Popular Mechanics Presents First Car of the Year Trophy to 2013 Ford Escape

After more than a century in print, Popular Mechanics has finally gotten around to creating its own annual awards list for the auto industry, with a panel of expert judges naming the redesigned 2013 Ford Escape as the magazine’s very first “Car of the Year.”

The verdict here: “This is an affordable vehicles that excels in multiple auto-excellence categories, not just one. No vehicle hit a variety of marks harder or topped more editors’ scorecards than the all-new 2013 Ford Escape.”

The other honorees from Popular Mechanics included:

• Fun to Drive—Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S
• Performance—Chevy Camaro ZL1
• Hauling—Ram 1500
• Luxury—Cadillac ATS
• Design—SRT Viper
• Versatility—Nissan Pathfinder
• Technical Innovation—Tesla Model S
• Value—Hyundai Elantra GT
• Fuel-efficiency—Toyota Prius c