"Hyundai SUV Dynasty"... Palisade and EV9 Named Canadian Car of the Year

Hyundai Motor Group said on the 13th that at the 2026 Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, Canada, the Hyundai Palisade won the 2026 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year award and the Kia EV9 won the Electrified Utility Vehicle of the Year award.

Hyundai Motor Group announced on the 13th that the Hyundai Palisade (Photo) won the "2026 Canada Utility Vehicle of the Year" award and the Kia EV9 won the "Electrified Utility Vehicle of the Year" award at the 2026 Canada International Auto Show held in Toronto, Canada. Hyundai Motor Company

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The Canadian Car of the Year awards select winners in a total of four categories based on test drives and voting by a judging panel of 53 local automotive experts and journalists.

With the Palisade and EV9 winning this year, Hyundai Motor Group has achieved a double crown at the Canadian Car of the Year awards for four consecutive years. Following the GV80 in 2021, the Tucson in 2022, the Ioniq 5 in 2023, and the Santa Fe in 2025, the Palisade this year marks the fifth time in the last six years that the group has swept the Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year title. Local media have even reported that “Hyundai Motor Group has built a dynasty.”

The judging panel said of the Palisade, “It has outstanding competitiveness based on a next-generation hybrid powertrain that stands out for its appealing balance of performance and fuel efficiency, as well as a wide range of safety systems.”

They also highly praised the EV9, saying, “In addition to its sophisticated styling, it offers a GT option with powerful performance of more than 500 horsepower, and it is the best three-row electric vehicle, delivering satisfaction in overall product value, price, and size.”

Evan Williams, President of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), said, “We congratulate Hyundai and Kia,” adding, “Fifty-three expert jurors from across Canada personally test-drove all the candidate vehicles under the same road and climate conditions that Canadian consumers encounter in their daily driving, and then selected the best vehicle in each category.”

Hyundai Motor Group said on the 13th that at the 2026 Canadian International AutoShow held in Toronto, Canada, the Hyundai Palisade was named "2026 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year" and the Kia EV9 (photo) was named "Electrified Utility Vehicle of the Year". Hyundai Motor

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At the 2026 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards held last month, the Palisade scored 270 points, far outpacing the second-place Nissan Leaf with 135 points and the third-place Lucid Gravity with 85 points to be finally chosen as the winner in the Utility category. It also proved its strong popularity by recording global sales of 211,215 units last year on an IR basis, the highest since its first launch in 2018.

The EV9 has previously won both World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle of the Year at the 2024 World Car Awards, and it has continued to receive awards and favorable reviews from major organizations and media outlets around the world, including the 2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year and the 2024 Women’s World Car of the Year, thereby earning recognition for its world-class competitiveness.

A Hyundai Motor Group official said, “The Palisade and EV9 sweeping two Canadian Car of the Year categories at the same time is a result that shows Hyundai Motor Group’s innovation and outstanding product competitiveness for leading future mobility have been recognized in the Canadian market,” adding, “We will continue to focus our capabilities on safety, technology, and engineering to provide vehicles with top-level product quality and reliability.”

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