Volvo's redesigned XC90, manufactured in Sweden by Chinese automaker Geely, was named the 2016 Truck/Utility of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday.

 

About 55 independent automotive journalists selected the XC90, and also chose the Honda Civic as the Car of the Year. It marked the first time since 2012 that both awards went to foreign manufacturers. The XC90 beat out the Nissan Titan XD and Honda Pilot. Civic bested the Chevrolet Malibu and the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

 

A vehicle must be all new or substantially changed to be eligible for the awards.. The redesigned XC90 sport utility offers an automatic system that steers, accelerates and brakes for drivers in slow traffic.

 

Volvo was sold in 2010 by Ford Motor Co to Geely Holding. Lex Kerssemakers, senior vice-president for the Americas, said the company plans to use the award in marketing the XC90. As we are using in the future the same platforms, the same drive trains for all the other cars to follow, this shows that were absolutely "on the right track," Kerssemakers said.

 

On Sunday night, General Motors Co unveiled its Envision, the first mass-market vehicle made in China to be sold in the US in the second quarter.

 

GM's sales in China rose 5 percent last year, and GM CEO Mary Barra said at the event that China's auto market, "is going to be more volatile, but we still believe over the long term the market (will have) substantial growth", according to Reuters.