The race for the 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Awards is officially underway. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has published its list of semi-finalists, highlighting 20 vehicles competing across four categories as voting moves into its second phase.
This year’s awards cover a wide cross-section of the market: Canadian Car of the Year, Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, Canadian Electric Car of the Year, and Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year. Nearly 400 eligible 2026-model vehicles were considered, ranging from all-new redesigns to refreshed and carryover models.
The List Of Contenders
The Canadian Car of the Year shortlist features a mix of mainstream and performance-focused entries:
- Honda Civic
- Hyundai Elantra
- Kia K4
- Porsche 911 Carrera
- Toyota Prius
In the Utility Vehicle category, five popular family-friendly models made the cut:
- Ford Maverick
- Honda Passport
- Hyundai Palisade
- Subaru Forester
- Toyota RAV4
EVs continue to gain momentum in the awards program. The semi-finalists for Canadian Electric Car of the Year include:
- BMW i4
- Hyundai IONIQ 6
- Lucid Air
- Porsche Taycan
- Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
Rounding out the list are the nominees for Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year:
- BMW iX
- Hyundai IONIQ 9
- Kia EV9
- Lucid Gravity
- Porsche Macan Electric
Canada-Wide Testing Under Real Conditions
Unlike many awards programs that rely on short evaluations or limited test loops, AJAC jurors drive every vehicle they vote on. This is part of the reason why Tesla is missing from the above lists, as the automaker does not provide vehicles for jurors to drive.
The organization’s 50-member panel—representing automotive journalists from Vancouver to Halifax—assesses vehicles in the same conditions Canadians face daily, from winter storms to long-distance highway trips.
Each juror first submits a top-five list in every category before completing a detailed second-round ballot for the semi-finalists. The results are independently audited by KPMG and remain sealed until the winners are revealed.
Winners Announced Early Next Year
The next milestone arrives on January 15, 2026, when AJAC will name the 12 Best Vehicles in Canada for 2026 at the Montreal Auto Show. Those vehicles will remain on display until January 25.
Category winners will be announced on February 12, 2026, at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto. Following the reveal, the winning vehicles will tour major auto shows across the country—including Quebec City, Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton—through the spring.
