2006 Car & Truck of the Year Category Winners

2006 Car & Truck of the Year Category Winners

AJAC's Canadian Car of the Year Award winners steer consumers in the right direction

2006 Hyundai Sonata is the winner in the Family Sedan under $35,000 category. Photo by Bill Roebuck

Dec. 6, 2005 -- Consumers are the real winners with the 2006 AJAC Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) awards. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) revealed 10 Car of the Year category winners during a press conference in Markham, Ont., on Dec. 6, 2005.

The vote results, and comparative new vehicle data derived from the journalists' annual four-day 'TestFest', are posted to the AJAC web site, www.ajac.ca, for use by consumers as a resource buying guide. CarTest! editor Bill Roebuck was a participant in TestFest as a member of the Family Car Under $35K and Multipurpose Family Vehicle teams.

2006 CCOTY president, Paul Williams, commented: "New car buyers are powerfully influenced by whether a car has won a Canadian Car of the Year award. In fact, our latest survey of the 2004 Canadian Car of the Year buyers confirmed an influence of 58.4%*".

Williams added, "In my opinion, the AJAC Canadian Car of the Year awards are based on the most objective, informed and thorough evaluation process you'll find. The evaluations are based on back-to-back testing in real-world situations. They're a uniquely Canadian resource for people looking to buy a new vehicle".

Click here for the list of winners and their photographs.

In addition, AJAC created, and handed out at the press conference, a brand new award for a "truly exceptional vehicle that sets new standards". AJAC president Richard Russell observed that, "Every once in a long while a vehicle comes along that stirs the hearts and minds of automobile enthusiasts. Often it stands apart from the pack and in some cases has no competition at all, let alone in a category created for the annual AJAC award." AJAC director Gerry Malloy added that, "There was just such a vehicle this year, one that most of us cannot afford but would put at the top of our list, if we won the lottery". The inaugural AJAC Most Coveted Vehicle Award went to the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The overall Canadian Car and Truck of the Year will be announced on Feb. 15, 2006, in conjunction with the official opening of the 2006 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The Best New Design and Best New Technology winners will also be declared at that time. The 2006 Best New Alternative Power vehicle will be announced on Jan. 19, 2006, at the Montreal International Auto Show.

And there's more… our AJAC journalists who evaluated the brand new models at TestFest are available across Canada for interviews to talk about the vote results and comparative data. Media are invited to visit the AJAC web site and log-in under "Ask The Experts", then choose the 'Car of the Year' link for interviews once they've been validated.

Still looking to buy a 2005 new car? AJAC archives the comparative test data and vote results from previous years on its web site. See the list of 2005 winners here. Or see our complete list of reviews here.

For more information on the 2006 Canadian Car of the Year Awards, either visit www.ajac.ca, call the AJAC office at 1-800-361-1516, or send an e-mail to erin@ajac.ca.

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