2024 TRUCK OF THE YEAR MADE IN MICHIGAN

AFTER DECADES IN THE WEST, TRUCK OF THE YEAR MOVES TO MICHIGAN

"I hear they know a thing or two about trucks in Detroit,” big boss Ed Loh said when explaining why, for the first time in MotorTrend’s 75-year history, we conducted one of our signature Of The Year evaluations in the Motor City.

His quip should be a reality check for anyone who believes the Detroit manufacturers face imminent extinction. 

California represents the technological tip of the auto industry spear, but Detroit still understands what millions of Americans really want. Remember, the three most popular vehicles in the U.S.—the Ford F-Series, the Chevrolet Silverado, and the Ram pickup line—are built by automakers that call Michigan home.

The boss wasn’t just talking about the manufacturers, though. Moving Truck of the Year across the country was an opportunity to flex the Michigan testing capabilities we’ve built for the past 18 months. Last spring, as part of that effort, we hired senior technical editor Matt Chudzinski from Roush, a contract engineering firm that also dabbles in slapping superchargers on Fords. If you own a Roush Mustang built between 2011 and 2012, there’s a decent chance Chudzinski bolted the blower to the engine. And at Disneyland you can bobsled through a Mickey Mouse version of the Matterhorn in cars he fabricated.