The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) announced seven category winners for MAMA’s Favorite Vehicle of 2024 awards. Valley Hi Toyota is pleased to announce that MAMA’s Favorite Affordable Vehicle Award winner went to the all-new 2024 Grand Highlander. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max will join the six other category winners for the overall title of MAMA’s Favorite Car.
What is MAMA?
This is the 33rd year for the Midwest Automotive Media Association, which consists of 273 automotive journalists and public relations professionals from across the country and Canada. The automotive journalists test drive vehicles individually throughout the year, and each year, all members are invited to gather together for three drive events:
- The MAMA Spring Rally
- MAMA’s Favorites Fall Fest
- Chicago Drives Electric
Before this year, MAMA had only two category awards. One for Family Vehicle of the Year and the other for Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year. But this year, the organization expanded its award categories to “recognize the diversity of vehicles available and of interest to the readers, viewers, and listeners of MAMA’s membership base.”
Voting on their category favorites narrowed a field of over 100 eligible models to a few select members in each category. They selected the Grand Highlander and the six other category winners and finalists in November.
“With more than 100 new, redesigned, or refreshed vehicles MAMA members could drive during 2023, it was time to assess the breadth and depth of product at each event and for the year as a whole,” said Robert Duffer, MAMA President. “You could say MAMA loves all of her vehicles equally, but everyone knows there’s only one MAMA’s Favorite.”
MAMA clearly makes the most of its acronym. While they did not elaborate on their reasons for selecting the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max, it’s evident that by specifically selecting the Hybrid Max grade, they were impressed by how well the hybrid drivetrain fits in with the Grand Highlander’s mission while providing EPA-estimated 27 / 24 / 36 city/highway / combined mpg.
Grand Highlander Has Families Covered
That mission is to provide room for up to eight adult-size people. Even with all seats in use, 21 cubic feet of cargo space remains. The cabin and all three rows have convenient storage spaces for travel items. Fold-flat 2nd & 3rd-row seats enable up to 98 cubic feet of cargo space when needed. Throughout the cabin are thoughtful features and available niceties such as a hands-free power liftgate, heated and ventilated 1st & 2nd-row seats, seven USC-C ports, and more.
MAMA members will now vote on which of the seven finalists they will award as MAMA’s Favorite Vehicle of 2024. That announcement will come on February 8th at the 2024 Chicago Auto Show during a MAMA-hosted breakfast. If the Grand Highlander takes the top prize, you can be sure Valley Hi Toyota will post it in this blog. In the meantime, if you are interested in a 3-row SUV for your family, visit Valley Hi Toyota to see what makes the Grand Highlander a winner.
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