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So much for American cars being unable to shake their “not good enough” image!

Kicking off what it hopes will be a strong year, Ford won both the Car and Truck of the Year awards at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. The Ford Fusion Hybrid won Car of the Year, while the Ford Transit Connect van won Truck of the Year.

I know you’re probably saying to yourself, “I’d hope a domestic car maker would win awards in the Detroit Auto Show.”Â

Truth be told, despite being a domestic car guy,Â that thought definitely crossed my mind.Â So, yes, to some degree Ford winning both awards can be taken with a grain of salt.

That being said, it’s undeniable that the American car manufacturers – especially Ford – have made considerable improvements in reliability, design and quality over the past several years.

(Please note, Daily Fuel Economy Tip does not have any affiliation with any car maker, domestic or foreign.)

Unfortunately, these improvements haven’t necessarily translated to much better sales. As was reported in USA TodayÂ of the 10 best selling vehicles in 2009, all but four were Japanese vehicles. The Ford Fusion was the only domestic sedan (read: non-truck) that made the list.

Let’s hope that for the sake of the U.S. economy – in particular, the manufacturing sector – the awards for Ford are a precursor to higher sales across the board for domestic vehicles.