Every year, the top automotive journalists in Canada gather to vote on the Canadian Car of the Year, as well as the Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year as awarded by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). In a typical year, 70-100 journalists gather in Bowmanville, ON at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to drive the newest vehicles as part of TestFest. This year, however, AJAC had to pivot — please pardon the use of this much-maligned term — and all votes were tabulated off-site, throughout the year as journalists drove the vehicles in their respective markets. It’s a testament to how committed this group is that even though we weren’t able to attend TestFest, we drove enough cars to be able to award a winner, as a certain amount of votes — a quorum — is required in order to do so. What follows below is a list of the finalists in their respective categories:
Best Mid-Size Car in Canada for 2021
Mazda3
Nissan Sentra
Toyota Corolla
Best Large Car in Canada for 2021
Hyundai Sonata
Kia K5
Toyota Camry
Best Mid-Size Premium Car in Canada for 2021
Cadillac CT5
Genesis G70
Genesis G80
Best Small Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021
Kia Seltos
Mazda CX-30
Subaru Crosstrek
Best Mid-Size Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021
Mazda CX-5
Nissan Rogue
Toyota Venza
Best Large Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021
Chevrolet Tahoe
GMC Yukon
Kia Telluride
Best Mid-Size Premium Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021
Genesis GV80
Land Rover Defender
Lincoln Corsair
Best Full-Size Pick-up Truck in Canada for 2021
Chevrolet Silverado
Nissan Titan
Ram 1500
Winners will be announced in conjunction with the Canadian International Auto Show later this year. Stay tuned!