Which Car and Which Truck Next Year?

General Motors and Nissan dominate the list of 14 cars being considered for the 2011 North American Car of the Year. The list includes two electric vehicles, the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, informs North American Car of the Year Organizing Committee.

The awards are considered unique in the United States because — instead of being given by a single media outlet — they are awarded by automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites.

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Twenty-seven new cars were eligible for the 2011 North American Car of the Year award. Earlier this week jurors voted on those they thought deserved additional consideration or what is known as the “short list.”

That narrowed the field to 14 semi-finalist cars, which will be on the ballot in December.

General Motors and Nissan each have three models on the short list. There are four European models, four domestic and four from Japan. Two are from Korea.

The jurors did not vote on the trucks because there were only 14 and it did not seem necessary to narrow the field from that original list.

The three car and three truck finalists will be announced on December 16th at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit.

The final two winners, a North American Car of the Year and a North American Truck of the Year, will be announced in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

This is the 18th year of the awards, which are funded exclusively by the jurors. During that time:

Domestic automakers have won North American Car of the Year nine times. European automakers have won four times, Japanese automakers have won three times. A Korean automaker has won once.

Domestic automakers have won North American Truck of the Year 11 times. Japanese automakers have won four times. European automakers have won twice.

Last year the North American Car of the Year was the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the North American Truck of the Year was the Ford Transit Connect.

2011 North American Car of the Year Short List

• Audi A8
• Buick Regal
• Chevrolet Cruze
• Chevrolet Volt
• Ford Fiesta
• Hyundai Sonata/2.0T/Hybrid
• Infiniti M37/56
• Jaguar XJ
• Kia Optima
• Mazda Mazda2
• Nissan Juke
• Nissan Leaf
• Volkswagen Jetta
• Volvo S60

North American Truck of the Year Short List

• Dodge Durango
• Ford Edge
• Ford Explorer
• Honda Odyssey
• Hyundai Tucson
• Infiniti QX56
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Kia Sorento
• Kia Sportage
• Lincoln MKX
• Mercedes-Benz R-Class
• Porsche Cayenne
• Toyota Sienna
• Volkswagen Touareg

The lists were released by the North American Car of the Year Organizing Committee on Friday, Sept. 24.