Ford Mustang Mach-E, F-150 won at 2021 NACOTY awards

KUALA LUMPUR: Unlike in past years, this time the “North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year” awards have been announced via an online live-streamed ceremony in Detroit due to obvious safety concerns. And it recorded a big win for Ford as the American automaker bagged three out of two coveted accolades.

The all-new, Mustang Mach-E won the tag of “North American Utility Vehicle of the Year”, while the new Ford F-150 was named the “North American Truck of the Year”. Since 2014, this is the first time that the same brand won multiple awards. However, the third title “North American Car of the Year” goes to Hyundai Elantra; the sedan received this prestigious honor a second time.

For this year’s awards, a total of nine finalists (three for each category) were chosen from the 28 semi-finalists. These included the Genesis G80, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra in the car category, Ford F-150, Ram 1500 TRX, Jeep Gladiator Mojave in the truck category, and Ford Mustang Mach E, Genesis GV80, Land Rover Defender in the utility category. A jury of 50 automotive journalists decided about the final winners.

According to Ford, the winning models set standards in their respective segments based on different factors like innovation, design, handling, safety, driver satisfaction, and value for the money.

Well, this is not the first time when the F-150 received the award; this is the fifth win for the pickup truck, which received an update for the 2021 model year. The latest version delivers an optimal bundle of features, capabilities, comfort, and style with the added benefit of the hybrid powertrain, said one of the jury members.

On the contrary, Ford rolled out the electric Mustang Mach-E last year by following a development process focussed entirely on customers’ needs and desires, resulting in a beautiful and sleek SUV with state-of-the-art connected technologies.

“This recognition for Mustang Mach-E and F-150 is validation not only for our brand, but also for our Ford team, which continues to innovate and deliver on its commitment to creating must-have products and services,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Ford Americas and IMG. “The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards are among the most prestigious in the industry and such an honor serves as a capstone achievement for years of hard work for the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 teams,” he added.

Also read: Ford's virtual race car comes to life, the Fordzilla P1