Toronto, Ontario — In the only award show that really matters, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s (AJAC) announced the 2021 Canadian Car of the Year award on Tuesday, with the Mazda3 taking home the title for the second year in a row.
“We’re not surprised at all, but very honoured and humbled,” said David Klan, president and CEO of Mazda Canada Inc.
“The Car of the Year evaluations and awards help Canadian consumers in their car-buying process, so we’re excited that the Mazda3 was recognized with AJAC’s highest honour with this back-to-back win.”
Edging out the two other finalists; the Genesis G80 sedan and the Kia K5, the Mazda3 brought to the table a new, more powerful engine: a 2.5-litre turbocharged inline-4, which delivers 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque using premium 93 octane fuel.
On the utility side of things, Genesis did end up coming away with an award, securing the title of 2021 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, beating out the Kia Telluride and the Nissan Rogue.
“We are pleased that the first-ever Genesis SUV, GV80, has received this prestigious award,” said Richard Trevisan, brand director of Genesis Motors Canada in a press release.
“We believe that being a leading consumer brand means developing an exciting product lineup that is paired with unparalleled customer experience.”
The winners were selected from more than 250 eligible vehicles that are newly designed, recently refreshed, or carried over from last year.
