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.
Here are the 2022 finalists in each category:
Best Small Car
Honda Civic - Our review
Mazda3 - Our review
Nissan Sentra - Our review
Best Large Car
Honda Accord - Our review
Kia K5 - Our review
Toyota Camry - Our review
Best Small Premium Car
BMW 3 Series / 4 Series - Our review
Genesis G70 - Our review
Lexus IS - Our review
Best Sports/Performance Car
Mazda MX-5 - Our long-term review
Toyota 86
Toyota Supra - Our review
Best Small Utility Vehicle
Hyundai Kona
Mazda CX-30 - Our review
Toyota Corolla Cross - Our review
Best Midsize Utility Vehicle
Hyundai Santa Fe - Our review
Hyundai Tucson - Our review
Mitsubishi Outlander - Our review
Best Large Utility Vehicle
Kia Sorento - Our review
Nissan Pathfinder - Our review
Toyota Highlander - Our review
Best Midsize Premium Utility Vehicle
Genesis GV70 - Our review
Jaguar F-Pace - Our review
Lexus NX - Our review
Best Large Premium Utility Vehicle
Cadillac Escalade - Our review
Genesis GV80 - Our review
Jeep Grand Wagoneer - Our review
Best Off-Road Vehicle
Ford Bronco - Our review
Jeep Wrangler - Our review
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
Best Small Pickup Truck
Hyundai Santa Cruz - Our review
Nissan Frontier - Our review
Toyota Tacoma
Best EV
Ford Mustang Mach-E - Our review
Hyundai Kona Electric
Kia Niro EV - Our review