New Generation Toyota Prius Wins Car of the Year Award

The recently launched 2023 Toyota Prius has won the Car of the Year award in Japan (JCOTY) 2023. This is the third time that Prius has won this award, after surpassing competitors like the BMW X1 and Honda ZR-V with a significant margin.

The list of 10 candidates for the Car of the Year in Japan includes models from various brands. Two German models made it to the list: the BMW X1 and Volkswagen ID.4, ranked 2nd and 9th respectively. Two Italian models, the Abarth 500e and Maserati Grecale, ranked 8th and 10th.

The Car of the Year award in Japan (JCOTY) has been organized since 1980, with the Mazda Familia winning the first award – a small-sized sedan produced from 1963 to 2003.

According to the announcement, the nominated JCOTY cars must be new or belong to a new generation available in the Japanese market within 12 months, from November 1st. The judging panel consists of many specialized journalists, YouTubers, freelancers, and professional racers.

This year, the Toyota Prius has been upgraded to a new generation with a completely modern appearance, combined with leading-edge technologies in its segment. Therefore, right from its launch, this model has quickly gained a lot of attention from consumers.

The new generation of the Toyota Prius has a completely modern appearance, combined with advanced technologies, making it highly sought after by users.

The exterior design of the Toyota Prius is new but still retains its distinctive liftback style. At the front, the bumper design is inspired by a hammerhead shark, similar to the bZ4X and Crown, two previous models.

The cabin of the car is more minimalistic compared to its predecessor, with the center console being the place for the gear shift, wireless phone charger, and other function buttons. The highlight on the dashboard is the 12.3-inch infotainment screen, which is also a digital type. In addition, the car is equipped with the latest Toyota Safety Sense safety system.

The Toyota Prius HEV 2023 is powered by either a 1.8L engine with an electric motor, generating a maximum power of 140 horsepower, or a 2.0L engine with an electric motor, producing a maximum power of 196 horsepower (for front-wheel drive) or 199 horsepower (for 4-wheel drive E-Four).

Thái Sơn (Tuoitrethudo)