The 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Awards semi-finalists have been announced and the Honda Civic, which remains mostly unchanged from a year ago, is gunning for back-to-back wins.
Also among the semi-finalists is the Toyota Prius, which, too, remains mostly unchanged from when it won the award in 2024.
The semi-finalists were announced by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), which presents the CCOTY awards each year.
The awards also recognize the utility vehicle of the year, as well as the electric car and utility vehicle of the year.
So, below are the semi-finalists in the running for 2026 CCOTY 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
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Lucid Air
- Porsche Taycan
- 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 BMW i4 is also the incumbent for the electric car of the year honours.
AJAC said every 2026 model year vehicle was eligible for the awards, whether they were all-new or not in 2026. That included vehicles that were newly designed, refreshed or carried over from the previous year. That means nearly 400 vehicles were eligible for the 2026 CCOTY awards.
The awards are voted on by Canada’s automotive journalists who drive every vehicle they vote on.
“Announcing our semi-finalists is the first big step toward the 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Awards. Whether they take home the top trophy or not, the Canadian Car of the Year voting process makes sure that every one of these semi-finalist vehicles is a standout in their class,” said AJAC president Evan Williams in a news release.
The 12 finalists will be announced at the Montreal Auto Show on Jan. 15, while the four category winners will be revealed at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto on Feb. 12.
More information is available at canadiancaroftheyear.ca.
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