Reid Bigland, Head of Ram brand, poses with the award of the Truck of the Year for RAM 1500, at the North American International Auto Show media previews at Cobo Center in Detroit, the United States, on Jan. 14, 2019. The Hyundai Genesis G70 won car of the year, beating the Honda Insight and Volvo S60 during the opening ceremony of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

DETROIT, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Hyundai Genesis G70 won car of the year, beating the Honda Insight and Volvo S60 during the opening ceremony of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show.

The RAM 1500 is the 2019 Truck of the Year, beating the GMC Denali and the Chevrolet Silverado.

A new category was added in 2017, titled Utility of the Year. Judges believed that there were too many vehicles that did not fit in the truck or car category. The Hyundai Kona won Utility of the Year, beating the Jaguar I-PACE and Acura RDX.

In his speech accepting car of the year, Genesis Global Brand Chief Manfred Fitzgerald said, "This is very meaningful for us. This is only our third year as a brand, having recognition like this ... you cannot imagine how much this means to us."

According to the Car of the Year guidelines, the awards recognize the most outstanding vehicles of the year innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. To be eligible, vehicles must be "all new" or "substantially changed."

The awards, first given in 1994, are unique in North America because instead of being given by a single publication, website, radio or television program, they are given by automotive journalists.

This is the last year that NAIAS will be held in January. Beginning in 2020, the industry will hold the show in June. The North American International Auto Show expects to have 5,000 journalists from more than 60 countries, with some 30 vehicle debuts and more than 750 vehicles on display.