Volkswagen Golf Alltrack named AJAC 2017 Car of the Year

And the results are out! The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has picked the cream of the crop for 2017 model year vehicles, announcing the winners last week at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. Volkswagen’s new Golf Alltracktook top honours as the Canadian Car of the Year, with Hyundai, and BMW also receiving mention.

“It is such a great honour to have AJAC name the new Volkswagen Golf Alltrack as their car of the year. By adding our 4MOTION all-wheel-drive to the Golf Sportwagon, Canadians now have a fantastic new alternative to choose from.  Thank you so much to all the members of AJAC for this recognition,” said Maria Stenström, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group Canada.

Whether you want to call it a lifted wagon or a crossover, the Alltrack, which is out this summer, is certainly something different from VW. Besides it being the first time 4Motion has been adapted to the body style, other differences separating it from the regular variant is of course a higher and more robust suspension, different bumpers, polished side sills and trim, 18-inch “Canyon” alloy wheels and a unique mesh front grille.

Hyundai came up big this year as well, with the Elantra and turbocharged Elantra Sport taking the Best New Small Car and Best New Sports/Performance Car, respectively. The compact vehicle entered its sixth generation getting a head-to-toe redesign, both models benefitting from the brand’s rigid “SUPERSTRUCTURE” chassis comprised largely of advanced high strength steel.

The nod for Best New Premium Sports/Performance went to the M2, the spiritual successor to the 1 Series M Coupe. Serious specs like a 3.0-litre bi-turbo 365-horsepower engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and rear-wheel drive layout make the coupe a deserving recipient of the award.