Quadruple Win for Ford - Double Wins for Hyundai and Porsche - AJAC Declares "Best New" Vehicles for 2013

Category Winners Become Eligible For AJAC's Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON, Oct. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - More than 80 of Canada's authoritative automotive journalists have concluded four intensive days of real-world, testing of 180 new 2013 model year vehicles to determine the 'Best New' winners in eleven different categories as part of AJAC's annual Canadian Car of the Year program.

The journalists are all members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) with the potential to reach every Canadian consumer with their message, in print, audio and video broadcast, web and social media. 

The results were compiled by the international accounting firm of KPMG and kept confidential even from AJAC until the announcements.

Before submitting their ballots, the AJAC journalists completed almost 2,000 individual road-tests during TestFest, comparing vehicles-back-to-back on the same roads under the same conditions.  These tests were conducted as part of AJAC'S mission to serve consumers by providing them with factual, objective information vs. just personal opinion.

"Once again, a wide array of Canada's most experienced and respected automotive journalists have wrung out the full slate of new vehicles offered to Canadian consumers," observed Richard Russell, chair, 2013 Canadian Car of the Year Awards. "The week-long process results in unbiased and accurate information that equips Canadian consumers with readily accessible objective data than can be used as a reliable resource when shopping for a new vehicle. The process and program have evolved over more than two decades and each year becomes more exacting and informative."

Based on the audited results of all that testing the "Best New" vehicles in the 11 categories tested are:

CITY CAR:  Ford Focus EV 

BEST NEW SMALL CAR (under $21k) Mazda3 Skyactiv Sedan 

BEST NEW SMALL CAR (over $21k)  Hyundai Elantra GT 

BEST NEW FAMILY CAR (under $30k) Honda Accord Sedan 

BEST NEW FAMILY CAR (over $30k) Ford Fusion Hybrid 

BEST NEW LUXURY CAR: Cadillac ATS 

BEST NEW PRESTIGE AND PERFORMANCE CAR (over $75k) Porsche 911 Carrera S 

BEST NEW SPORTS/PERFORMANCE CAR (under $50k):  Ford Focus ST 

BEST NEW SPORTS/PERFORMANCE CAR (over $50k):  Porsche Boxster 

BEST NEW SUV/CUV (under $35k) Ford Escape 1.6 L EcoBoost 

BEST NEW SUV/CUV ($35k-$60k) Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T 

Shell Canada is the official fuel supplier of the event. 

"TestFest draws a passionate crowd of auto experts who are focused on providing consumers with information they need to help make decisions on one of their biggest investments - their vehicle," said Jim Macias, Shell Fuels Technology Manager. "At Shell, our passion is providing drivers with premium fuels that offer maximum protection for optimal performance of their vehicle's engine. That's why we work closely with the auto industry to develop fuels based on evolving engine technologies, and why we're proud to be the official fuels sponsor of TestFest." 

Need to compare a Dodge Dart to a Nissan Sentra, or a Chevrolet Malibu Eco to the Ford Fusion or the Honda Accord?  How about a BMW 3-Series to a Lexus ES350 or a Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 with a Porsche Boxster?  Look no further than the AJAC web site where all of this week's comparative data, and vote results, are posted:  www.ajac.ca > Canadian Car of the Year Awards > Results.   All 60 entries (180 vehicles) in the 2013 Canadian Car of the Year Awards program are listed. 

Photos from the TestFest evaluation program and press conference are also available. 

The eleven category winners listed above now go on to compete for the honour of becoming the 2013 Canadian Car of the Year or the 2013 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. These overall winners will be announced on February 14^th, 2013, at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, ON.  Award winners for Best New Design and Best New Technology, presented by Shell Canada, will also be announced at that time.

This news release is brought to you by CNW Group: AJAC's official news wire service.

SOURCE: Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

For further information:

For more information on the 2013 Canadian Car of the Year Awards, either visit our AJAC web site, call the AJAC office 1.705.924.3444, or send an email to: [e-mail].