The Canadian Car of Year named by the members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) arouses, year after year, a considerable number of comments. But if the vote isn't unanimous, it's not for lack of an honest selection process or a degree of professionalism that is the envy of many other similar associations out there.


Of the 125 voting members of the AJAC, some of whom specialize in fields other than automotive testing and are consequently not invited to the Test Fest, a record number registered this year to evaluate the 56 new 2009 models at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

These cars, divided into 14 categories, are either completely new or sufficiently updated to be deemed new, as, let's not forget, the AJAC doesn't purport to establish THE best vehicle available out there but only the best new one.

Each manufacturer offers three identically equipped vehicles for road testing. The registered journalists must first select three categories they will concentrate on.

A comprehensive electronic management system, operated with the help of Georgian College and Niagara College students, precisely tracks each of the journalists' evaluations.

To ensure the uniformity of the evaluations, a specific route is assigned to each category, including an off-road portion where relevant. Each of the vehicles can also be put through its paces on a track set up for the occasion on the landing strips of the Niagara airport. It's not about clocking the fastest lap time, but rather manoeuvring through a series of technical drills in order to evaluate driving dynamics and handling, among other things.

The journalists each receive a list of identical criteria that they rate. They then transfer their results to the Test Fest's website, where the list of evaluated cars is displayed in real time.