AJAC Festival des essais 2025

“What’s the best vehicle you’ve driven this year?” This tricky question is one our automotive expert, Jesse Caron, gets asked year after year. He always struggles to answer it, given the vast array of choices and the infinitely variable answer that depend on each driver’s individual experience.

Fortunately, he’s been a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) for 15 years. He can therefore base his answer on the results of the Canadian Car of the Year awards, which the organization has been presenting for decades. For 2026, the AJAC will crown a vehicle in the following four categories:

• Canadian Car of the Year
• Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year
• Canadian Electric Car of the Year
• Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year

Jesse actively participates in the meticulous process that leads to these coveted awards. Like more than 40 other automotive journalists from across Canada, he examines, compares, and, most importantly, drives each of the models he votes for.

The first round of voting ended on November 23, so AJAC will announce the five semi-finalists in each category in early December.

See the Verdict below to discover the AJAC's top 5 vehicles in 4 categories

In addition to conducting road tests every week in Quebec, our automotive expert discovers new models at manufacturer launch events. And of course, he never misses the AJAC TestFest. This event allows him to sample 15 to 20 additional models each year to expand his overview of the competitive landscape.

The 2025 TestFest took place in mid-October 2025 in the Orangeville area, northwest of Toronto. Five of the approximately 35 models on display caught our specialist's attention. Beware: many have an outrageous price tag for most drivers, but driving them often allows us to experience technologies that will later find their way into more affordable models. And besides, a little dreaming is okay!

Scroll down to the Evaluation section to discover the five 2026 vehicles that impressed CAA-Québec at the AJAC Test Drive Festival

Here are the five semi-finalists in each category of the AJAC Canadian Vehicle Awards.

2026 Canadian Car of the Year

• Honda Civic
• Hyundai Elantra
• Kia K4
• Porsche 911 Carrera
• Toyota Prius

2026 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year

• Ford Maverick
• Honda Passport
• Hyundai Palisade
• Subaru Forester
• Toyota RAV4

2026 Canadian Electric Car of the Year

• BMW i4
• Fiat 500e
• Hyundai IONIQ 6
• Lucid Air
• Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

2026 Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year

• BMW iX
• Hyundai IONIQ 9
• Kia EV9
• Lucid Gravity
• Porsche Macan Electric

The three finalists in each category will be designated as the 12 Best vehicles of the year. This list will be announced at the Montreal International Auto Show on January 15.

To find out who the winning vehicles are, you'll have to wait until the Canadian International Auto Show media day in Toronto on February 12, 2026.

BMW iX xDrive 60

Our tests of the all-electric BMW i4 and i5 sedans left us wanting more, mainly due to an unusual lack of excitement for this manufacturer. That's why we were only moderately enthusiastic about trying out the iX. Its peculiar design – a completely subjective observation – did little to warm our hearts.

But then, driving this SUV charmed us. As fast, comfortable, and quiet as the aforementioned sedans, the iX nevertheless stands out for its driving pleasure. It responded instantly to every command on the TestFest autocross course, tackling corners without body roll and stubbornly refusing to understeer.

Is such neutrality due to the four-wheel steering and air suspension that make up the Dynamic Driving package?

No doubt. Few SUVs are this engaging, especially when they approach 2,600 kg. While a good portion of that weight is located under the floor, where the 109.1 kWh battery is housed, this low center of gravity alone cannot explain the iX's agility.

The vehicle we tested was close to $126,000, with nearly $30,000 of expensive optional packages and equipment. We would gladly skip the 22-inch wheels, which reduce the initial 586-km range by 60km, as well as the M Sport and M Sport Pro packages, which offer little more than styling enhancements. That's an easy way to save $7,900.

However, to get ventilated front seats, you can't avoid the $9,200 Advanced Premium package. You have to use the central screen to activate them, like most of the vehicle's functions. Welcome to a German manufacturer!

Hyundai Elantra Luxury Hybrid

With a suggested retail price of $34,448 (including freight, preparation, and dealer fees), the Elantra Hybrid was the only vehicle under $40,000 at TestFest. Yet, it emerged as one of our favorites!

The combination of a small 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission makes for a significantly quieter ride than the Toyota Corolla Hybrid. The electric motor's contribution is noticeable during acceleration while eliminating the low-speed hesitations characteristic of automated manual transmissions.

The Elantra Hybrid also impresses with its handling. The comfortable ride combines with excellent road holding, minimal body roll, and well-controlled understeer in corners. With its well-calibrated steering boost, the car even transmits some road feel, a rare quality for an entry-level vehicle.

While the plastics aren't anything special, the overall finish is more than acceptable for the price. The cabin offers enough space for four people, but taller passengers might find rear headroom a bit tight. The large trunk suffers from a small opening, and its height seriously limits rear visibility.

The Elantra Hybrid remains a practical car for everyday use, with simple and easy-to-read screens and a plethora of highly effective physical controls. Don't hesitate to add it to your list if you want to give SUVs a run for their money at a reasonable price.

Jeep Wagoneer S

We hadn't yet gotten our hands on Jeep's first all-electric SUV since its introduction. Our initial experience was positive in some respects, but it also raised a few questions.

On the plus side, the cabin offers a welcoming atmosphere for occupants, with a rich finish, very comfortable front seats, and a high-tech feel. The Wagoneer S follows the example of the gasoline-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer by featuring no fewer than four screens on the dashboard.

One of these is displayed only for the passenger so they can, for example, watch a video while the vehicle is moving. Another screen primarily anchors climate control functions. The information is well organized, but a few physical buttons and dials would make things easier.

It's on the road that the electrified Jeep left us pondering. With 600 horsepower on tap, the acceleration is breathtaking, even for a vehicle weighing over two and a half tons. The cabin remains fairly quiet, suggesting the possibility of long, serene journeys.

But why on earth did Jeep have to make the accelerator so sensitive? Its on/off switch response contrasts sharply with the linear feel in a Cadillac Lyriq, for example. Conversely, the brake pedal on the test vehicle required a very firm press to slow the vehicle down normally.

Adding to these incongruities is the steering, which is precise but disconcertingly light. To top it all off, our test vehicle emitted a chorus of rattles and creaks from the trim when going over bumps.

Sure enough, this early-production 2024 model-year Jeep had seen its share of rough roads. Perhaps a more recent unit would have addressed some of these shortcomings. Let's hope so: at a starting price of nearly $78,000 – which, in November 2025, included an $8,000 manufacturer's discount – the Wagoneer S faces some excellent competition, notably offering greater range out of more compact batteries.

Lucid Gravity Grand Touring

You came close to not reading the following. The Gravity Grand Touring that Lucid shipped directly from California almost didn't make it to TestFest due to complications at Canadian customs. But it was there on the second morning, and we seized the opportunity to drive it despite its exorbitant $172,400 price tag.

First impression: the Gravity pushes the boundaries of space and comfort in an SUV, electric or otherwise. The three rows of seats can comfortably accommodate adults. Once folded down, the last two rows reveal an almost minivan-like cargo area.

The glass roof and the immense windshield that extends above the front seats make the cabin extremely bright. What remains unknown is how much it would cost to replace that windshield...

Lucid has softened some of the Air sedan's annoyances in its new SUV. The thinner roof pillars slightly improve visibility, while the multiple screens are better organized than in the sedan. However, they still concentrate too many functions, including those for the mirrors, steering wheel adjustment, and windshield wipers. Getting used to the vehicle will require a long adjustment period.

The smile returns as soon as you hit the road. Who needs 828 horsepower and a 0-62mph time of 3.6 seconds in an SUV? Absolutely no one, but the effect is striking. We felt like we were flying over the short straight of the autocross track. Very powerful brakes kept things in check, provided you slammed on the pedal, which was noticeably lacking in responsiveness.

As for the handling, it seemed almost surreal given the machine's size. The Gravity we tested had four-wheel steering and air suspension, like the iX mentioned above. These components must work wonders, because the Gravity proved more agile than the Air we drove the day before!

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

After a few years' absence, Porsche returned to TestFest in 2025. We had already driven the two electric Porsches entered in the event – the Macan Electric and the Taycan Cross Turismo – earlier this year. However, we had missed the 911 that the manufacturer had offered us last May because of a scheduling conflict. We were happy to make up for it at TestFest and sample, at least briefly, this timeless sports icon.

The GTS version that Porsche entrusted to the AJAC journalists immediately follows the Turbo series in the 911's performance rankings. The manufacturer cites 0-100km/h acceleration in just 3 seconds and a top speed of 313km/h for this $214,360 as-tested car.

We obviously didn't have the necessary facilities to evaluate these claims. The small autocross track was still enough to fully appreciate the power of Porsche's famous flat-six engine, now turbocharged and hybrid. This configuration makes the engine sound less exquisite than Porsche's naturally aspirated engines. However, efficiency is never compromised, especially since the dual-clutch transmission is arguably the best of its kind.

We've never driven the early generations of the 911, known for their sometimes unpredictable handling. But having tested the three most recent versions, we can attest to the exceptional balance achieved over the years between a distinctly sporty character and remarkable civility.

The stability and grip in corners are impressive despite the car's considerable weight, a good portion of which is located at the rear, where the engine is housed. Our test car was rear-wheel drive, and it never showed any sign of losing traction, without any intervention from the stability control system. Porsche's Active Stablity Management system keeps the body perfectly level, and the steering is almost thought-reactive, without feeling unnecessarily heavy during normal driving.

With its massive tires and roaring engine, the 911 Carrera GTS is anything but quiet. This is one of the few criticisms that can be leveled at this car, which is as enjoyable for everyday driving as it is exhilarating on a winding road. If you're one of the lucky fews who can consider it, you could save $53,000, plus all applicable taxes, by opting for a "base" version… provided you sacrifice less than a second in the 0-62mph sprint and a touch of exclusivity.