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 December 18, 2007 Feature: Canadian Car of the Year Category Winners
Photo Gallery: In February 2008, the overall Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year will be announced at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. These are the glamour awards of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) annual awards program, and the culmination of a long and thorough process used by AJAC to whittle the finalists down to two vehicles.
Look at it this way: maybe the overall Canadian Car of the Year turns out to be a sports car. Not everybody wants a sports car, so the award, while interesting, is no help if you're looking for an inexpensive compact sedan. This is where the Canadian Car of the Year category winners come in: these prestigious awards are the meat-and-potatoes of the whole AJAC awards program. They are based on a division of all the vehicles new to the market into categories consistent with buying preferences of Canadian consumers. Each vehicle tested against its competitors using a range of objective and subjective parameters, and while the results may sometimes be close, the winners are certainly vehicles should be high on the list when considering a purchase. Similarly, the runners-up in each category would strongly merit a purchaser's consideration, according to the AJAC journalists. There was one other award given on December 4th which wasn't based on the same rigorous procedures for selection. It was the "Most Coveted" award, given to a vehicle that AJAC journalists would most like to take home: a dream car, if you will, based purely on subjective appeal. The Most Coveted award isn't given every year because two-thirds of the journalists have to vote, and over half of them have to vote for the same vehicle. It takes a special car to satisfy those conditions, and this year, the Audi R8 fit the bill as Most Coveted by the AJAC journalists. Here are the category winners and runners-up for the 2008 Canadian Car of the Year awards, as selected by voting members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. It's from these category winners that the overall Car of the Year and Utility Vehicle of the Year will be selected in February, 2008. Small car
Base price: $17,900 Price as tested: $18,049 Engine: 1.8-litre inline four-cylinder Horsepower: 140 Transmission: Five-speed manual Standard equipment includes: ABS brakes, 16-inch wheels, six airbags, remote keyless entry.
Runners-up: Family Car (under $30k)
Base price: $27,490 Price as tested: $28,690 Engine: 2.4-litre inline-four cylinder Horsepower: 190 Transmission: Five-speed automatic Standard equipment includes: ABS brakes, 17-inch wheels, six airbags, remote keyless entry, vehicle stability assist, air conditioning, six-disc CD changer, power group.
Runners-up: Minivan
Base price: $30,995 Price as tested: $37,495 Engine: 3.8-litre V6 Horsepower: 250 Transmission: Five-speed automatic Standard equipment includes: ABS brakes, 17-inch wheels, six airbags, remote keyless entry, vehicle stability assist, air conditioning, power group. Option package includes alloy wheels, foglights, leather interior, automatic climate control, power sliding doors and rear liftgate, heated seats, DVD entertainment, rear park assist.
Runners-up: Convertible
Base price: $66,300 Price as tested: $69,900 Engine: 3.0-litre twin turbo inline-six cylinder Horsepower: 300 Transmission: Six-speed manual Standard equipment includes: Convertible hardtop, ABS brakes, 18-inch wheels, six airbags, remote keyless entry, vehicle stability assist, air conditioning, power group. Option package includes special 18-inch alloy wheels, sport seats, sport suspension.
Runners-up: Luxury
Base price: $47,900 Price as tested: $54,000 Engine: 3.5-litre V6 Horsepower: 268 Transmission: Seven-speed automatic Standard equipment includes: Leather upholstery, power seats, multiple airbags, stability control, ABS, premium Harman-Kardon audio, heated seats, rain sensing wipers. Optional equipment includes Premium Package with navigation, panorama sunroof, rear window sunshade, special 18-inch wheels.
Runners-up: Prestige
Base price: $139,000 Price as tested: $150,100 Engine: 4.2-litre V8 Horsepower: 420 Transmission: Six-speed manual Standard equipment includes: quattro all-wheel drive, 19-inch wheels, electronic stabilization program, LED daytime running lights, heated sport seats, Alcantara/leather interior, premium audio. Options include: Navigation, Premium Package, Leather Package, pearlescent paint.
Runners-up: Pick-Up
Base price: $37,935 Price as tested: $44,240 Engine: 5.3-litre V6 Horsepower: 315 Transmission: Four-speed automatic Standard equipment includes: All-wheel drive, StabiliTrak vehicle stability program with roll avoidance, 17-inch chrome alloy wheels, ABS, six-passenger seating, power heated mirrors, remote keyless entry. Optional equipment includes: power driver's seat, locking rear differential, 18-inch aluminum wheels, Safety Package, Convenience Package, Off-road Suspension Package, Cargo management system.
Runners-up: Sports / Performance (over $50,000)
Base price: $65,900 Price as tested: $69,400 Engine: 4.2-litre V8 Horsepower: 354 Transmission: Six-speed manual Standard equipment includes: quattro all-wheel drive, leather interior, electronic stabilization program, ABS, rain sensing wipers, bi-xenon lights, power seats, power group, Bang & Olufsen audio. Optional equipment includes: Audi Navigation Plus.
Runners-up: Sports / Performance (under $50,000)
Base price: $30,600 Price as tested: $35,050 Engine: 1.6-litre inline-four cylinder Horsepower: 172 Transmission: Six-speed manual Standard equipment includes: Dynamic Stability Control, 17-inch wheels, bi-xenon lights, multiple airbags, ABS. Optional equipment includes: Premium Package, Sport Package, Chrome Package, Limited slip differential, aluminum trim.
Runners-up: SUV / CUV (over $60,000)
Base price: $51,295 Price as tested: $60,425 Engine: 3.6-litre V6 Horsepower: 275 Transmission: Six-speed automatic Standard equipment includes: All-wheel drive, StabiliTrak Vehicle Stability Control, 19-inch aluminum wheels, heated windshield washer system, rear park assist, XM satellite radio, multiple airbags. Optional equipment includes: Two-panel sunroof, Navigation system, Bose audio system, steerable headlights, trailering package, 19-inch chrome wheels, premium paint.
Runners-up: SUV / CUV ($35,000-$60,000)
Base price: $33,920 Price as tested: $36,085 Engine: 3.6-litre V6 Horsepower: 252 Transmission: Six-speed automatic Standard equipment includes: All-wheel drive, StabiliTrak Vehicle Stability Control, 17-inch aluminum wheels, ABS, XM satellite radio. Optional equipment includes: Premium Package, heated front seats, trailer hitch receiver and harness, tap shift control.
Runners-up: SUV / CUV (under $35,000)
Base price: $29,598 Price as tested: $34,898 Engine: 2.5-litre inline four cylinders Horsepower: 170 Transmission: Continuously Variable (CVT) Standard equipment includes: All-wheel drive, stability control, 16-inch wheels, heated mirrors, remote keyless entry, multiple airbags. Optional equipment includes: Heated seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, moonroof, leather upholstery, XM satellite radio, Bose audio, paddle shifters.
Runners-up:
Mitsubishi Outlander
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Paul Williams is an Ottawa-based freelance automotive writer and senior writer for CanadianDriver.
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