2010 Canadian Car of the Year Awards
Text and Photography by Sammy Chan
When: October 27-30, 2009
Where: Niagara Airport, Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario
How: Three full day of testing by AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of
Canada) members. Vehicles are assigned into appropriate categories, at least
three vehicles per category. As all entries must be totally new or have
significant revisions to qualify, there will be no Minivan and Pick-up
categories this year. Vehicles with the most votes will win their corresponding
category. Category winners will be tested by all
participating AJAC members on October 30 and will result in the Canadian Car of
the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. Winners of this two awards
will be announced at the Canadian International Auto Show in February 2010.
Eligible vehicles and their corresponding categories are
hereby illustrated. Edwin Lau and Sammy Chan were regular voters in this annual
event and the categories that we were assigned to were:
Edwin Lau: Luxury Car, Small Car under $21,000 and CUV/SUV over $60,000
Sammy Chan: Luxury Car, Prestige Car and CUV/SUV between $35,000-$60,000
Winners of each category were announced on Friday October 30,
2009. The big winners are Volkswagen/Audi capturing a total of 5 awards while
Mazda is second with two award winners. The biggest loser is unquestionably
Mercedes-Benz "dropping their eyeglasses" to see their all-new E-Class running
behind a BMW 3-Series and amazingly a DIESEL for that matter.
SMALL CAR (under $21k)
Hyundai Elantra Touring
Kia Forte Koup
Winner of this category: Mazda3
SMALL CAR (over $21k)
Honda Insight
Kia Forte
Kia Soul
Mazda3 Sport
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
Nissan Cube
Volkswagen Golf
Winner of this category: Mazda3 Sport
FAMILY CAR (under $30k)
Ford Fusion
Subaru Legacy Sedan
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf Wagon
Winner of this category: Volkswagen Golf Wagon
FAMILY CAR (over $30k)
Buick Allure
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford Taurus
Winner of this category: Ford Taurus
LUXURY CAR (over $50k)
BMW 335d
Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan
Lexus HS250h (pulled out after day 1 of testing as a result of COTY committee's
decision, very unfair to Lexus Canada indeed)
Winner of this category: BMW 335d
PRESTIGE (over $75k)
Audi R8
BMW 7 Series Sedan
Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid
Porsche Panamera
Winner of this category: Porsche Panamera
SPORTS / PERFORMANCE (under $50k)
Ford Taurus SHO
Chevrolet Camaro
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Mazdaspeed3
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Winner of this category: Volkswagen Golf GTI
SPORTS / PERFORMANCE (over $50k)
Audi S4
Jaguar XFR
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
Winner of this category: Audi S4
CONVERTIBLES
Audi A5 Cabriolet
BMW Z4 Roadster (deemed ineligible by COTY committee just before the testfest
all because it only comes in a manual for now!)
Nissan 370Z Roadster
Lexus IS Convertible
Winner of this category: Audi A5 Cabriolet
SUV / CUV (under $35k)
Chevrolet Equinox
Subaru Outback
Toyota Venza
Winner of this category: Subaru Outback
SUV / CUV ($35k-$60k)
Acura ZDX
Audi Q5
GMC Terrain
Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC
Lexus RX350
Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel
Volvo XC60
Winner of this category: Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel
SUV / CUV (over $60k)
Acura MDX
Audi Q7
Lincoln MKT
Cadillac SRX
Winner of this category: Lexus RX450h
The results were compiled by the international accounting firm KPMG and kept confidential even from AJAC until this morning’s press conference. They were determined from more than 46,000 individual data points established in the testing of 157 different vehicles.
The purpose of the AJAC awards is to provide consumers with a valuable resource they can use when researching the purchase of a new vehicle – one that includes a broad range of comparative information on vehicles that are new to the market. That information includes not just specifications and features but actual performance data and subjective ratings on up to 23 different characteristics – from interior roominess and comfort to ride quality and handling ability.
Our journalists’ vote results - including all of the comparative test data amassed this week – are on our web site for use as a consumer resource buying guide. Consumers that want to compare a Nissan Cube to a Kia Soul, or the Ford Fusion Hybrid with a Toyota Prius, or even a BMW 335 Sedan with a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan, need look no further than the AJAC web site: www.ajac.ca > Canadian Car of the Year > 2010 Results Comparisons
Photos from the TestFest evaluation program and press conference are available on the AJAC web site as well on the various social networking sites.
The 12 category winners listed above now go on to compete for the honour of becoming the 2010 Canadian Car of the Year or the 2010 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. These overall winners will be announced on February 11th, 2010, at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, ON. Award winners for Best New Design and Best New Technology, presented by Shell Canada, will also be announced at that time.
In addition, an award for Best New Green Technology for 2010, also presented by Shell Canada, will be announced at the Montreal International Auto Show on January 14, 2010. As it has been for several years, Shell Canada was the official fuel supplier to the 2010 AJAC TestFest.