota Prius/Prius Prime

2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year Finalists:

  • Genesis Electrified GV70
  • Kia EV9
  • Volvo EX30

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek may be North America's hardest-to-find new small SUV. For the first time, Subaru is manufacturing the Crosstrek Sport, Limited, and all-new Crosstrek Wilderness in Lafayette, Indiana. The new subcompact SUV is a hot model for Subaru of America.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza manufacturing was switched to Gunma, Japan, to make more room for the top-selling Crosstrek at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant.  

I cover the North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards yearly, and the last Subaru models to make the shortlist were the all-new sixth-generation 2020 Subaru Outback and newly-redesigned seventh-generation 2020 Legacy sedan.  

The 2022 Subaru BRZ sports car was nominated for the 2022 North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards but did not make the shortlist. 

Subaru ramps up its EV plan. 

To compete in the NACTOY awards, Subaru must produce more hybrid and all-electric models. Subaru CEO Atsushi Osaki announced in August that they will launch eight new electric models by 2028. 

Osaki said Subaru would build EVs in the U.S. starting around 2027 and would sell some 400,000 EVs in the U.S. by 2028. 

Subaru of America COO Jeff Walters recently told Automotive News, "The product portfolio for Subaru coming over the next five years, between now and 2028, is the most full and robust product introductions we'll have in the company's history. It's never been more full, or have we had more models coming than what we'll have coming over the next five years."

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek and Impreza are shut out of the 2024 North American Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year Awards, but the Japanese automaker will be back in the fray with new electric models coming. Stay tuned. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru Crosstrek and Impreza story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

For additional articles related to new Subaru models, here are a few of my top stories you may enjoy. 

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Check out Announcing Finalists for 2024 NACTOY Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year Awards

I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

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photo credit: Subaru USA

Submitted by Dave Blanke (not verified) on November 22, 2023 - 6:39PM

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I sell Subaru vehicles. Nobody in the Midwest cares about electric cars. They are being pushed as an answer to the question that nobody here is asking.

You’re right. Most people don’t want an EV. Besides that, the vast majority of electricity is generated by fossil fuel, coal, natural gas, etc and batteries have materials typically found in countries unfriendly to the USA requiring mining processes harmful to the environment and battery disposal is an issue so how are EVs really friendly to the environment? The grid is already functioning at near capacity so add millions of EVs and we’ll see more brown outs and perhaps blackouts.