AJAC Canadian Green Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year come to the Vancouver International Auto Show

AJAC's 2016 Canadian Car of the Year Awards

What is a Green Vehicle?
It is a vehicle which, for its size and purpose, provides the Canadian consumer with
environmentally-friendly returns that compare favourably with other vehicles in its class.

2016 Canadian Green Car of the Year and 2016 Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year

VANCOUVER, March 16, 2016 /CNW/ - In less than one week, during the opening ceremonies at the Vancouver International Auto Show, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) will announce its Canadian Green Car of the Year (CGCOTY) and Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year (CGUVOTY) award winners.

The CGCOTY and CGUVOTY entries were evaluated last October at the association's annual week-long "TestFest" event as part of the AJAC's Canadian Car of the Year Awards program. More than 70 of Canada's top auto journalists drove entries in each category back-to-back, on the same day and in the same conditions. The entries meeting special Green criteria then went on to a separate round of voting for the Green awards. All votes collected during the two rounds of scoring were compiled by international accounting from KPMG. From the ten Green entries, Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai and Mazda won over Smart, Porsche, and Volvo for the six finalist positions.

The top three (3) finalists for Canadian Green Car of the Year are the Chevrolet Volt, Honda Civic and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The top three (3) finalists for AJAC's first Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year Award are the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), and Mazda CX-3. All the finalists were announced in February at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

The six finalists were "crowned' with green car toppers for the duration of the Toronto show, and will wear these same crowns at the Vancouver show to represent vehicles considered green for their market segment.

"A Green vehicle isn't always just the electric car, or the smallest car," Kevin Corrigan says. "A fuel-efficient gasoline four-cylinder, or a six-cylinder luxury hybrid, can also be considered a Green vehicle in its segment of the market. Canadian consumers require environmentally-friendly transportation that meets their needs, whether it's a small city runabout, or a large but fuel-efficient luxury product. Our intention with the Canadian Green Car of the Year program is not just to make consumers aware of environmental vehicles, but to know that we've tested them extensively and have chosen what we feel is the year's best."

SOURCE Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

regarding the Canadian Green Car of the Year Awards program, please contact Justin Pritchard ([email protected]), Charles Jolicoeur ([email protected]) or Kevin Corrigan ([email protected]).