2016 Autobytel Car and Truck of the Year Awards

2016 BMW 7series

Every year Autobytel's editorial team puts their heads together and sifts through the best of what's new on the automotive market to select the Autobytel Car of the Year and Autobytel Truck of the Year. In addition to these two top picks, Editor-in-Chief Joni Gray and the entire expert crew also put forward their choices for the most appealing cars, crossovers, and SUVs in each of the key industry segments. The saying might be a bit of a cliché, but that doesn't mean it's not true: There really aren't many "bad" cars out there anymore, which makes it that much harder to decide which models are truly deserving of being singled out. Once the dust had cleared and the votes were tallied, two champions emerged: Autobytel's Car of the Year for 2016 is the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, and Autobytel's Truck of the Year for 2016 is the 2016 Honda Pilot. This pair leads a pack of nine category winners that in our minds represent that best of the best for anyone looking for a brand-new vehicle. Check out our full run-down on this year's winners.

Overall winners - the 2016 Chevrolet Volt and the 2016 Honda Pilot

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is the successful sequel to the brand's extended-range electric car, and there's a lot to like about the changes that have been made as a part of its redesign. Battery range jumps to 53 miles thanks to a boost in battery capacity, a new direct-injected gas generator adds another 390 miles of driving per tank of fuel, and overall efficiency climbs to 42 mpg combined. Oh, and did we mention the smooth-riding Volt is packed with technology like 4G LTE Wi-Fi, adaptive cruise control, a self-parking feature, and the latest edition of the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system? Chevrolet's EV is more than just an impressive piece of eco-friendly engineering — as evidenced by it also having taken top honors as Autobytel's Alternative Fuel Car of the Year — it also happens to be a great all-around automobile. See our 10 Reasons why the Chevrolet Volt is our 2016 Autobytel Car of the Year, or read on for more award winners.

The 2016 Honda Pilot is bigger, comfier, and more powerful, and yet this redesigned eight-passenger SUV is also lighter, handles better, and is more frugal at the pump as compared to the model it replaces. That alone is enough for a people mover like the Pilot to catch anyone's eye, but cementing its status as the Autobytel SUV/Crossover of the Year as well as the overall Autobytel Truck of the Year winner is Honda's masterful execution of its design philosophy: top notch materials, excellent fit and finish, and segment-topping reliability. The Pilot also takes the lead in safety, including unique features such as LaneWatch and Road Departure Mitigation that helps keep the vehicle off the shoulder should you get drowsy behind the wheel. See our 10 Reasons why the Honda Pilot is our 2016 Autobytel Truck of the Year, or read on for more award winners.

Photo by Drew Phillips

2016 Honda Civic: Autobytel Compact Car of the Year

The 2016 Honda Civic seems poised to take back its crown in the compact car segment. Two new four-cylinder engines — including a turbocharged 1.5-liter unit — lead the charge for the redesigned Civic, along with the choice between a six-speed manual or a CVT gearbox that improves fuel efficiency to 42 mpg highway. Styling has been kicked up a notch, too, and Honda's made sure to stock the new $18,640 Civic (available as both a sedan and a coupe) with enough tech options to make entry-level buyers think they've luckily stumbled into an Acura.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Autobytel Convertible of the Year

Last year's runner-up, the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata leverages its complete redesign to take top honors as the Autobytel Convertible of the Year for 2016. The new Miata stays true to Mazda's successful small roadster formula with its lightweight platform, excellent handling, and modest but fun 155-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Priced at $24,915 for the base model, it's hard to find a driving experience as pure as that offered by the Mazda MX-5 Miata even if you're willing to spend many times its window sticker.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu: Autobytel Sedan of the Year

The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is a perfect example of the Bowtie brand's surge in the family segment. A bigger back seat, styling that sheds its previous rental-car persona in favor of sleek and attractive sheet metal, and a trio of four-cylinder engine choices — including a turbocharged 1.5-liter mill good for 160 horsepower and a 250 horsepower 2.0-liter — highlight the improvements made to the new Malibu. Chevrolet's Autobytel Sedan of the Year also boasts better fuel mileage than before, a fresh eight-speed automatic transmission, and a very affordable starting price of just $21,625.

2016 BMW 7 Series: Autobytel Luxury Car of the Year

The 2016 BMW 7 Series snags Autobytel Luxury Car of the Year honors by way of its ones and zeros. The most digitized full-size four-door to ever leave Bavaria, the BMW 7 Series offers next-level technology like gesture controls for its infotainment system, an in-car tablet that's linked to its up-to-three infotainment screens, and a…scent dispenser? Whatever your premium predilections might be, the new BMW 7 Series has you covered whether you opt for the $81,300 entry-level 740i and its turbocharged six-cylinder engine or spring for the 445 horsepower turbocharged V-8 found in the 750i.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Autobytel Sports Car of the Year

No, it's not a typo: The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is taking home dual honors this year for being both the Best Convertible as well as the Autobytel Sports Car of the Year. Everything we mentioned above about the MX-5 Miata's low-mass design philosophy and its giggle-inducing chassis tuning helps propel it past much more powerful sports car options, proving that it's not just tire smoke and big displacement motors that can stir the blood. Sometimes, as demonstrated here, it's the connection between the driver, the car, and the pavement underneath the wheels that proves to be far more important.

2016 Chevrolet Volt: Autobytel Alternative Fuel Car of the Year

In addition to earning the title of Autobytel Car of the Year, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt also lays claim to the Autobytel Alternative Fuel Car of the Year. The Volt's impressive electric drivetrain and redesigned gasoline range extender have no real peer for the 2016 model year in terms of green innovation, and the fact that the hatchback's EV operating mode matches the majority of American commuting needs while offering a backup for longer trips proves that you no longer have to compromise to own an electric car.

2016 Nissan Titan XD: Autobytel Pickup Truck of the Year

The 2016 Nissan Titan XD is kind of an underdog. In a world where Ford, Ram, and Chevrolet have dominated the pickup discussion for decades, the Titan was an afterthought, but the redesigned Nissan Titan thinks outside the box and gives us the brand's first legitimate truck contender in ten years. With a mighty turbodiesel V-8 sourced from Cummins under the hood and an unusual, not-quite-heavy-duty platform that maximizes towing and practicality thanks to its gobs of torque, the Nissan Titan XD earns its Autobytel Pickup Truck of the Year stripes by challenging the norm.

2016 Honda Pilot: Autobytel SUV/Crossover of the Year

The 2016 Honda Pilot was a natural choice as the Autobytel SUV/Crossover of the Year, given that it had already dazzled us to the point where it took ownership of the overall Truck of the Year title. Among the most recent crop of sport-utility vehicles and crossovers, the Honda Pilot was the one that made the biggest leap forward in terms of tech, power, efficiency, and styling — all while keeping in mind the importance of its human cargo. Honda joins Chevrolet as the only automakers to place two vehicles among our 2016 award winners.

Photo by Drew Phillips

2016 Volvo XC90: Autobytel Luxury SUV/Crossover of the Year

The 2016 Volvo XC90 is a tour de force that aims to dramatically reposition the Swedish brand in the minds of premium shoppers. Autobytel's Luxury SUV/Crossover of the Year is gorgeous inside and out, with a passenger cabin that's light years ahead of anything Volvo has ever presented in terms of comfort and quality. Combine that with a $43,950 price tag, a series of turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder engines, and a plug-in hybrid model, and you've got a recipe for the most ground-breaking vehicle to have emerged from Gothenburg in years.