Blog – Page 8 – Canadian Car of the Year

2025 Best Green Innovation – Lucid Air Pure Electric Powertrain

The Lucid Air Pure electric powertrain is the winner of this year’s AJAC Best Green Innovation award. Lucid has developed its own powertrain technology to better integrate elements like the motor and battery, creating the most efficient EV on sale in Canada. Efficient powertrains enable lighter vehicles and greater range from a given amount of energy, while still delivering the performance that buyers expect.

2025 Best Safety Innovation – BMW Digital Key Plus

The winner of AJAC’s Best Safety Innovation award for 2025 is BMW Digital Key Plus. Its use of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology offers an innovative way to combat car theft. The two-way communication between the vehicle and the ‘key’ in the phone prevents the ‘relay’ attacks that have become commonplace, whereby a criminal capture signals from keys in a house and rebroadcasts them to steal the car.

2025 AJAC Innovation Award winners announced by Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

VANCOUVER, BC, March 19, 2025 /CNW/ – March 19, 2025 – The three winners of the 2025 AJAC Innovation Awards, presented by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), were announced today during the opening ceremonies of Elevate, the Vancouver Auto Show. The Lucid Air Pure electric powertrain is the winner of this year’s AJAC Best Green Innovation award. Lucid has developed its own powertrain technology to better integrate elements like the motor and battery, creating the most efficient EV on sale in Canada. Efficient powertrains enable lighter vehicles and greater range from a given amount of energy, while still delivering the performance that buyers expect. The winner of AJAC’s …

2025 Canadian Car of the Year winners announced by Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

TORONTO, February 13, 2025 – The four winners of the 2025 Canadian Car of the Year Awards (CCOTY), presented by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), were announced today during the opening ceremonies of the Canadian International AutoShow. The Honda Civic is the 2025 Canadian Car of the Year. This is the second time in four years that the Civic – Canada’s biggest-selling car – has taken top honours, after it won in 2022. AJAC jurors identified the Honda’s ergonomics and handling as key to its appeal. The 2025 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year is the Hyundai Santa …

Honda Civic – 2025 Winner

Honda’s perennial favourite, the Civic, is back for 2025 with updates that change the way it looks and bring along a new hybrid power plant. With that hybrid powertrain, the Civic manages 4.9L/100KM combined according to the official ratings while providing 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. This new setup allows the Civic to better compete with its cross-town rival the Toyota Corolla much better as it also offers a hybrid powertrain. Canadian Car of the Year jurors said these three attributes stood out about the Civic: Juror’s Opinion – Jeff Wilson had this to say at AutoTrader.ca: “While …

Acura Integra Type S – 2025 Finalist

Just a year after the Acura Integra was relaunched in North America we now have the Type S version, cranking up the performance and fun-to-drive nature of the car. Powering the car is tweaked version of the powerplant from the Honda Civic Type R, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 320 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. And bucking industry trends, a six-speed manual gearbox is the only transmission you can get in this car. The three attributes that stood out most to the Canadian Car of the Year Jurors are: Juror’s Opinion – Jay Kana had this to say …

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N – 2025 Winner

Hyundai is bringing the thrills to those interested in all-electric driving thanks to the N treatment of the Ioniq 5. Packing a whopping 641 horsepower, this hottest of hatchbacks can also travel 356 kilometers on a full charge. Hyundai has even brought some of the elements of gas-powered cars to this EV, including the feel of an eight-speed DCT gearbox with rev-matched downshifts. Our jurors selected these three attributes as stand outs on the Ioniq 5 N: Juror’s Opinion – Matthew Guy had this to say at Driving.ca: “By duplicating the physical kidney punch of a rev-matched downshift or cracking …

BMW i4 – 2025 Winner

The BMW i4 offers four doors, slick style and a healthy dose of power from its electric powerplant. With 396 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque on tap, the i4 can truly offer a thrilling driving experience while carrying you 494 kilometers on a charge. Some changes have recently arrived for the i4 as well including updated infotainment, to keep it current. The three aspects of the BMW i4 that stand out most to our judges are: Juror’s Opinion – Kyle Patrick had this to say at AutoGuide.com: “A week of winter did little to dull my admiration for the …

Hyundai Santa Fe – 2025 Winner

The Hyundai Santa Fe has embraced adventure with a rugged new design that shares nothing in common with the previous versions of this family hauler. A standard third row offers space for the whole family while power comes from a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, sent through an eight-speed automatic. A new XRT model also brings along more off-road focused equipment than ever before. The three attributes that stood out most to the jurors were: Juror’s Opinion – Stephen Elmer had this to say on the Truck King YouTube channel: “Overall I think …

Fiat 500e – 2025 Finalist

The Fiat 500 is back and now it’s all-electric with the introduction of the 500e. Offering up to 227 kilometers of range from its 42-kWh battery, this small city car aims to please urban dwellers who don’t want to go back to the gas pump ever again. Weighing in at just 3000 pounds, this is the lightest passenger battery-electric vehicle on the market, and it keeps the iconic styling of the 500, inspired by the original 1950s Cinquecento. Canadian Car of the Year jurors identified three key areas that stand out on the 500e: Juror’s Opinion – Brian Harper had …