Launched earlier this year, this South Korean compact sedan is shortlisted for this prestigious award alongside Genesis G80 and the Nissan Sentra.
The eventual winner of this award will be announced through a virtual event on Jan 11, 2021.
If the Elantra were to emerge victorious in this prestigious award, this will further add to its ever-growing trophy cabinet, the most recent addition being the victory in the 2021 Kelly Blue Book Best Buy Award.
This multi award-winning sedan has recently gone on sale in Malaysia too, being officially imported by Hyundai Sime Darby Malaysia.
Priced at RM158,888 (inclusive of sales tax), the Elantra is offered here in only one very well-equipped variant, powered by a naturally aspirated 123 PS/154 Nm 1.6 litre four-cylinder mated to an Intelligent Variable Transmission CVT.
Moving onto this award in general, aside from the North American Car of the Year award, these 50 professional automotive journalists from the US and Canada will also be crowning the North American Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year 2021 at the same event.
The judges make up the respected jurors for the ‘longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a single publication, website, radio or television station’.
The three finalists for the Truck of the Year 2021 award are the Ford F-150, Jeep Gladiator and the Ram 1500 TRX.
For the Utility Vehicle of the Year 2021 crown meanwhile, the fight is between the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Genesis GV80 and Land Rover Defender.
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