NA Car of the year

[Johnnymac]

So when it comes down to it, the finalists were:

- a redesigned compact sedan from a struggling company that doesn't really bring anything new to the table
- a hybrid coupe with a storied name that isn't particularly sporty
- a large coupe/sedan that has up to 550 hp

Is it really that surprising that the Charger won?

So the Sentra has been a loved compact by the media mostly due to its price point and their interior design and finishes.  In fact the last generation won awards for their interior alone.  I'm sure it drive fine and the power is adequate, but far from exciting.  It's sort of like the Mazda products in that they are loved for their design and driving manners but not as loved by the buying public.

The Honda Prelude, which is essentially a coupe Civic Hybrid with Type R suspension bits and no manual.  While it drives well and looks great, it is missing the soul of its past glory years.  Not to mention the big price tag.

Then you have the new Charger, that was designed from day one as an EV, and thus is quite compromised by that in ICE form.  There is no V8, no manual, it's noticeably heavier than the previous generation (even heavier than the massive engines Hellcats).  It handles poorly, the seating inside is strange as the floor is higher than you would expect (EV).  The design is okay, not ground breaking but not offensive either.  To me and others it isn't really an improvement from the previous generation, has less appeal. 

None of the three are really worthy of praise, but the Charger is least deserving.

[Johnnymac]

Yep, I would have 100% picked the Charger out of that group.

Would you pick it over a previous generation Hellcat or even Scat Pack?