Hyundai, the well known South Korean automaker gain the car-of-the-year award at the Detroit auto show on Sunday, marking a major step in its push to make a more upscale, mass-market vehicle for U.S. customers.

The Hyundai Genesis amazed some to beat out the Ford Flex and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI for the North American Car of the Year, while Ford’s F-150 come first Truck of the Year honors. Hyundai Genesis closely beat out the Ford Flex, a seven-passenger crossover vehicle. The Genesis is Hyundai’s first rear wheel drive car which is powered by a V-8 engine, another first for the car manufacturer. But Ford motor won top truck honors for its Ford F-150 in the awards presented on the first day of media previews for the North American International auto show in Detroit.

This year was the sixteenth year for the awards at the Detroit show, generally the global industry’s largest car show event. Last year General Motors won car-of-the-year for the Chevrolet Malibu and took both car and truck honors at the 2007 show.

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