Toronto, Canada—On a cold, wintry February morning in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre just west of the city’s core, a few hundred people shuffled into seats within the intimate John Bassett Theatre. All were there to discover which automotive manufacturer would lay claim to one of two grand prizes: who would have bragging rights to the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) and the Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year (CUVTY). And, some were also in attendance to hear a brief keynote address by Aston Martin’s CEO, Andy Palmer who presented the unique concept, AM-RB 001. This was media day at the Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS).
Under the glare of harsh spotlights and additional flashes from cameras and video recorders of all sizes thanks to multiple media outlets, the event would also broadcast live to an anxious audience sitting at their breakfast table, viewing on a handheld device or on television.
Top Eight Finalists
To recap, eight “Best New” category winners were eligible for the top honours of Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year after they were announced on December 6, 2016. Then, Hyundai was a double winner, and other category winners included Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Buick, Subaru, BMW, and Chrysler. The eight “Best New” categories cover the full new-model spectrum, including Best New Small Car, Best New Sports/Performance Car, and Best New Utility Vehicle. Most of these core categories are then further broken down into Small, Large, and Premium to cover a wide range of types of vehicles.
