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AJAC Selects the Ford F-150 as the 2004 “Canadian Truck of the Year”
TORONTO (Ontario), February 11, 2004 – The Ford F-150 was declared the “Canadian Truck of the Year” today during a press conference held in conjunction with the opening of the 2004 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.
Jim Kenzie, President of the Canadian Car of the Year awards explained that, “The overall Canadian Truck of the Year for 2004 was selected from three category award winners announced last December. Before claiming the overall title, the Ford F-150 won “Best New Pick-up” honours after being pitted against others in its class.
Unlike some of the other “car and truck of the year” programs in which winners are selected solely on the basis of subjective opinion, or in which commercial interests play a role, AJAC determines its category winners based on a rigorous, scientifically sophisticated process”.
It all begins in late October when some AJAC automotive journalists from across Canada take part in a four-day back-to-back evaluation process at Shannonville Motorsports Park, near Belleville, Ontario.
Affectionately known as “TestFest”, the journalists form test teams to compare every vehicle in a class, back-to-back, on the same surfaces, under the same conditions, on the same day to ensure valid, objective comparisons. The testing program includes driving on a test track as well as using “real world” public roads where consumers drive.
Every detail, from safety features to cargo capacity, is thoroughly scrutinized, discussed, and individually rated by secret ballot. Those ballots are then tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG, which keeps the results confidential – even from AJAC – until today’s press conference.
The primary purpose of AJAC's Car of the Year Awards program is to provide consumers with sound, comparative information on which to base their new vehicle buying decisions.
The vote results, as well as the comparative performance data produced during the annual Test Fest, are available to consumers on AJAC’s web site at www.AJAC.ca.
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