Toyota Yaris Named Car Of The Year 2021, Beats Land Rover Defender And VW ID 3

Toyota Yaris beats finalists, including Land Rover Defender and Volkswagen ID 3, to win Car of the Year 2021. 

Yaris supermini is Toyota’s least expensive car.

It replaces the Starlet and Tercel and sold by Toyota since 1999.

The all-new Toyota Yaris subcompact car has won the 2021 World Car of the Year award at the Palexpo exhibition centre in Geneva.

Yaris pulled 266 points to win the title against six other short-listed finalists, including Land Rover Defender and Volkswagen ID 3.

The Fiat 500 Electric came second with 240 points, while the Cupra Formentor crossover finished in third with 239 points.

The Volkswagen ID 3 compact hatchback came fourth with 224 points and Skoda Octavia fifth with 199 points. Land Rover Defender (164 points) and Citroen C4 (143 points) completed the seven-car shortlist.

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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.”

This is the second “World Car of the Year” award win for the Toyota Yaris. The first-generation Yaris was named Car of the Year in 2000.

The supermini replaces the Starlet and Tercel and sold by Toyota since 1999. It is the Japanese brand’s least expensive car.

This year, vehicles were selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprising of 59 automotive journalists from 22 countries around the world.

The Kia Telluride won 2020 World Car Of The Year while the Jaguar I-Pace took the title in 2019.

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