AJAC Announces Category Finalists for 2022 Canadian Car of the Year Awards

The Automobile Journalists of Canada organization – AJAC to friends and family – has announced its initial list of category finalists en route to its 2022 Canadian Car of the Year Awards. Getting to those is a two-step process from here, as first the category winners will be announced in February, and then the overall winners for the Car and Utility (encompassing SUVs, trucks and minivan) of the Year.

For this go-around, though, there were 38 models named in all across 13 vehicle categories. That works out to three per, with one category getting only two finalists. And it also means we see a ton of variety across brands, with the wealth spread out fairly evenly. Except for one case, that of BEVs, which are consigned to one single category and not found in any other. Also notable, there’s a category for compact pickups but not for full-size models. Sorry, F-150, Silverado and Ram 1500…

In any event, noteworthy newbies on the list of finalists this year are the Hyundai Santa Cruz urban pickup, the new Ford Bronco, Jeep’s reborn Grand Wagoneer and the Toyota Corolla Cross.

The finalists and eventually the winners of the Canadian Car of the Year Awards are chosen by Canadian auto journalists from across the country who are members of AJAC.

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Here are the 2022 finalists in each category:

Best Small Car

    Honda Civic - Our review
    Mazda3 - Our review
    Nissan Sentra - Our review

Honda Civic | Photo: D.Rufiange

Best Large Car

    Honda Accord - Our review
    Kia K5 - Our review
    Toyota Camry - Our review

Kia K5 | Photo: D.Boshouwers

Best Small Premium Car

    BMW 3 Series / 4 Series - Our review
    Genesis G70 - Our review
    Lexus IS - Our review

Genesis G70 | Photo: D.Boshouwers

Best Sports/Performance Car

    Mazda MX-5 - Our long-term review
    Toyota 86
    Toyota Supra - Our review

Mazda MX-5 | Photo: M.Crépault

Best Small Utility Vehicle

    Hyundai Kona
    Mazda CX-30 - Our review
    Toyota Corolla Cross - Our review

Toyota Corolla Cross | Photo: B.Charette

Best Midsize Utility Vehicle

    Hyundai Santa Fe - Our review
    Hyundai Tucson - Our review
    Mitsubishi Outlander - Our review

Hyundai Santa Fe | Photo: D.Boshouwers

Best Large Utility Vehicle

    Kia Sorento - Our review
    Nissan Pathfinder - Our review
    Toyota Highlander - Our review

Nissan Pathfinder | Photo: D.Heyman

Best Midsize Premium Utility Vehicle

    Genesis GV70 - Our review
    Jaguar F-Pace - Our review
    Lexus NX - Our review

Genesis GV70 | Photo: D.Boshouwers

Best Large Premium Utility Vehicle

    Cadillac Escalade - Our review
    Genesis GV80 - Our review
    Jeep Grand Wagoneer - Our review

Jeep Grand Wagoneer | Photo: Jeep

Best Off-Road Vehicle

    Ford Bronco - Our review
    Jeep Wrangler - Our review

Ford Bronco Raptor | Photo: Ford

Best Minivan

    Chrysler Pacifica - Our review
    Kia Carnival - Our review
    Toyota Sienna - Our review

See also: Comparison: 2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

Kia Carnival | Photo: D.Boshouwers

Best Small Pickup Truck

    Hyundai Santa Cruz - Our review
    Nissan Frontier - Our review
    Toyota Tacoma

Nissan Frontier | Photo: V.Aubé

Best EV

    Ford Mustang Mach-E - Our review
    Hyundai Kona Electric
    Kia Niro EV - Our review

Ford Mustang Mach-E | Photo: B.Charette