ACTON, Mass. -

Members of the New England Motor Press Association and WheelsTV’s writers and analysts on Tuesday revealed the 2011 WheelsTV POV of the Year — presented annually to one generation of a pre-owned vehicle.

The year’s honor went to the Ford Fusion from the 2006 through 2009 model years. To qualify for the award, officials explained the unit must be in service for at least two years and demonstrate outstanding long-term reliability and exceptional consumer satisfaction.

Beyond the accolade for the Fusion, the selection panel honored six other vehicles in various segments, including:

—Green Car: 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, described as fuel efficient, safe and sensible.

—SUV: 2007-2010 Toyota Highlander, hailed as versatile, capable and spacious.

—Small Car: 2006-2009 Honda Civic, seen as reliable, attractive and frugal.

—Sporty Car: 2005-2009 BMW 3 Series, highlighted as nimble, potent and iconic.

—Luxury Car: 2009-2010 Jaguar XF, viewed as stylish, unique and lavish.

—Light Truck: 2007-2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, billed as rugged, dependable and powerful.

Despite the features of the other noteworthy units, panels insisted the 2006-2009 Ford Fusion emerged as the clear leader because it’s practical, handsome and a good value.

WheelsTV’s chief executive officer Jim Barisano elaborated on those points.

“While the ’06 to ’09 Ford Fusions received numerous accolades when new, the true test of a well-crafted automobile is its ability to provide solid, dependable transportation over years of service and many thousands of miles of day-to-day driving. This, the ’06 to ’09 Ford Fusion has done commendably," Barisano noted.

“And while the Ford Fusion may not power a buck-saw, hay baler or conveyor for filling corn cribs as the Model T once did, the Fusion carries on Ford’s tradition of solid, long-term performance as one of the most highly regarded pre-owned vehicles on America’s roads today,” he continued.

Keith Griffin, vice president of NEMPA, began his commentary by offering, “Congratulations to the Ford Motor Co.

“We are pleased to work with Wheels TV on the POVOTY award because of WheelsTV’s in-depth testing and knowledge of new and used vehicles,” Griffin went on to say. “The POVOTY awards, combined with the awards we present, go a long way towards helping consumers making informed decisions when buying their next vehicles.”

Bill Collins, general manager of Ford East region communications, accepted the award on behalf of the automaker.

“Ford is committed to designing and manufacturing cars that provide dependable service to our owners,” Collins noted. “We are honored to receive this year’s POV of the Year Award from WheelsTV and NEMPA in recognition of the high level of consumer satisfaction that the ’06 to ’09 Ford Fusion has achieved.”

WheelsTV reiterated that it tests hundreds of pre-owned vehicles each year in creating the video series, POV Reviews.

“POV Reviews help used-vehicle buyers select the most reliable, economical, safe and comfortable unit for their need,” company officials stressed.

“Dependability data, model year milestones, crash test ratings from IIHS and NHTSA, and recall information are all presented in each video covering a vehicle’s entire generation,” they concluded.