Hyundai Sonata and Palisade Named Finalists for 2020 North American Car and Utility of the Year

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata and Palisade models were named among the top-three finalists for the prestigious 2020 North American Car of the Year and Utility of the Year awards.

This is the second consecutive year that a Hyundai model has been nominated to the finalist round, with the 2019 Hyundai Kona and Kona Electric CUV named the winner of the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The 2020 category winners will be announced in January at the TCF Center in Detroit in a partnership with the Detroit Auto Dealers Association and the North American International Auto Show.

“It is an honor to have our two flagship vehicles, Sonata and Palisade, named as top finalists for North American Car of the Year,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product, Corporate and Digital Planning. “Hyundai’s dedication to design excellence and performance coupled with industry-leading safety and technology is paramount and reigns true in these two models. The Palisade continues to exceed expectations in its first year, while we’re excited to introduce the Sonata to reinforce our commitment to the sedan market.”

The 2020 Sonata is the first model to be based on Hyundai’s new, innovative vehicle platform, which delivers improvements in overall driving performance. The car uses an extensive application of advanced technologies to boost comfort, convenience and active safety, including Digital Key Technology—allowing the vehicle to be unlocked, started and driven without a physical key. The new Digital Key can be utilized by up to four authorized users, facilitating seamless vehicle sharing. Users’ preferred settings are also stored in the car, meaning that when a user is recognized, the vehicle automatically adjusts settings for side mirrors, radio presets, sound settings, and seat positioning.

The Palisade rides on an all-new SUV chassis with exceptional second- and third-row seating up to eight passengers, coupled with a generous cargo area and reconfiguration flexibility as part of its intuitive utility design. Hyundai’s new premium flagship offers industry-first and class-exclusive technologies as part of a host of safety and convenient technology features such as Hyundai Smart Sense which is standard in every Palisade.

The jury for the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards includes 50 automotive journalists from numerous outlets in the United States and Canada. Jurors evaluate the finalists based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.