In what is possibly the biggest comeback in the Japanese carmaker's history, the 2016 iteration of the Honda Civic has been named the North American Car of the Year in the North American Car and Truck Awards Monday in Detroit, according to CNN Money.
The award was announced as the North American International Auto Show, the nation's most closely watched automotive exhibition, opened.
The Honda Civic has hit a number of rough patches in recent years, with the 2011 model being panned by critics and consumers alike. Though a thorough makeover in 2012 improved the Civic, it still needed something more to recapture the hearts of consumers and critics alike.
For the 2016 model, Honda completely redesigned the Civic, making it longer, wider and lower, invoking an assertive, sporty appearance. The car's engines were also improved, with higher-end models featuring turbocharged engines, reports The Detroit Free Press.
In fact, even the lower-end models of the 2016 Civic, which are equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that puts out 158 horsepower, still produce more power than the iconic car's main competitors, the Toyota Corolla and the Hyundai Elantra.
Meanwhile, Volvo's crossover SUV, the XC90, won the Truck of the Year award. Though with a noticeably large frame, the XC90 features a small 2.0-liter, four cylinder engine that is supercharged and turbocharged, producing an impressive 316 horsepower, according to MSN Autos.
The North American Car and Truck Awards are determined by 55 prominent automotive journalists, who vote on the winners from a list of finalists.
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