2015 NX Makes Short List for North American Truck/Utility of the Year

This morning, Autoblog reported that the NX made the short list for the 2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year. And while it’s cool to see the NX mentioned as a competitor, am I the only one who thinks the category is kind of dumb? 

First, this isn’t to take away anything from the NX. In a segment which is basically defined by boring lines, Lexus delivered a visual katana with a top-notch interior. Slick Will.i.Am commercial aside, its best marketing will come from folks  seeing the NX in the wild–it stands out in a way that’s going to grab the attention of the upwardly mobile first-time luxury buyers Lexus is targeting. 

We’ve already seen a fantastic response from consumers in Japan–initial orders were 14 times original sales estimates–and I think Lexus will rule the school against luxury compact crossovers like the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, and the Audi Q3.

Speaking of competition, here’s the short list for the 2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year:    

Seriously? Who thinks that an NX should compete against an Ford F-150? Or a Chevy Colorado? This isn’t even an apples to orange comparison. This feels more like seeing cats entered into the Westminster Dog Show. The 2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year category is so convoluted, it’s kind of farcical, and the addition of the /Utility to the description is a hilarious reminder that this same collection of folks who lauded the Range Rover Evoque as the 2012 North American Truck of the Year. 

Now, it might sound outrageous, but maybe there should be a pickup truck category? Because pickups, station wagons–you aren’t fooling anyone Subaru–and compact crossovers serve different purposes, and really shouldn’t be pitted against each other. It dilutes the importance of the award when the competition varies so wildly. 

If I had to put money on a winner, I’d pick the F-150–not because I’d buy it over the NX–but because of its revolutionary aluminum construction.