Selected by an expert jury from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), these 12 excellent vehicles also go forward as the finalists in four categories for the 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Awards.
The 12 Best Vehicles in Canada for 2026 comprise a competitive mix of brand-new contenders, updated vehicles, and evergreen favourites among Canadian car-buyers.
Canada’s best-selling car, the Honda Civic, is also the reigning Canadian Car of the Year. Aiming to retain its title in 2026, it is joined as a 12 Best finalist by its familiar compact-class competitor, the Hyundai Elantra, and the latest incarnation of the legendary Porsche 911 Carrera.
Meanwhile, the Utility Vehicle of the Year award will be contested by machines from three different segments. The Ford Maverick, a compact pickup truck, doubled its Canadian sales in 2025, while the three-row Hyundai Palisade and ever-popular, two-row Toyota RAV4 crossover SUVs have both been renewed for the 2026 model year.
In the Electric Car of the Year category, the Lucid Air was a 12 Best finalist last year and returns for another shot at the award. Joining it on this year’s 12 Best list are the updated Porsche Taycan and Toyota’s Prius Plug-In Hybrid.
Finally, the battle for Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year sees the Kia EV9 – also a 12 Best finalist last year – face off against two brand-new electric SUVs: Hyundai’s third contender across four categories, the Ioniq 9; and Lucid’s Gravity.
The 12 Best Vehicles in Canada for 2026 are as follows:
Canadian Car of the Year
Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year
Canadian Electric Car of the Year
Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year
The list of 12 Best Vehicles in Canada is created from detailed ballots completed by AJAC’s expert journalists. Over the course of two rounds of voting, more than 1,400 ballots have been submitted by 53 jurors based right across Canada, from Vancouver to Halifax. CCOTY is Canada’s ONLY vehicle awards scheme in which the jurors drive every vehicle they vote on. Vehicles are tested on the same roads and in the same conditions faced by Canadian drivers from coast to coast every day. AJAC members will be available to share their expertise with visitors during the Montreal Auto Show.
Every 2026 model year vehicle – there are almost 400 in all – is eligible for the CCOTY Awards, including those newly designed, recently refreshed, and carried over from the previous model year.
