At the media preview day for the Detroit Auto Show on Sunday, January 13, the Chevy Malibu, a mid-sized sedan, was named North American Car of the Year.

The comparable award for Truck of the Year, was bestowed on the Mazda CX-9, which is actually an SUV in the new "crossover" genre.

The selection of both awards was made by a panel of 47 journalists who specialize in writing about the automotive world in both Canada and the United States.

The qualifying stipulations for the award are that the vehicles under consideration must be either new offerings or existing models that have been significantly redesigned from the prior model year.

A total of thirteen cars and fifteen trucks were considered by the panel that chose the Chevrolet Malibu, a car that has received excellent reviews from the media.

The Malibu features a twin-cockpit reminiscent of the Corvette and has a smooth-sided exterior with wide window pillars to the rear and side turn signals mimicking the look of luxury sedans by European carmakers.

Last year a General Motors sedan, the Saturn Aura, a model sharing much of the Malibu's engineering, picked up the prestigious award, making this year's designation an even greater coup for GM.

The Mazda CX-9, however, unseated last year's GM truck winner, the Chevrolet Silverado, which was among the finalists under consideration.

The CX-9, already named SUV of the year by Motor Trend, has an excellent reputation for handling and ride quality, rare for a three-seat sport utility vehicle.