Nine 2003 Canadian Car of the Year Award category winners were announced today by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) during the Montreal International Auto Show.
AJAC's Jim Kenzie, president of the Canadian Car of the Year Awards, explained that, "Canadian consumers want to know which vehicles are the "Best New" for 2003. Based on recent survey results, almost 70% (69.6 %) of Nissan Altima buyers were aware that the Altima won AJAC Car of the Year in 2002. Of those, 93% said they were influenced to purchase a Nissan Altima because it was "Canadian Car of the Year". 47.5% of those buyers identified the award as a "strong / extremely strong" influence on their decision to buy the Nissan Altima.
This year's winners represent the best among an excellent group of new cars and trucks for 2003, as selected by a professional group of automotive experts who test drive, and report on, new vehicles in various media.
Unlike American or European car awards, our Canadian program follows a sophisticated voting process based on back-to-back, real-world testing. Our vote and test results are made available to the consumer to help him or her make an informed decision when buying a new car."
The winners are:
Best New Economy Car:
Winner: Mitsubishi Lancer ES
Best New Family Vehicle:
Winner: Honda Accord Sedan
Best New Luxury Car:
Winner: Mercedes Benz E-Class