Detroit Auto Show is just a few sleeps away. And earlier today, the list of finalists for the 2009 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards was released. Included in the list are two vehicles from Ford Motor Company – the 2009 Ford F-150 and the Ford Flex. The Hyundai Genesis is also included, marking the history of Korean automobiles as the first ever Korean vehicle to make it to the finals. So I guess Hyundai and FoMoCo are celebrating this time.

Contenders of the Hyundai Genesis for the Car of the Year award include the Ford Flex, Mazda 6, and Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The Truck of the Year, on the other hand, is expected to be a battle between the 2009 Ford F-150, Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC, and the Dodge Ram.

To qualify for these very prestigious awards, vehicles must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model. For this year, the jury, which is composed of 50 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada, considered more than 50 vehicles but only 14 cars and 11 trucks made it to the semi-final round of voting.

Info Credit: North American Car of the Year
Image Credit: thetorquereport, myride