The Volkswagen Golf was named North American car of the year at the Detroit auto show on Monday, while Ford picked up the honors in the truck category.
The Golf saw off fierce competition from the Ford Mustang and Hyundai Genesis to take the prestigious award at the North American International Auto Show in a resurgent Detroit.
Ford’s F-150 pick-up triumphed ahead of Chevrolet’s Colorado and the Lincoln MKC in the truck segment.
The winners were decided by a jury of 57 journalists and based on qualities including design, safety, performance and value.
The Detroit extravaganza, the first major international auto show of the year and the biggest in the United States, launches under renewed optimism that the industry has bounced back after years in the doldrums.