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2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]

2012 is almost in the books and automakers are spending December gearing up for the 2013 auto show season, which tips off next month at the Detroit Auto Show. Traditionally, the latter opens up with the announcement of the North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards, and this year figures to be no different.
But up until this moment, we didn't know which six vehicles would be parked ahead of the stage as finalists, with executives and engineers waiting for the winners to be disclosed. Whittled down from October's "short list" of nominees (11 cars and 10 truck/utility vehicles), the finalists are as follows:
2013 North American Car of the Year:

Import pickup truck-killing Chicken Tax to be repealed?

After over 50 years, the so-called Chicken Tax may finally be going the way of the dodo. Two pending trade deals with countries in the Pacific Rim and Europe potentially could open the US auto market up to imported trucks, if the measures pass. Although, it still might be a while before you can own that Volkswagen Amarok or Toyota Hilux, if ever. The 25-percent import tariff that the Chicken Tax imposes on foreign trucks essentially makes the things all but impossible to sell one profitably in the US, which lends a distinct advantage to domestic pickups. Both the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 12 counties and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union would finally end the charge. According to Automotive News though, don't expect new pickups to flood the market, at least not immediately. These deals might roll back the tariff gradually over time, and in the case of Japan, it could be as long as 25 years before fully free trade. Furthermore, Thailand, a major truck builder in Asia, isn't currently part of the deal, and any new models here would still need to meet safety and emissions rules, as well. Automotive News gauged the very early intentions of several automakers with foreign-built trucks, and they weren't necessarily champing at the bit to start imports. Toyota thinks the Hilux sits between the Tundra and Tacoma, and Mazda doesn't think the BT-50 fits its image here. Also, VW doesn't necessarily want to bring the Amarok over from Hannover. There is previous precedent for companies at least considering bringing in pickup trucks after the Chicken Tax's demise, though. The Pacific free trade deal could be done as soon as this fall, while the EU one is likely further out, according to Automotive News. Given enough time, the more accessible ports could allow some new trucks to enter the market.

Turbo Mazda6 starts at $30,090, only base trim gets manual

We learned last fall that the 2018 Mazda6 is getting a slew of updates to its appearance and refinement, as well as introducing this generation's first turbocharged engine (may we never forget the old Mazdaspeed6). Now we know how much it will cost to get that 2.5-liter four-cylinder's 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque: $30,090. This is the base price of the Mazda6 Grand Touring, which is the entry trim level to this engine. In fact, the Grand Touring will only come with the turbo engine, as will the new Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trim levels. The base-level Sport trim and higher-level Touring will only come with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder (187 hp, 186 lb-ft of torque) that now comes with cylinder-deactivation. Every Mazda6 will receive a comprehensive series of updates when it arrives at dealerships this April. The revised Sport, which comes with cloth manual seats, dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, blind-spot warning, rear-cross traffic assist and low speed automatic emergency braking, is only $5 more than the outgoing 2017.5 model for a new base price of $22,840. The optional automatic adds another $1,050 to the price. Moving up to Touring limits you to only the automatic transmission and adds 19-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, a power driver's seat, heated front seats, a sunroof, and rear air vents. It starts at $26,590, $455 more than the outgoing model with the optional automatic. Moving up to the Grand Touring brings us to the turbo engine. It also adds an 11-speaker Bose sound system, navigation, heated side mirrors, and an auto-dimming driver's mirror. It also gets shift paddles on the steering wheel, so although the turbo engine won't be available with a manual, there will be a way to conveniently shift gears. Its price is $30,090, and as a point of reference, the cheapest Honda Accord with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine starts at $31,200 with either a manual or automatic transmission. The Grand Touring Reserve comes in at $32,590. This trim adds a heads-up display, rear spoiler, windshield wiper de-icers, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, real leather upholstery, and power adjustment and ventilation for both front seats. The range-topping Signature starts at $35,640 and adds Nappa leather, UltraSuede trim, parking sensors, 360-degree camera views and a configurable instrument screen. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.