Results

2008 WINNERS

Listed are the vote totals and juror's comments for the top three 2008 winners.

Chevrolet Malibu – 190

Cadillac CTS – 165

Honda Accord – 95

Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper accepted the trophy when the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu was named the 2008 North American Car of the Year.

Mazda CX-9 – 201

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – 140

Buick Enclave – 109

Robert Graziano, the executive vice president of Mazda Motor Corp., accepted the trophy as the Mazda CX-9 was declared the 2008 North American Truck of the Year.

Karl Brauer
Edmunds.com

Cadillac CTS – “Finally, Cadillac has stopped trying to make the ultimate BMW knock-off and instead focused on creating the Ultimate American Luxury Sedan. And they’ve succeeded!”
Chevrolet Malibu – “Everything from exterior and interior design to driving dynamics, feature content and value puts the Malibu in the hunt for America’s Best Family Sedan. The Japanese have owned this segment for over a decade, but Chevrolet’s shot across their bow suggests the terms of surrender have – at long last – been violated.”
Honda Accord – “Putting the “fun” in functional has been Honda’s gift to U.S. buyers for over 30 years. The redesigned 2008 Accord maintains this tradition with a larger, more attractive coupe and sedan replacing the previous versions. Here’s a vehicle that provides compelling performance, earth-friendly fuel mileage and upscale interior features. A family sedan with personality? What a great idea!”

Lindsay Brooke
Automotive Engineering International

Cadillac CTS – “The 2008 CTS is simply a no-excuses machine. Name the metric – outright performance, handling, interior comfort, convenience, materials quality, refinement, value – and the new Caddy either matches or outshines its European or Japanese competitors. And on top of that, it’s one of the most stylish sedans on the street.”
Honda Accord – “As improved as is the new Chevy Malibu, its attributes still don’t measure up to Honda’s 2008 Accord. In particular, the four-cylinder Accord is more refined and fun to drive than its Malibu counterpart (or Toyota’s Camry, for that matter), and the continued availability of a silky-shifting five-speed manual gearbox is an added bonus.”
Mazda CX-9 – “The CX-9 mixes the elusive combination of fun-to-drive, style, and utility better than any other SUV of any size on the market. This vehicle surprised me more than any other for 2008.”
Buick Enclave – “The Enclave’s high style turns heads, but it’s also very refined on the road, and loaded with practicality.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “The Tahoe’s hybrid drivetrain operates quietly, delivering seamless power with a significant boost in fuel efficiency. In a few years the automotive world will look back at the Tahoe Hybrid as a true pioneer in the light truck field,”

John Davis
MotorWeek – PBS Network & SpeedCHANNEL

Chevrolet Malibu – “True, the new Malibu performs, has perceived quality, and attention to detail of its industry stalwart Accord and Camry. But, beyond that, the Malibu is stylish, almost dynamic, taking the family sedan away from boring while not forgetting its purpose. While the entire car shows a flare not seen in Chevrolet sedans since the 1960s it is the interior of the new Malibu, its artistic flow, and tiny seams, that most impresses the eye and the operator.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “Finally someone has put a hybrid powertrain in the type of vehicle it can help the most, a full-size sport utility vehicle. However, the two-mode system used in the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid goes beyond all previous hybrids by saving fuel in both stop-and-go city and on-the-go highway driving. The system also has a delightful sensation when activated, much like an afterburner of a jet. There is a real kick in the pants that also puts a dent in your gas bill.”

Matt DeLorenzo
Road & Track

Chevrolet Malibu – “Fresh new styling, high quality materials and a silky smooth drivetrain give this family car the feel of an entry level luxury car. The 6-speed automatic and V-6 power are standouts.”
Honda Accord – “Roomy interior and the kind of amenities you’d find on an Acura make this Accord the best family sedan ever from Honda. It has a fun-to-drive personality thanks to its new 3.7-liter V-6.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “What more can be said? An honest 20 mpg city. Consumers can have a large, people hauling package and not sacrifice fuel economy. The hybrid system is seamless in operation and underscores the fact that large SUVs and trucks need not be a dying breed.”
Buick Enclave – “This vehicle takes the crossover concept to new heights. It’s a people friendly package that does nothing to sacrifice high style or comfort. Great powertrain and competent road manners makes this vehicle a winner.”

Jacques Duval
Le Guide de l’auto

Cadillac CTS – “The car would make me think twice before buying a 3 series BMW, a Mercedes-Benz C350, an Audi A4 or an Infiniti G35. A definite sports sedan.”
Honda Accord – “The design of the coupe is stunning while the sedan is built with all the Honda attributes and more.”

Jeff Gilbert
WWJ Newsradio 950 / CBS Radio Network

Cadillac CTS – “A total transformation, makes the CTS a world class vehicle. And, to answer the commercial, ‘Yes it does return the favor.”
Buick Enclave – “A stunning exterior and an awesome interior set the standard for high end crossovers.”

John Gilbert
Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine / Freelance

Cadillac CTS – “Previous CTS revolutionized and revitalized Cadillac's image, and the new version improves on every aspect...Available all-wheel drive adds foul-weather security to a slick sports-luxury sedan.”
Chevrolet Malibu – “The 2008 Malibu is, in my opinion, the best Chevrolet ever built – even if you include '57 hardtops and vintage Corvettes. The blend of style, quality, performance, and creature-features, is only a nav-screen and stick-shift from perfection...but then, nothing is perfect.”
Honda Accord – “The eighth-generation Accord Sedan bolsters its midsize icon stature, and the accompanying Coupe is dazzling enough to win Car of the Year itself. The two cars in concert proves Honda has created true accord, so to speak.”
Buick Enclave – “If it's one of triplets, the Enclave is the one Mom always liked best...With style and class that sets the pace for all GM crossovers – and non-crossovers, as well.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “Impressive as it was when introduced a year ago, the new Tahoe Hybrid responds to both gas pedal and rising fuel costs to add decent fuel economy to all that towing, hauling and cruising.”
Mazda CX-9 – “Futuristic style and interior flexibility give the CX-9 user-friendliness with a flair, sending
the art of crossover SUVing hustling off on more enjoyable trips.”

Ken Gross
Playboy / Hemispheres / CARGO

Cadillac CTS – “Think Cadillac can’t build a serious sports sedan? Think again. GM’s engineers extensively tested the 08 CTS at Germany’s vaunted Nurburgring, and it shows. Starting at $38K, you get a lusty 304-bhp, 3.6-liter V-6 (that runs on regular) with a choice of 6-speed manual or manu-matic, crisp steering, a choice of chassis setups (we like the hardest-edged, FE3 version), optimal AWD, and high- capacity, twin-piston front brakes. The CTS’ 5.9-second 0-60 time is nearly as good as the outgoing CTS/V.”
Buick Enclave – “The curvaceous Enclave gives us hope for GM’s future. A no-excuses effort, it’s a stylish head-turner, in a compromise category where most competitors resemble shrunken minivans. A butter-smooth 275-bhp, 3.6-liter V-6 ensures you won’t be out-jumped at every stoplight. With a six-speed manu-matic and optional AWD, the luxurious Enclave compares favorably to the class-leading Acura MDX or Volvo XC90, and it’s measurably quieter than a Lexus RX400h. With optional 7-or 8-passenger seating, a top-shelf infotainment system, and an interior reminiscent of a much more expensive car, it’s easy to see why Buick had so many advance orders.”
Mazda CX-9 – “Mazda’s injected its ‘soul of a sports car’ philosophy into a stylish, great handling, no excuses, full-sized crossover that’ll get more than soccer moms back in the game. From its wedge-shaped, knife-edged grille and hyper-fast windscreen rake, to the chopped roofline and wide rear hatch, and urged on by a lusty 3.7-liter, 273-bhp V-6, the CX-9’s sporty nature handsomely rewards adventurous drivers. Perched on big 20-inch wheels that fill up the radiused wheel-wells, with ventilated discs on all four corners, this classy ‘station wagon on stilts’ will haul a family of seven, brave the worst winters, and deal handily with rough roads.”

James Healey
USA Today

Mazda CX-9 – “Mazda’s never done one like the CX-9, yet nails the bull’s eye first time out. A sweet combination of utility, sportiness and thoughtful design.”

Michelle Krebs
Freelance

Chevrolet Malibu – “The Chevrolet Malibu sets a new standard for the mid-size class.”
Buick Enclave – “Who can argue with the buyers on this one? GM can’t turn out enough of them, with the Enclave running at an ultra-low 20 day supply of inventory. GM hasn’t had a hit like the Enclave, and its Lambda crossover siblings – the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook, in who knows how long. GM nailed the crossover formula with the Enclave.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “GM deserves a lot of credit for being a leader in this innovative, fuel-saving technology, and at great risk. GM will eat the R&D cost of this one for awhile, and there’s no guarantee that buyers will flock to a hybrid-powered large SUV. But GM did it anyway.”
Mazda CX-9 – “Mazda hit the crossover target dead-on with the CX-9.”

Jim Mateja
The Chicago Tribune

Chevrolet Malibu – “A reason to add Malibu to the Accord/Camry shopping list. Promise delivered.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “Even tree huggers can wrap their arms around this one. Four wheel drive, tows 6,000 pounds, seats 7, and gets 20/21 m.p.g.”

Dan McCosh
Freelance

Cadillac CTS – “The case can be made that the Cadillac CTS proves that GM’s luxury division finally makes a sporty sedan competitive with the dominant German luxury cars. But that misses the point with the CTS. It does generate numbers close to BMW, Mercedes and Audi, and can be flung, if not tossed, around a road course. It’s main appeal, however, is maintaining the expansive feel and slightly over-the- top looks that give it a sense of personal style. All in all, a class act.”
Chevrolet Malibu – “The lesson in shooting skeet, is to aim ahead of the target if expect to hit it. Chevrolet’s new Malibu manages a clean hit on the leader of the flock by setting goals of refinement, roadworthy silence and interior room that would be noteworthy in an entry-level luxury car. With pricing that starts at a well-equipped $20,000, the new Malibu appears on the way to hogging the mid-priced intermediate segment that dominates the passenger car market. That’s precisely the kind of car that had allowed GM’s populist brand to dominate the industry for decades. Welcome back.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “Chevrolet’s Tahoe Hybrid marks a major turning point in the fast-shifting effort to improve the nation’s fuel efficiency. It retains the major features important to the large truck customer—particularly towing capacity and payload—while reducing its fuel consumption to the level of an average intermediate sedan. The Tahoe itself is an icon of pragmatic design. As a full-size SUV unabashedly truck like, it retains the chassis and drive train that comes into play when serious loads are being hauled. It does this only mildly camouflaged with the basic elements of a luxury sedan. Mainly, the Tahoe is about hauling loads of people and their stuff. The compact, multi-gear hybrid drive system developed to retain these essential features ultimately will offer the potential to make major gains if fuel efficiency without dramatically compromising the utility of heavier vehicles.”

Jim McCraw
Penthouse Magazine

Chevrolet Malibu / Mazda CX-9 – “The Malibu has really moved the needle up in American family car value, quality and style. Likewise, the CX9 shows that a crossover SUV doesn’t have to look like a shoebox to hold a family comfortably and with a great deal of style.”

Matt Nauman
Freelance

Cadillac CTS – “The new Cadillac CTS is perhaps the best car that GM has ever made, putting aside the Corvette, which often seems like an entirely different brand to me. Visually stunning; smooth and sophisticated on the road; an in-car entertainment system that makes you want to sit in the car instead of your living room to listen to music -- the new CTS adds warmth to the original model whose abrupt styling left me cold for several years.”
Chevrolet Malibu – “The Chevrolet Malibu marks a departure for General Motors, a confirmation of the automaker's intention to battle Toyota and Honda for mainstream, mid-size sedan supremacy. There's no doubt that the fanciest Malibu, with the V-6 engine and two-tone leather seats, is a superb car. But it was the overall soundness -- and outstanding value -- of the four-cylinder Malibu that convinced me that this indeed was a competitive entry.”
Honda Accord – “Honda's Accord has long been the ying to the Camry's yang, a mid-size, mainstream sedan with a bit more personality but just as much value and quality built in. This generation continues what has been a very long winning streak.”
Buick Enclave – “Nearly as good as Mazda's CX-9, the Buick Enclave puts GM in perfect position to grab buyers who are ready to crossover to a new kind of utility vehicle. Upscale touches lift the Enclave above the versions sold by Saturn and GMC, although I'd probably save a few bucks by buying the more affordable alternatives.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “averaged 19 mpg in my time behind the wheel of the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. That's very impressive for a huge SUV, and represents significant improvement over the gasoline version. Yet, I fear that buyers won't agree with GM's logic that improving fuel economy on the biggest vehicles makes the most sense. The success of the Toyota Prius seems to argue otherwise.”
Mazda CX-9 – “As America evolves from SUV to CUV, vehicles such as the Mazda CX-9 lead the way. It offers space and comfort; precise driving; passenger and cargo flexibility; brisk, if a bit redundant styling. On a family vacation to the desert southwest, the CX-9 carried a family of four with suitcases and coolers, baseball gloves and a tarantula, as we explored missions and mountains, sand and saguaros. It was a perfect traveling companion.”

Jayne O’Donnell
Freelance

Buick Enclave – “The first full-size SUV I’ve really enjoyed driving and would consider buying. It drives like a dream and is a serious match for pricier luxury models.”
Mazda CX-9 – “Impressive power, sleek styling, room for 7 and more safety than most people would think to ask for – what else would a Mom (or Dad) want?”

Mark Phelan
Detroit Free Press

Cadillac CTS – “A brilliant follow up to the car that put Cadillac back on the map as a serious luxury brand. Great exterior styling, a sophisticated and luxurious interior, nailed-down handling and a powerful direct-injection engine that runs on affordable regular gasoline combine to give Cadillac a knockout sport seden.”
Chevrolet Malibu – “A breakthrough. After stumbling for decades, Chevrolet produces a midsize sedan that is the best in its class for value, comfort, looks and fuel economy. This car validates all the work General Motors has been doing and keeps the promises the company has made.”
Buick Enclave – “Prestigious, quiet and comfortable, the Enclave is a welcome return to the virtues that made Buick the brand of emperors and movie stars. The Enclave gives the brand its first great vehicle in decades.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “The first vehicle to combine big-family size, serious towing capability and fuel-saving hybrid technology. A major accomplishment.”

Steven Cole Smith
Orlando Sentinel

Honda Accord – “Honda continues to raise the bar with the Accord, generation after generation, and this time, they've accompanied the inevitable mechanical prowess with genuinely hot styling that arguably looks more upscale than some members of Honda's upscale brand, Acura.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – "The Tahoe Hybrid is a technological tour-de-force that offers buyers a genuine no-compromise full-sized SUV, while making a modest but undeniable improvement in fuel mileage."

Tony Swan
Car and Driver

Cadillac CTS – “The original CTS started Cadillac down the road to a brash new image and an irrevocable break with its stodgy past. The second generation adds the refinement that makes this car a no excuses world class player.”
Mazda CX-9 – “The CX-9 is the best expression of an emerging vehicle class—the reduced-fat full-size SUV. Passenger car underpinnings make it lighter and more fuel efficient than traditional big SUVs, and Mazda’s emphasis on “zoom zoom” spirit make it more fun to drive.”

Paul Weissler
Motor

Cadillac CTS – “This next generation CTS fulfills the promise of the first: it’s now a true American sports sedan, ready to compete with Europe’s best in performance and handling. The styling may be evolved, but it was done well. The look still says this is a new model, and a lot of subtle touches, including creative use of lighting, add to the result. The driving experience is a well-executed combination – it accelerates well, it cruises smoothly, the ride is comfortable and any idle clatter from the direct-injection engine is well- damped. Fuel economy was an acceptable 22 mpg overall, almost none in straight highway driving.”
Chevrolet Malibu – “Malibu is supposed to be GM’s Camry-Accord-Altima fighter, and with the Saturn Aura as practical inspiration, finally seems to have gotten “it” right. The styling is a quantum leap from the “how did this happen” look of the previous generation. The 3.6 V-6 is an excellent performer, and delivered 23.4 mpg in mixed suburban driving (exactly the same as I got with the Accord). Ride quality is very good, just a bit firmer feel than a Camry, similar to the other Japanese competition. Fit/finish is right there, and the attractive pricing should make the Malibu very competitive.”
Honda Accord – “The new Accord is measurably more stylish on the outside. However, although the interior is much bigger, clean and uncluttered, it lacks a distinctive look, such as the pizzazz of the Civic. An improvement in ride smoothness is noteworthy, because the car retains its excellent handling. Increased body stiffness undoubtedly accounts for some of the better ride/handling equation, although there’s a downside to the engineering for stiffness (just a ski-size pass-through from the trunk). The V-6 with its cylinder deactivation produced suburban/highway mixed driving fuel economy of 23.4 mpg, which was within about 1 mpg of what I got with the 190-horsepower four-cylinder. The navigation system is definitely one of the easier to use.”
Buick Enclave – “I had to admit, I was surprised at up close, how stylish it is for its size, nothing dowdy about the look of this one. Overall interior comfort is excellent, and even the third row seat is comfortable, and has good access. The interior is very quiet -- we actually held a conversation in a normal tone during a drive on a windy day. Buick seems to be onto something with this model, definitely the best execution of the GM Lambda platform.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “When you’re paying over $3 a gallon for gas, and you need a really big hauler for people and cargo, you appreciate the big increase in fuel economy from this type of hybrid. I expected the big boost in short trip use, but the more than 15% increase in the highway economy makes a big impression. And the 20 mpg overall (on regular) I got with the 4WD was soooo close to what I’ve gotten with some vehicles that (speaking metaphorically) could fit in the cargo area. Most important: the hybrid operation is as seamless as on the small cars. GM has done a good job of systems integration with the big V-8.”
Mazda CX-9 – “Okay the third seat row is for kids, but Mazda has built a big crossover that handles well for its size. Thanks to its long wheelbase, it even rides fairly well in the process, although there is room for improvement in the damping. Using the big Ford V-6 gives the CX-9 a decent level of performance. Second and third row seats fold up and down easily, and the second row rolls forward easily for third row access.”

Gary Witzenburg
Freelance

Cadillac CTS – “The original was good and set a new Cadillac brand direction. This one surpasses it in every way. It stands head-to-head, or taller, with anything in its class at a much more affordable price.”
Chevrolet Malibu – “This fine, affordable beauty brings Chevrolet -- and General Motors -- back big- time into the volume mid-size sedan game. It's easily as good as anything near its price, and better than most.”
Buick Enclave – “This near-flawless three-row crossover sets a new benchmark for its class. It represents no less than the beginning of a much-needed Buick brand renaissance in North America.”
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – “The first fully functional full-size SUV with family sedan fuel efficiency.”