Chicago, Illinois (Feb. 7, 2019) – The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) announced today at the Chicago Auto Show that the 2019 Subaru Ascent has been named the winner of its ninth annual Family Vehicle of the Year award, and the 2019 Volvo XC40 has been named the inaugural winner of the Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year award.
MAMA is a nonprofit group of automotive journalists and public relations professionals, and it developed the awards to help car-shopping families make a wise decision when they’re ready for a new vehicle.
“Choosing a family vehicle is an important decision. Whether it’s a premium-brand or mainstream model, it should be versatile, reliable, efficient, and reasonably priced. MAMA members pooled their expertise and experience to select the best family vehicles from an outstanding group of new and significantly refreshed models, and the Subaru Ascent and Volvo XC40 came out on top,” said MAMA award coordinator Tim Healey.
To qualify for the award, vehicles had to have four doors, appear at one of MAMA’s two annual rallies, and be new or significantly updated within a year of the 2018 Spring Rally, which took place in May 2018. The MAMA Spring and Fall Rallies feature roughly 100 manufacturer vehicles for journalists to drive and evaluate.
Voting took place at both rallies, and the field of contenders was narrowed down to 11 finalists in the mainstream category: the Buick Regal TourX, Ford Expedition, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Kona, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda6, Nissan Altima, Ram 1500, Subaru Ascent, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Jetta. There were six finalists in the luxury category: the Acura RDX, Kia Stinger, Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Lexus ES, Maserati Levante, and Volvo XC40.
In each round of voting, three points were awarded for a first-place vote, two points were given for a second-place vote and third-place votes were valued at one point each.
MAMA members then voted in one final round, and 91 automotive journalists participated. The 2019 Subaru Ascent was selected as Family Vehicle of the Year with 100 points, ahead of the 2018 Ford Expedition, which garnered 74 points. The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe placed third with 61 points.
The 2019 Volvo XC40 was crowned Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year with 151 points, edging out the 2019 Acura RDX, which netted 133 points. The 2019 Kia Stinger rounded out the top three with 82 points.
Voting for the 2020 Family Vehicle of the Year awards will begin at the 2019 MAMA Spring Rally, which is scheduled for May 22-23 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The 2019 MAMA Fall Rally is tentatively scheduled for October 2.
For more information about the Midwest Automotive Media Association, please visit www.mamaonline.org.
About the Midwest Automotive Media Association
Founded in 1991, and now in its 28th year, the Midwest Automotive Media Association comprises 261 automotive journalists and public relations professionals from 23 states and the District of Columbia. Though based in the Chicago area, MAMA welcomes members from all parts of the country. The organization’s primary purpose is to provide a forum for newsworthy people, current issues, and new products in the auto industry.
