Canadian Car of the Year

Audi 4.2L FSI V8
Audi 4.2L FSI V8

Canada’s 2008 Car of the Year is… drum roll please… the Audi R8 Supercar.

And, if you’re thinking about purchasing a new or used vehicle, good, honest information can be hard to find. Over the years, Automobile Journalists Association of Canada members have scrutinized hundreds of vehicles in search of one to call the year’s best. Now, prospective buyers can browse real-world results by category or by manufacturer for the past several years in AJAC’s CCOTY competition.

Related:

The Design Showcase: Audi R8 (Feb 2008, RPM Motoring Monthly)

TORONTO (Ontario) Wednesday, February 13, 2008 — In an early morning press conference at the opening of the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, the Audi R8 was declared the 2008 Canadian Car of the Year by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

The Audi R8 beat eight other “best new” category winners, announced December 4, 2007, to win the top prize.

2008 CCOTY co-chair, Paul Williams, commented: “With manufacturers introducing an increasing number of new vehicles each year, consumers may find it harder to keep track of what’s available in the marketplace, and how one vehicle differs from another. The AJAC Canadian Car of the Year program identifies and categorizes all the new vehicles each year, then subjects them to detailed testing in real-world situations. It’s not a popularity contest; it’s a thorough, objective and trustworthy process to help consumers make informed purchase decisions.”

“We are absolutely delighted to have been accorded this prestigious honour and would like to thank the membership for their support,” said Diego Ramos, Executive Vice President of Audi Canada, “especially when you consider the other fine automobiles with which we were competing.” He added, “To win these awards today is a defining moment for the Audi brand in Canada. In the past, the question has been asked, when will people realize just how good Audis are? I believe that time is now thanks to everyone at AJAC.”

At the same press conference, the new Chevrolet Silverado was declared the 2008 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). The Chevrolet Silverado was chosen the overall winner from amongst 26 eligible vehicles in the Sport Utility and Pick-up Truck categories.

“We truly appreciate this vote of confidence from such a large body of Canada’s automotive experts,” said Marc Comeau, GM of Canada’s Vice President, Sales Service and Marketing. “Our goal is to provide customers with cars and trucks that offer leading designs and fuel-efficient technologies, with eye-catching style and an overall level of perceived quality typical of more expensive vehicles. This award tells us we’re delivering on that goal.”

AJAC’s annual Canadian Car of the Year awards program was created in 1985 with the purpose of providing consumers with sound, comparative information on vehicles that are new to the market.

For that reason, the vote results that determined today’s winners are available to consumers as a resource buying guide on the AJAC web site. Also available are the comparative test data derived from the journalists’ extensive four day evaluation of over 170 new vehicles in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario in October. This annual event is known in the industry as “TestFest.” Shell Canada is the official fuel supplier of the event.

The rigorous TestFest evaluation program includes real world driving on public roads–exactly where consumers drive so that the test and vote results posted to the AJAC web site are directly relevant to potential car and truck buyers.

Still looking to buy a 2007, 2006, or even a 2005 vehicle? AJAC archives the comparative test data from previous years on its web site.

For more information on the 2008 Canadian Car of the Year Awards, either visit our AJAC web site at www.ajac.ca, call the AJAC office at 1 (800) 361-1516, or send an e-mail to beth[at]ajac.ca.