 |
Yet, the process that leads to the winners is objective, rigorous and professional. For 2008, the CCOTY selection began last week with the traditional "TestFest" in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
 |
A real festival
How else could we describe this event? Every automaker and AJAC member attends the TestFest, alongside the complete lineup of all-new models for the upcoming year.
This time around, car manufacturers brought a total of 59 models from 12 different categories. A record number of journalists (74) were on hand to evaluate their performance on specific courses: Road, Track & Technical driving and Off-road.
The first course includes various inclines, hills, turns and bends as well as highway stretches -- always on two-lane roads, asphalt or gravel. The selected routes usually take into account each vehicle's primary use. On average, these tests take 15-20 minutes. All vehicles have to be evaluated in analog conditions on the same exact roads.
Performance and dynamics tests could prove to be dangerous if they were conducted on public roads. That's why the AJAC sets up special tracks and skid pads in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Off-road tracks adjacent to the main evaluation site are also used when needed. These other tests aim to recreate "real-world" driving conditions.
When registering for the TestFest, each journalist is invited to choose at least one category for which he or she will evaluate every model in contention. The journalist must drive the vehicles from a particular category all in the same day.
Every member of a test team compares each vehicle in its category, back-to-back, on the same roads, under the same conditions to ensure objective evaluation. Comparisons are therefore valid and relevant for the final vote.
 |