The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada has named its semi-finalists for the 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Awards, narrowing a field of nearly 400 eligible models to 20 vehicles that reflect the breadth of Canada’s market.
The awards span four categories: Canadian Car of the Year, Utility Vehicle of the Year, Electric Car of the Year and Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year. Fifty AJAC jurors from across the country took part in the first round of voting, selecting their top five vehicles in each class before advancing to detailed ballots in the next stage. Jurors evaluate each model on Canadian roads and in everyday driving conditions.
“Announcing our semi-finalists is the first big step toward the 2026 Canadian Car of The Year Awards,” said Evan Williams, President of AJAC, in a statement. “Whether they take home the top trophy or not, the Canadian Car of the Year voting process makes sure that every one of these semi-finalist vehicles is a standout in their class.”
The Car of the Year list includes the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4, Porsche 911 Carrera and Toyota Prius. Utility Vehicle contenders are the Ford Maverick, Honda Passport, Hyundai Palisade, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4.
For the electric car category, the BMW i4, Hyundai IONIQ 6, Lucid Air, Porsche Taycan and Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid all made the cut. For electric utility vehicles, it’s the BMW iX, Hyundai IONIQ 9, Kia EV9, Lucid Gravity and Porsche Macan Electric.
AJAC will unveil the 12 Best Vehicles in Canada for 2026 at the Montreal Auto Show on Jan. 15, 2026. Those models will be on display through Jan. 25, 2026, with category winners to follow on Feb. 12, 2026, at the Canadian International AutoShow. Results are audited by KPMG.
