2013 Canadian Car of the Year Category Winners

2013 Canadian Car of the Year Category Winners

Annual TestFest picks the top models in 11 vehicle categories

Journalists from across Canada gather to evaluate 60 all-new vehicles over four days.

By Bill Roebuck, TestFest Team Member

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON - More than 80 automotive journalists have concluded four intensive days of real-world testing of 60 new 2013 model year vehicles to determine the `Best New' winners in 11 different categories as part of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada's annual Canadian Car of the Year program. The journalists are all members of the AJAC.

The final results were compiled by the international accounting firm of KPMG and kept confidential even from AJAC until the announcements, which were made on the evening of Oct. 25, 2012 at a special awards ceremony.

Before submitting their ballots, the AJAC journalists completed almost 2,000 individual road evaluations during TestFest, comparing vehicles-back-to-back on the same roads under the same conditions. More than 80 journalists participated.

“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, chairman of the 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 the testing, the `Best New' vehicles in the 11 categories tested are as follows.

2013 Canadian Car of the Year Category Winners

CITY CAR: Ford Focus EV

BEST NEW SMALL CAR (under $21,000): Mazda3 Skyactiv Sedan

BEST NEW SMALL CAR (over $21,000): Hyundai Elantra GT

BEST NEW FAMILY CAR (under $30,000): Honda Accord Sedan

BEST NEW FAMILY CAR (over $30,000): Ford Fusion Hybrid

BEST NEW LUXURY CAR: Cadillac ATS

BEST NEW PRESTIGE AND PERFORMANCE CAR (over $75,000): Porsche 911 Carrera S

BEST NEW SPORTS/PERFORMANCE CAR (under $50,000): Ford Focus ST

BEST NEW SPORTS/PERFORMANCE CAR (over $50,000): Porsche Boxster

BEST NEW SUV/CUV (under $35,000) Ford Escape 1.6 L EcoBoost

BEST NEW SUV/CUV ($35,000-$60,000) Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T

Need to compare a Dodge Dart to a Nissan Sentra, or a Chevrolet Malibu Eco to the Ford Fusion or the Honda Accord? How about a BMW 3-Series to a Lexus ES350 or a Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 with a Porsche Boxster? Look no further than the AJAC website, where all of the latest comparative data, and vote results are posted: www.ajac.ca. All 60 entries in the 2013 Canadian Car of the Year Awards program are listed.

The 11 category winnersfor 2013 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.

For more information on the 2013 Canadian Car of the Year Awards, either visit our AJAC web site, call the AJAC office 1.705.924.3444, or send an email to: beth@ajac.ca.

Posted Oct. 26, 2012. Bill Roebuck is the Editor and Chief Reviewer of CarTest! and a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). © CarTest.ca.

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