The annual Japan Car of the Year Awards has always honored new releases or redesigned vehicles that have made an impact on the Japanese market. This year, a roster of 10 finalists has been presented by the selection committee, and three of them are models from Toyota.
Among the finalists from Toyota is the Land Cruiser 300, one of the most anticipated new releases of 2021
In particular, the three contenders from the Japanese carmaker are the GR 86 sports car (also marketed as the Subaru BRZ), Land Cruiser 300 midsize SUV, and the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV). Other Japanese entries include Honda with its Vezel subcompact crossover (known as the HR-V in our market), Mitsubishi’s Outlander plug-in hybrid electric crossover (PHEV), and Nissan with the third generation of its Note subcompact hatchback.
The Toyota GR 86's previous generation bagged a special award during the 2012-2013 edition
A jury comprising car critics, journalists, and other experts whittled down the initial list of 29 entries, covering models released between November 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021. Four category awards will also be up for grabs, namely Design Car of the Year, Technology Car of the Year, Performance Car of the Year, and Kei Car of the Year. The Import Car of the Year will also be decided.
Nissan’s Note hatchback is heavily tipped to win this edition’s crown, previously winning the unrelated 2022 Car of the Year Award from the Automotive Researchers & Journalists Conference or RJC. Meanwhile, Toyota has so far won nine times throughout the Japanese award’s 42-year history, with its luxury brand Lexus achieving the honor for 2006-2007. From 1991, Toyota has also garnered special awards a total of eight times.
Nissan's Note hatchback series, shown here in Aura NISMO guise, is a heavy favorite to win the top award
Here is the complete lineup of finalists for the Japan Car of the Year honors, in alphabetical order:
- BMW 4 Series / M4
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Honda Vezel (HR-V)
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
- Nissan Note / Note Aura / Aura NISMO / Aura Crossover
- Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ
- Toyota Land Cruiser 300
- Toyota Mirai
- Volkswagen Golf
The winners will be announced on December 10, 2021, with the awarding ceremonies streamed over the Japan Car of the Year YouTube channel.
Find out which cars have made the greatest impact in major markets at Philkotse.com.