FREE PRESS CAR & TRUCK OF THE YEAR
FREE PRESS CAR & TRUCK OF THE YEAR
Malibu, Enclave revive traditions; Sync looks ahead
Yesterday, today and tomorrow meet in the Free Press’ 2008 automotive awards.
The new Chevrolet Malibu and Buick Enclave channel the spirits of Christmas past and present, two terrific vehicles that represent a return to the qualities that powered their brands for decades.
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As the Free Press 2008 Car and Truck of the Year, the Malibu and Enclave embody a company-wide resurgence at General Motors Corp.
The Malibu and Enclave also got my vote for 2008 North American Car and Truck of the Year. The winners will be announced Jan. 13 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
For the shape of things to come, look to Sync, the groundbreaking system Ford developed with Microsoft. Someday, all cars will seamlessly mesh with electronics such as mobile phones and iPods, but Ford got there first with Sync, which gets a special onetime award as Free Press Gadget of the Year.
The Malibu and Enclave, on the other hand, represent a return to the values that once made Buick and Chevrolet two of America’s most respected brands.
Most of us aren’t old enough to remember it, but the name Buick once had as much value as Lexus does today. Buicks were stylish and luxurious, the chosen cars of cultural icons such as Cary Grant, Bob Hope and the last emperor of China.
The Enclave marks Buick’s return to that level of excellence. The seven- or eight-seat crossover is luxurious, quiet and the best vehicle in its class.
Chevrolet became America’s best-selling brand by offering customers more style and equipment than they expected at an affordable price.
The 2008 Malibu nails that formula, offering a striking design, plenty of features and more comfort than perennially best-selling midsize sedans such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Ford’s Sync is a totally 21st-Century device that lets you use spoken commands to make phone calls and play music, but it’s also a return to the principle that made Ford great 100 years ago. From the Model T to the flathead V8, Ford’s strength has always been making technology available to the average consumer. The company’s introduction of the revolutionary Sync as an inexpensive option on its Focus compact car is true to that heritage.
