Category Winners Become Eligible For AJAC's Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards

More than 80 of Canada's authoritative automotive journalists have concluded four intensive days of real-world, testing of 180 new 2013 model year vehicles to determine the 'Best New' winners in eleven different categories as part of AJAC's annual Canadian Car of the Year program.

The journalists are all members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) with the potential to reach every Canadian consumer with their message, in print, audio and video broadcast, web and social media.

The results were compiled by the international accounting firm of KPMG and kept confidential even from AJAC until the announcements.

Before submitting their ballots, the AJAC journalists completed almost 2,000 individual road-tests during TestFest, comparing vehicles-back-to-back on the same roads under the same conditions. These tests were conducted as part of AJAC'S mission to serve consumers by providing them with factual, objective information vs. just personal opinion.

"Once again, a wide array of Canada's most experienced and respected automotive journalists have wrung out the full slate of new vehicles offered to Canadian consumers," observed Richard Russell, chair, 2013 Canadian Car of the Year Awards." The week-long process results in unbiased and accurate information that equips Canadian consumers with readily accessible objective data than can be used as a reliable resource when shopping for a new vehicle. The process and program have evolved over more than two decades and each year becomes more exacting and informative."

Based on the audited results of all that testing the "Best New" vehicles in the 11 categories tested are:

City Car:  Ford Focus EV (base MSRP – $41,199)

Best New Small Car (under $21k): Mazda3 Skyactiv Sedan (base MSRP – $15,995)

Best New Small Car (over $21k): Hyundai Elantra GT (base MSRP – $19,149)

Best New Family Car (under $30k): Honda Accord Sedan (base MSRP – $25,490)

Best New Family Car (over $30k): Ford Fusion Hybrid (base MSRP – $29,999)

Best New Luxury Car: Cadillac ATS (base MSRP – $35,195)

Best New Prestige and Performance Car (over $75k): Porsche 911 Carrera S (base MSRP – $110,000)

Best New Sports/Performance Car (under $50k): Ford Focus ST (base MSRP – $29,999)

Best New Sports/Performance Car (over $50k): Porsche Boxster (base MSRP – $56,500)

Best New SUV/CUV (under $35k): Ford Escape 1.6 L EcoBoost (base MSRP – $29,099)

Best NewSUV/CUV ($35k-$60k): Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T (base MSRP – $26,499)

The 11 category winners listed above now go on to compete for the honour of becoming the 2013 Canadian Car of the Year or the 2013 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. These overall winners will be announced on Feb. 14, 2013, 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.