Toyota Yaris is Car of the Year 2021
Hybrid supermini claims the top gong over rivals including Land Rover Defender and Volkswagen ID 3
The Toyota Yaris has been named The Car of the Year 2021. The Yaris was named the winner in a ceremony hosted at the Palexpo exhibition centre in Geneva, on the eve of when the Geneva International Motor Show would have been held but which has been cancelled, for the second year running, owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Yaris Supermini, which is offered only as a petrol-electric hybrid, scored 266 points as it saw off the challenge from six other short-listed cars.
The runner up was the Fiat 500 Electric, with 240 points, while the Cupra Formentor crossover finished in third, with 239 points. The Volkswagen ID 3 (224 points), Skoda Octavia (199 points), Land Rover Defender (164 points) and Citroen C4 (143 points) completed the seven-car shortlist. It’s the second time a Yaris has won the award – the first-generation Yaris was named Car of the Year in 2000.
Matt Harrison, executive vice president of Toyota Europe said: “This is a great honour for Toyota and I’d like to thank the jury for their consideration and recognition. I’d also like to take this opportunity to recognise the passion of our development teams in Europe and Japan. This is the best ever Yaris, and just as Akio Toyoda intended, it is already putting a smile on the face of our customers.”
The Car of the Year award is an independent organisation supported by nine automotive publications from nine European countries which provide all of its funding, including Autocar. It accepts no sponsorship, has no tables at awards ceremonies for sale and charges winning or shortlisted car makers nothing for use of its logo.
The award is voted on by a jury comprising 59 journalists, including Autocar's Matt Prior and Andrew Frankel, from 22 countries.
The Car of the Year award was established in 1964, with the Rover 2000 taking honours.
The Peugeot 208 won the prize last year, with the Jaguar I-Pace winning in 2019 on a countback after it finished in equal first place with the Alpine A110.
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