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2021 Canadian Car of the Year finalists announced ahead of top pick reveal

Canadian journalists narrow down best new vehicle to four Korean, two Japanese cars and SUVs

Alex Reid
Mar 04, 2021  •  April 28, 2021  •  1 minute read  •  Join the conversation
GV807
Photo by Genesis

The 2021 AJAC Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year committee revealed its six finalists early March, ahead of the reveal of a single pick in each category later in the month.

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Members of the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada tested and then voted on the selections from a pool of new 2021-model-year vehicles, and the individual results were tabulated by international accounting firm KPMG.

The three finalists for Canadian Car of the Year are the Genesis G80, Kia K5, and the Mazda3. The Mazda3 was the recipient of the 2020 award, and recently received the award for Best Mid-size Car in Canada for 2021. The Genesis G80 was declared the Best Mid-size Premium Car in Canada for 2021, while the Kia K5 earned similar honours as the Best Large Car in Canada for 2021.

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The three finalists for Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year are the Genesis GV80, Kia Telluride, and Nissan Rogue. The GV80 has already gained acclaim as the Best Mid-size Premium Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021, while the Kia Telluride similarly earned the Best Large Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021 award. Finally, the Nissan Rogue took home Best Mid-size Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2021.

The awards are usually presented at a ceremony during the Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS) in Toronto, but due to the pandemic, that event was cancelled for 2021. Instead, the winners for the awards will be announced on The Morning Show on Global Television, on March 30, 2021.

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