In an effort to provide the public with the most relevant information, the Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) program takes into account every single vehicle that is on sale in a given model year.
Unlike many awards programs that only focus on new vehicles for a given year, CCOTY looks at every vehicle that is available much like a car buying consumer would. This format also allows for repeat wins, because if a vehicle is good enough to win once, it could still be the best choice in a segment the following year.
Once the votes are cast, five vehicles are selected as semi-finalists in four categories, giving us a short list of 20 vehicles that have all been recognized as stand outs in the industry. A top three is then named as the finalists in each category before the winners are revealed.
The four Canadian Car of the Year categories are as follows:
2025 Canadian Car of the Year
Sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and wagons. They’re all eligible to win the Canadian Car of the Year Award. This segment includes gas or diesel-powered versions of those models, but it is also open to cars with hybrid-electric power including plug-in hybrids that offer less than 20 km of range.
View the 2025 Canadian Car of the Year Nominees
2025 Canadian Electric Car of the Year
The Canadian Car of the Year category for nearly any car with a plug. This category includes fully-electric models and plug-in hybrids with 20 km of range or more. It also includes sedans, wagons, coupes, and hatchbacks with alternative fuel power sources like hydrogen fuel cells.
View the 2025 Canadian Electric Car of the Year Nominees
2025 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year
This category includes trucks, vans, crossovers, and SUVs. The vehicles that deliver to Canadians the utility they demand day in and day out. Gas and diesel-powered vehicles are eligible here, along with PHEV models with less than 20 km of electric range.
View the 2025 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year Nominees
2025 Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year
This is the place for trucks, vans, SUVs, and crossover utility vehicles that have a plug or other alternative fuel source. That includes battery-electric models, plug-in hybrids with more than 20 km of range, and even hydrogen fuel cell utility vehicles.
View the 2025 Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year Nominees