The 2020 Ram Heavy Duty is in a Prizefight for North American Truck of the Year

The semi-finalists for the 2020 North American Car and Truck of the Year are announced and three Heavy Duty trucks are duking it out.

The battle for North American Truck of the Year may turn out to be a boxing match with heavyweights from the Detroit Three engaged in an epic battle. The 2020 Ram Heavy Duty is sparring against the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty and the 2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty. There are also two much smaller trucks entering the ring. The all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator and the 2020 Ford Ranger are also up for the top truck prize.

2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 Set New Towing Benchmarks

We have written a lot in the past about the 2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 and their incredible new torque ratings of 1,000 lb.-ft. from the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine. The astounding torque gives the 2020 Ram 3500 a towing capacity of 35,100 pounds and a payload capacity of 7,680 pounds. The 2020 Ram 2500 can tow up to 19,780 pounds. Ram is adding several new upgrades to help make towing the heavier loads easier to manage.

Members of the Automotive Press Association have selected twelve semifinalists for North American Car of the Year. They have also selected 12 semifinalists for North American Utility of the Year. The truck semifinalists were narrowed to the five.

Detroit Three Truck Showdown

It should be an interesting showdown in the truck division because the two General Motors contenders are so closely related. The Chevy Silverado Heavy Duty and the GMC Sierra Heavy Duty contain many of the same features. However, the GMC Sierra Heavy Duty has the advantage of having the exclusive MultiPro tailgate. The tailgate has six different functions and positions for easier loading, load-stop solutions and easier access to items in the truck bed.

2020 Ram Heavy Duty Also Competing Against Mid-Size Trucks

So far, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator has been a media darling. Everyone was anxious to see the mid-size pickup hit dealer lots and sales have been brisk. Ford fans were begging for the mid-size Ranger to make its return. Sales for the Ranger started off fairly slowly and have been increasing monthly. The Ranger Raptor is expected to be a big hit.

Big Changes For NACTOY Awards

It will be an unusual year for the 2020 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. Typically, the awards are given out at the start of the North American International Auto Show, in January, in Detroit. In 2020, NAIAS is moving to June. The Automotive Press Association says the NACTOY awards will be given out early next year, but so far isn’t saying when.

The NACTOY awards are different because they aren’t given by a publication or website. They are voted on by a group of fifty automotive journalists from the US and Canada. The awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. According to the NACTOY website “These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.” Finalists in the three categories will be announced in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

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