AJAC Tests the Best of 2012

Our Car Guide journalists and members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), including Denis Duquet, Nadine Filion, Gabriel Gélinas, Marc Lachapelle, Alain Morin and Sylvain Raymond, are headed to Niagara-on-the-Lake for a one-week buffet of circuit testing and other related activities. Their goal is to determine the best vehicles available in Canada for the 2012 model year.

In total, some 60 journalists from across Canada will be attending the event. They will evaluate no less than 56 vehicles vying for the title of Best Vehicle in 11 predetermined categories.

• Also: 2012 AJAC Awards

Next Friday, once all their work is done, they will unveil the names of the best vehicles in each of the different categories.

The cars and vehicles included in the competition are:

Small car (under $21,000)
Chevrolet Sonic Sedan
Fiat 500
Honda Civic Sedan
Hyundai Accent
Kia Rio5
Nissan Versa Sedan
Scion iQ

Small car (over $21,000)

Ford Focus
Hyundai Elantra
Subaru Impreza
Volkswagen Beetle

Family car (under $30,000)

Chevrolet Orlando
Chrysler 200
Kia Optima LX
Mazda5
Toyota Camry
Volkswagen Passat TDI Clean Diesel

Family car (over $30,000)

Chevrolet Volt
Dodge Charger
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
Kia Optima Hybrid
Mini Countryman
Toyota Prius V

Luxury Car (over $50,000)

Acura TL
Buick LaCrosse eAssist
Chrysler 300S
Hyundai Equus
Infiniti M35h
Lexus CT 200h
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C350 4MATIC Sedan

Prestige car (over $75 000)

BMW 6 Series Cabriolet
Jaguar XKR-S
Mercedes-Benz S-Class S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC

Sports/Performance car (under $50,000)

Buick Regal GS
Dodge Charger SRT8
Honda Civic Si Coupe
Hyundai Veloster
Kia Optima SX
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe
Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Sports/Performance car (over $50,000)

BMW 1 Series M Coupe
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
Chrysler 300 SRT8
Hyundai Genesis R-Spec
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
Porsche Cayman R

SUV/CUV (under $35,000)

Dodge Journey
Jeep Compass
Jeep Wrangler/Wrangler Unlimited

SUV/CUV (under $60,000)

BMW X1
Dodge Durango
Ford Explorer
Range Rover Evoque
Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel

SUV/CUV (over $60,000)

BMW X3
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
Mercedes-Benz M-Class

May the best vehicles win!