Motor Trend OTY awards

"boxrocket" (boxrocket)
11/17/2015 at 00:55 • Filed to: motor trend, oty

I’ve more or less dismissed Motor Trend as a publication, and have held them in great disdain for a number of years now. Their annual “Of The Year” awards have been especially infuriating.

Obviously, it’s a magazine, and in the current market, they’re largely a face for advertisers (go to their webpage without Ad Blocker on and note that a Chevy Silverado ad obscures half the landing home page), or perhaps their parent company got a lot of GM stock around the time of the bailout. The last few years have felt more like a “GM OTY” award than anything actually compelling or definitive from a once-known “industry leader”:

This year, they’ve awarded the Chevy Colorado as Truck OTY, which they also did last year, simply because it has a diesel engine now. Last year it beat out the remarkable 2015 F-150 despite the Ford’s all-aluminum body and useful, functional features.

The Camaro took Car OTY. I honestly don’t know how, as it still suffers the same critical flaw as the fifth-gen car, being absurdly-terrible visibility. It beat the amazingly-lightweight and enjoyable Miata, new Genesis, and a few others. Last year they awarded the Golf family, and a Cadillac the year before that.

The Volvo XC90 took SUV OTY, which is surprisingly justifiable. But GM also didn’t have any finalists or contenders in that category, so someone else had to win.

DISCUSSION (6)

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > boxrocket
11/17/2015 at 01:14

I was a bit surprised the F-150 didn’t win last year, but this year’s results seem pretty straightforward. The COTY and TOTY fields were pretty soft this year.

Alfalfa > boxrocket
11/17/2015 at 01:15

Questionable OTY choices has been their thing for decades, though. Notable winners include the PT Cruiser, Mustang II, and the last Thunderbird.

El Rivinado > boxrocket
11/17/2015 at 01:21

I mean Motor Trend’s stuff has always been questionable, so it’s really not that surprising. Just as well, since I find the new XC90 overrated and ugly as all sin.

*Gets up from computer, runs into room, loads up M1 Garand, bolts door and prepares for the inevitable shitstorm.*

boxrocket > Alfalfa
11/17/2015 at 01:34

I have no quibble with the Thunderbird, though it may not have been the best choice that year (I’d have to look up what else was in competition with that year, but I'm trying to fall asleep now). The PTCruiser, New Beetle, Mustang II, and others are definitely questionable choices.

Amoore100 > El Rivinado
11/17/2015 at 02:43

Meh, I’m not gonna knock on you for hating the XC90. I personally like the car, but hate the concept. Dunno why we’re still trying to make SUVs work around town, given that they’re meant to be driven where the paved road ends...give me a proper station wagon for errand duty and I’ll be happy...oh wait, I have one ;)

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > boxrocket
11/17/2015 at 08:30

TOTY was justified because the rest of the competition was, well, not worthy of winning it at all IMO. I thought the Titan would win it, but after reading reviews it seems like there’s nothing particularly good about it besides the engine.

I was kinda surprised the Camaro won COTY, but hey, I ain’t complaining. I also didn’t really follow COTY closely. Though aside from the “visibility issues” I haven’t heard a bad thing about the new Camaro.

Also, on the SUVOTY front, last year GM had all their new SUVs in there last year. They lost to a Honda CRV so there goes that theory of GM paying them off or whatever.