The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada has recognized innovations from Toyota, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz with the 2026 Innovation Awards.

The awards were presented at the 2026 Vancouver International Auto Show, a little more than a month after AJAC presented the Canadian Car of the Year awards at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto.

Toyota received the best green innovation award for its 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, Volvo received the best safety innovation award for its multi-adaptive safety belt, and Mercedes-Benz picked up the best technical innovation award for its Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology.

“We are always proud to reward the year’s best new technologies with our Innovation Awards,” said Graham Heeps, AJAC awards chair, in a news release. “Sometimes innovation is all about a revolutionary shift in thinking; at other times it is incremental improvement by a diligent team of engineers that delivers the greatest benefit to consumers. There are examples of both approaches among our winners this year.”

Best green innovation

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid (pictured up top) picked up the best green innovation award for its newly launched plug-in hybrid powretrain.

The sixth-generation PHEV is both more powerful and more efficient than past RAV4 PHEV models and has an all-electric range of approximately 80 kilometres thanks to a larger, higher-voltage battery.

The compact SUV also has DC fast-charging capabilities and other improvements.

Best safety innovation

The best safety innovation award went to Volvo’s multi-adaptive safety belt, which made its debut in the 2026 Volvo EX60.

These innovative seatbelts, available in the front seats of the EX60, are designed to protect occupants regardless of the person’s shape or size.

The system is able to adjust its restraining force and duration in real time to best suit a person’s size and shape and dependent on the circumstances of the imminent impact.

Best technical innovation

Mercedes-Benz picked up the best technical innovation award for the the quad-motor system in the all-electric Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology.

AJAC said the G-Wagen’s four electric motors make it an even more capable off-road SUV than its gasoline-burning version, including being able to climb at a 45-degree angle on some surfaces.

More information is available at canadiancaroftheyear.ca.

---