2023 Car and SUV of the Year: Who Made the Right Picks?
Can we all agree to disagree? When it comes to identifying the best vehicles on the market, you could ask 10 different people and get 10 different answers. The automotive press is no different, and this year served as yet another example.
Recently, the 2023 Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year were recognized during an award presentation at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) made its picks from the list of 12 category winners that were announced last month at the Montreal International Auto Show.
They are two fully electric models. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
2023 Car of the Year
Germany’s response to the Tesla Model 3, the BMW i4 secured the AJAC award by defeating the Mazda3, which won it in 2021, and the Hyundai Elantra N, a high-performance version of the Korean compact sedan.
This fully electric compact sedan is available in two configurations including rear-wheel drive with 281 hp or 335 hp and all-wheel drive with 469 hp (or 536 hp in Boost mode). Maximum range can be a long as 484 km, which is remarkable. What’s more, despite their luxury status, the i4 eDrive35 and eDrive40 models both qualify for a $5,000 EV rebate from the Canadian government (plus provincial incentives where applicable).
The i4 impresses with a highly rigid chassis, smooth and quiet ride, spacious interior and cutting-edge, eighth-generation iDrive infotainment system. On the other hand, weight is significantly increased and options can be pretty expensive.
A few weeks earlier, the Acura Integra was named the 2023 North American Car of the Year by a jury of 50 Canadian and U.S. journalists. It’s a conventionally powered liftback sedan with the same 200 hp but a tad more luxury and sex appeal than the Honda Civic Si. It earned more votes than the Genesis Electrified G80 and Nissan Z.
Meanwhile, The Car Guide also picked an electric sedan as New Car of the Year—not the i4 but rather the Hyundai IONIQ 6. The trusted website’s two other finalists were entirely different models, namely the Toyota GR Corolla and Prius.
Of course, these are all excellent cars, but they’re not aimed at the same types of drivers. Is there a greater consensus when it comes to SUVs? Not really, although this year’s winners happen to share the same architecture.
2023 SUV of the Year
The AJAC award for 2023 went to the Hyundai IONIQ 5, which beat out another Korean model, the three-row Kia Telluride, as well as the Mitsubishi Outlander, which offers a next-generation PHEV variant.
The IONIQ 5 is not a rare sight on the road anymore, but it continues to turn heads with bold, retro-futuristic styling. It comes standard with a 58kWh battery and can travel up to 354 km. Opt for the larger 77.4kWh battery, and you’ll be able to cover 428 km in AWD configuration or 488 km in RWD configuration. It’s also an EV you can tow with—up to 2,000 pounds.
The North American winner was the Kia EV6, an electric crossover that features sportier styling than the IONIQ 5. Also, its 576-horsepower GT variant is Kia’s fastest and most powerful production model ever. The EV6 rose above two other electric finalists, namely the Genesis GV60 and Cadillac Lyriq.
Speaking of the GV60, which is a fancier, more upscale take on the IONIQ 5-EV6 combo, The Car Guide chose it as its New SUV of the Year ahead of the aforementioned Lyriq as well as the adventurous Mazda CX-50.
Who’s right? Who’s wrong? We’re curious to see what you think. Feel free to hit our Facebook page and drop your comments.
