BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Alabama-made Hyundai Elantra has won the title of 2012 North American Car of the Year.
The 2011 model of the Elantra sedan, currently manufactured at the Montgomery Hyundai plant.
The Elantra, made at the automaker's Montgomery plant, was chosen by a jury of 50 automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada, according to a press release announcing the winner. The winners were announced Monday morning at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
"The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year," the release said. "These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, comfort, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar."
Other top finishers were the Volkswagen Passat and the Ford Focus, which came in second and third place.
Hyundai's award won't help the company sell more because it's already selling as many as it can make at the factory, John Krafcik, chief executive of Hyundai's North American unit, according to the Associated Press. However, he said it will help the brand's image.
Sales of the Elantra reached 186,361 in 2011, a 41 percent improvement over the previous year.