AJAC Announces its 2019 Canadian Car of the Year Category Winners
During the Montreal International Auto Show, The Automobile Journalist Association of Canada revealed its category winners of its 2019 Canadian Car of The Year program.
In the Small Car category, the 2019 Kia Forte took the title, and AJAC journalists gave it the highest subjective value rating. It beat the Honda Insight and the Toyota Corolla Hatchback, which respectively finished in second and third place.
In the Large Car category, the 2019 Kia Stinger ranked first, followed closely by the Toyota Avalon, while the Mazda6 took third place. The Stinger earned the most points for styling, convenience and entertainment features, performance, handling and subjective value.
In the Midsize Premium Car category, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E 400 grabbed the top spot for its interior and exterior design, driver position and ergonomics, safety features, cabin comfort as well as low NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels. The E 400 beat the second-place Mercedes-Benz C 300 4MATIC Wagon and the third-place Genesis G70.
In the Large Premium Car category, AJAC journalists gave top marks to the 2019 Volvo V90 R-Design, which stood out for its exterior design, its performance and handling and of course, its cargo space. It beat the Lexus LS.
In the Sports-Performance Car category, the 2019 Mazda MX-5 took top honours, beating the Volkswagen Golf R and the Ford Mustang by a hair, which respectively finished second and third. The MX-5 impressed voting journalists with its overall build quality and its driving dynamics.
In the Small Utility Vehicle category, the 2019 Hyundai Kona took first place for its interior and exterior design, its high level of available features, its performance and its handling characteristics. The Nissan Kicks ranked second while the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross finished third.
In the Midsize Utility Vehicle category, the 2019 Mazda CX-5 finished above the second-place Subaru Forester and the third-place Jeep Cherokee. The CX-5 received the best scores in regards to build quality, interior design, NVH and handling.
In the Large Utility Vehicle category, first place was handed to the 2019 Mazda CX-9 for its design in addition to its ride comfort and handling. Second place went to the Subaru Ascent while the Hyundai Santa Fe finished on the third step of the podium.
In the Midsize Premium Utility Vehicle category, voting journalists ranked the 2019 Infiniti QX50 in first place, followed by the Acura RDX and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The QX50 received top marks in interior design, cockpit comfort and ergonomics as well as fuel economy.
In the Pickup truck category, the Ford F-150 diesel beat the second-place Ram 1500 and the third-place Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The F-150 shined for its cabin accommodations, low NVH levels and the fuel economy of its powertrain.
In the EV category, the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid finished in first place for its interior and exterior design, its versatile cabin and its ride comfort. It beat the Volkswagen e-Golf and the Nissan LEAF which respectively ranked second and third.
In the Premium EV category, the 2019 Jaguar I-PACE received top marks, standing out in regards to NVH, performance and handling as well driving range. Second place went to the Volvo S90 T8 and third place went to the Volvo XC60 T8.
The overall Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year awards will be announced at the upcoming Toronto Auto Show, followed by the Canadian Green Car of the Year and Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year at the Vancouver Auto Show.