Hyundai lands three models on AJAC's 2026 12 Best Vehicles in Canada list
Hyundai is the only automaker with three vehicles on AJAC’s 2026 12 Best Vehicles in Canada list, earning spots for the Elantra, Palisade, and IONIQ 9.
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What Happened
Hyundai announced that the Elantra, Palisade, and IONIQ 9 have been named among the 12 Best Vehicles in Canada for 2026 by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). This makes Hyundai the only automaker with three vehicles on the list. The achievement follows a strong 2025 when two Hyundai models made the list and later won top honours in their categories.
“Canadian drivers continue to recognize Hyundai for what we deliver across the lineup: compelling design, advanced technologies, and best-in-class customer experience. To have Palisade, IONIQ 9 and Elantra all named to AJAC’s 12 Best is a powerful affirmation of our teams’ work, and we’re honoured to be the automaker with the most vehicles on the list.”
“Congratulations to Hyundai for earning three spots on AJAC's 2026 12 Best Vehicles in Canada list. Hyundais have earned plenty of accolades in recent years, and with models like these, it's easy to see why our panel of experts rated them among the best. AJAC's journalists scored these models particularly highly for safety and quality, two important factors for Canadians.”
- Elantra: compact sedan available in gasoline and hybrid, with best-in-class fuel efficiency on hybrid models.
- Palisade: larger and more capable SUV with new hybrid variant and a 3.5L V6 ICE option; 287 hp ICE, 329 hp hybrid.
- IONIQ 9: fully-electric three-row SUV with 500 km range, 800V fast charging (10-80% in 24 min), and native NACS port.
Why this matters
The recognition advances the three models as finalists for the 2026 Canadian Car of the Year Awards, underscoring Hyundai's strong lineup and market presence in Canada.
Terms in This Story
- AJAC
- Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, an organization of professional automotive journalists that conducts vehicle evaluations and awards.
- NACS
- North American Charging Standard, a plug standard for electric vehicles developed by Tesla.
- CCS
- Combined Charging System, a standard for fast-charging electric vehicles used by many automakers.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.