The Hyundai Genesis became the first Korean-brand vehicle named North American Car of the Year.
The F-150 had its rollout to dealers delayed in 2008 because truck sales started plummeting in May when gasoline prices went higher than $3.50 a gallon.
High gas prices, stagnant housing activity and the recession clobbered truck sales through the year, though stunning drops in gas prices the last two months have led consumers back to trucks to some extent.
Still, the F-series trucks were the top-selling vehicle in America for the 27th consecutive year.
The car and truck of the year honors are decided by votes of auto critics.
One of them, Matt DeLorenzo of Road & Track magazine, praised the quiet, comfortable ride of the redesigned F-150s, which start at $21,565.
"On the last go-round, Ford set the bar high with its high-quality interior and has managed to improve upon it with a completely new design," he wrote in his ballot comments. "Improvements in sound isolation, visibility and drivability are icing on the cake."
Ford's truck marketing manager, Doug Scott, said Sunday's award is another nod to what Ford expects to remain the country's best selling-vehicle. Motor Trend magazine and an automotive writers association in Texas gave the F-150 truck of the year awards in 2008, he said.
"We're thrilled," Scott said. "The North American Truck of the Year is the third leg of the Triple Crown for us."
The Specialty Equipment Market Association named it the most accessory-friendly pickup. The F-150 also was expected to be named best redesigned vehicle of 2009 by Kelley Blue Book.
The rear-wheel-drive Hyundai Genesis five-passenger sedan boasts an upscale interior that has been compared with the original 1990 Lexus LS, the car that made Toyota a success in the luxury market. Genesis prices start at $32,250.
"I'm very proud that only in the 1980s we launched our product in the U.S.," Brandon Yea, senior vice president of product planning for Hyundai, said after Sunday's announcement. "If American customers really accept this car as Car of the Year, really, it's much more than we expect. Of course, we want it. But it takes a long time to get this kind of award."
The Genesis was introduced in America in July. Hyundai sold only 6,167 Genesis models here in 2008, Yea said.
+ 2009 Detroit Live: Subaru Legacy Concept
+ 2009 Detroit Live: Volkswagen Concept BlueSport Roadster
+ 2009 Detroit Live: 2010 Ford Taurus
+ Hyundai Genesis Coupe Start Sales in South Korea
+ 2009 Truck of The Year: Ford F-150, By MotorTrend
Overall, Hyundai sold 401,742 cars in the United States in 2008, down from 467,009 in 2007.
Christopher Jensen, a New Hampshire-based writer who has covered the automotive industry for 25 years, said his fellow jurors looked at function.
"What they're looking for is what's best for consumers," said Jensen. "Whether it's a domestic vehicle or a foreign vehicle doesn't play into it. The fact is, the domestics have won a lot."
