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Car of the Year

{{Short description|Type of award}}

Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous automotive awards.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by Motor Trend magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of the Year.{{cite web|url= http://www.automoblog.net/2012/11/14/tesla-model-s-named-car-of-the-year-by-motor-trend/ |title=Powered Up: Tesla Model S Named 'Car of the Year' By Motor Trend |first=Chris |last=Nagy |date=14 November 2012 |publisher=automoblog.net |accessdate=19 May 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://jilmcintosh.typepad.com/jil/car_of_the_year/|title=Ford Fusion: It's tops with Motor Trend |author=Jil McIntosh|date=2009-11-18 |accessdate=2020-09-02}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/business/slideshow-the-world-s-best-car-magazines-1179504|title=The World's Best Car Magazines |publisher=Essel Group - Daily News Analysis India|date=2008-07-24 |accessdate=2020-09-02}}

Other publications and various organizations also have developed COTY recognitions.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} The Australian automobile magazine Wheels began an award in 1963.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

In 1964, a jury of European automotive journalists began selecting the European Car of the Year award.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Many COTY awards focus on regional markets, vehicle types, or market segments.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} An example is the "tow car of the year" in the UK (for pulling travel trailers).{{cite web|url= http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/news-and-events/awards |title=Awards |publisher=Caravan Club |accessdate=19 May 2015}} or the COTY AJAC award in Canada.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Criteria

The COTY is meant to award excellence in automotive design.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Criteria vary, but the World Car of the Year are typical:{{cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/motoring/an-insider-s-guide-to-the-world-car-of-the-year-award-1.2366|title=An insider's guide to the World Car of the Year award |author=Richard Bremner|publisher= The National FZ LLC United Printing & Publishing, Abu Dhabi|date=2015-07-30 |accessdate=2020-09-02}}

  • eligible cars are all those that have been launched and gone on sale in the past year
  • must be available on at least two continents
  • juror can borrow the car in question from manufacturer fleet of test cars
  • fitness for purpose
  • real-world practicalities such as running costs, interior space and comfort, acceleration, handling, roadholding, ride comfort, noise levels, fit, finish, visual and tactile quality of the interior
  • Innovation - advance of car design and engineering

The originator of the COTY award, Motor Trend, uses these criteria:{{cite web|url=https://www.motortrend.com/news/how-we-determine-our-car-truck-suv-of-the-year/|title=How We Determine our Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year - Reference Mark|author=Mark Rechtin|publisher= MOTOR TREND GROUP, LLC|date=2018-11-27 |accessdate=2020-09-02}}

  • Advancement in design
  • Engineering excellence - integrity of the total vehicle concept and execution and use of technologies that benefit the consumer
  • Efficiency - fuel economy and overall operating costs
  • Safety - protect occupants from harm in a crash and avoid a crash
  • Value - relative to competitors in the same market segment
  • Performance of intended function

Global

  • World Car of the Year selected by a jury of 102 international automotive journalists from 30 countries,{{Cite web |title=Jurors :: World Car Awards |url=https://www.worldcarawards.com/web/2024_results.asp |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=www.worldcarawards.com}} beginning in 2003

Regional

  • Arab Car of the Year (ARABCOTY) (Middle East) {{cite web |url=http://www.arabcoty.com/ |title=Home |website=arabcoty.com}} https://www.arabcoty.com/
  • European Car of the Year selected by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organisers of the award are Auto (Italy), Autocar (United Kingdom), Autopista (Spain), Autovisie (Netherlands), L'Automobile Magazine (France), Stern (Germany) and Vi Bilägare (Sweden). The voting jury consists of motoring journalists from publications throughout Europe.
  • Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY){{Cite web|url=http://motorspirit.me/middle-east-car-of-the-year-2014/|title=Middle East Car Of The Year 2014 {{!}} motorspirit.me|last=Madadha|first=Ghaith|language=en|access-date=2020-02-06}} https://www.mecoty.com/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205140428/https://www.mecoty.com/ |date=2020-02-05 }}
  • North American Car of the Year - 60 automotive journalists from the US and Canada

National

  • Drive Car of the Year (Australia){{cite web |title=Drive Car of the Year |url=https://www.drive.com.au/dcoty-lander |website=Drive |access-date=5 December 2020}}
  • Wheels magazine's Car of the Year (Australia)
  • Canadian Car of the Year
  • China Car of the YearChina Car Awards. http://www.ccoty.cn/china-car-award/
  • German Car of the Year{{cite web |title=GERMAN CAR OF THE YEAR |url=http://www.gcoty.de |website=GCOTY |access-date=5 December 2020}}
  • Das Goldene Lenkrad{{cite web|url=http://www.autobild.de/artikel/das-goldene-lenkrad-2013-4448789.html|title=Das Goldene Lenkrad 2013: Alle Sieger im Überblick|date=2015-04-26|publisher=autobild.de|language=de|accessdate=19 May 2015}} (Germany)
  • Indian Car of the Year
  • Irish Car of the Year{{Cite web|url=https://caroftheyear.ie/|title=Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year Awards|website=Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year|language=en|access-date=2019-11-15}}
  • Japan Car of the Year
  • RJC Car of the Year (Japan)
  • Korea Car of the Year (KAJA, AWAK)
  • Lithuanian Car of the Year{{cite web|url=http://pressauto.lt/category/metu-automobilis|title=(Lithuanian) Car of the Year website|access-date=2016-11-12|archive-date=2016-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113120138/http://pressauto.lt/category/metu-automobilis/|url-status=dead}}
  • Qatar Car of the Year - Maqina Magazine (QCOTY) (Qatar) {{cite web |url=http://www.qcoty.com/ |title=Home |website=qcoty.com}}
  • Russian Car of the Year{{cite press release|url=http://www.autogoda.ru/partners/AY_Present_final_eng_2013.pdf|title=(Russian) Car of the Year 2013 marketing brochure|publisher=autogoda|accessdate=19 May 2015}}
  • South African Car of the Year
  • UK Car of the Year{{cite web |title=UK Car of the Year |url=https://ukcoty.co.uk/category/uncategorized/blog/ |website=UK Car of the Year}}
  • The Car Expert UK Combined Car of the Year Awards (UK){{cite web |title=Car Expert Car of the Year |url=https://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/category/best-car-awards/ |website=Car Expert Car of the Year}}
  • Auto Express magazine's Car of the Year Awards (UK){{cite web |title=Auto Express Car of the Year |url=https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/new-car-awards-2024 |website=Auto Express Car of the Year}}
  • Parker's Car Guides Car of the Year Awards (UK){{cite web |title=Parker's Car of the Year |url=https://www.parkers.co.uk/car-awards/}}
  • What Car? Car of the Year (UK){{cite web |title=What Car? Car of the Year |url=https://www.whatcar.com/awards/new-car-awards |website=What Car? Car of the Year}}
  • Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best (USA)
  • Motor Trend magazine's Motor Trend Car of the Year The magazine continues its COTY award begun in 1949, and has also expanded to separate trophies for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) (USA){{cite web |title=Motor Trend's Car of the Year |url=https://www.motortrend.com/news/toyota-prius-hybrid-2024-car-of-the-year/}}
  • MotorWeek{{'}}s Driver's Choice Awards (USA){{cite web |title=MotorWeek's Car of the Year |url=https://video.mpt.tv/video/2023-drivers-choice-awards-nvklpp/}}
  • Green Car of the Year selected by Green Car Journal (USA)

Sample Results

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:96%;"

!Year!!World Car of the Year!!World Performance Car!!World Green Car!!World Car Design of the Year!! World Luxury Car

!World Urban Car

2020

|Kia Telluride

|Porsche Taycan

|

|Mazda3

|Porsche Taycan

|Kia Soul EV

2019

|Jaguar I-Pace

|McLaren 720S

|Jaguar I-Pace

|Jaguar I-Pace

|Audi A7

|Suzuki Jimny

2018

|Volvo XC40

|BMW M5

|Nissan LEAF

|Range Rover Velar

|Audi A8

|Volkswagen Polo

2017

|Jaguar F-Pace

|Porsche Boxster Cayman

|Toyota Prius Prime

|Jaguar F-Pace

|Mercedes-Benz E-Class

|BMW i3

2016Mazda MX-5Audi R8 CoupeToyota MiraiMazda MX-5BMW 7 Series

|

2015Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W205)Mercedes-AMG GTBMW i8Citroën C4 Cactus{{cite news|url=http://motoring.iafrica.com/features/989300.html|title=World Car of the Year 2015 revealed|accessdate=2015-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410223758/http://motoring.iafrica.com/features/989300.html|archive-date=10 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}Mercedes-Benz S-Class (C217)

|

2014Audi A3Porsche 911 GT3BMW i3BMW i3{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimhenry/2014/04/17/bmwi3-drives-off-with-green-world-car-of-the-year-award-plus-a-surprise/|title=New York Auto Show: BMWi3 Is The 2014 World Green Car Of The Year|author=Jim Henry|work=Forbes|date=2014-04-17|accessdate=2014-04-17}}Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222)

|

2013Volkswagen Golf Mk7Porsche Boxster / CaymanTesla Model SJaguar F-Type 

|

2012Volkswagen up!Porsche 991Mercedes-Benz S250 BlueEfficiencyRange Rover Evoque 

|

2011Nissan LeafFerrari 458 ItaliaChevrolet VoltAston Martin Rapide 

|

2010Volkswagen PoloAudi R8 V10Volkswagen BlueMotionChevrolet Camaro 

|

2009Volkswagen Golf Mk6Nissan GT-RHonda FCX ClarityFiat Nuova 500 

|

2008Mazda2 / DemioAudi R8BMW 118d with Efficient DynamicsAudi R8 

|

2007Lexus LS 460Audi RS4Mercedes-Benz E320 BluetecAudi TT 

|

2006BMW 3 SeriesPorsche Cayman SHonda Civic HybridCitroën C4 

|

2005Audi A6 | 

|

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

!European Car of the Year

!North American Car of the Year

!North American Utility of the Year

!North American Truck of the Year

2020

|Peugeot 208

|Chevrolet Corvette

|Kia Telluride

|Jeep Gladiator

2019

|Jaguar I-Pace

|Genesis G70

|Hyundai Kona

|Ram 1500

2018

|Volvo XC40

|Honda Accord

|Volvo XC60

|Lincoln Navigator

2017

|Peugeot 3008 SUV

|Chevrolet Bolt

|Chrysler Pacifica

|Honda Ridgeline

2016

|Opel/Vauxhall Astra

|Honda Civic

|Volvo XC90

|

2015

|Volkswagen Passat

|Volkswagen Golf

|

|Ford F-150

2014

|Peugeot 308

|Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

|

|Chevrolet Silverado

2013

|Volkswagen Golf

|Cadillac ATS

|

|Ram 1500

2012

|Chevrolet Volt/Opel/Vauxhall Ampera

|Hyundai Elantra

|Range Rover Evoque

|

2011

|Nissan Leaf

|Chevrolet Volt

|Ford Explorer

|

2010

|Volkswagen Polo

|Ford Fusion Hybrid

|

|Ford Transit Connect

2009

|Vauxhall/Opel Insignia

|Hyundai Genesis

|

|Ford F-150

2008

|Fiat 500

|Chevrolet Malibu

|Mazda CX-9

|

2007

|Ford S-Max

|Saturn Aura

|

|Chevrolet Silverado

2006

|Renault Clio

|Honda Civic

|

|Honda Ridgeline

2005

|Toyota Prius

|Chrysler 300

|Ford Escape Hybrid

|

2004

|Fiat Panda

|Toyota Prius

|

|Ford F-150

2003

|Renault Mégane

|MINI Cooper

|Volvo XC90

|

2002

|Peugeot 307

|Nissan Altima

|Chevrolet Trailblazer

|

2001

|Alfa Romeo 147

|Chrysler PT Cruiser

|Acura MDX

|

2000

|Toyota Yaris

|Ford Focus

|Nissan Xterra

|

1999

|Ford Focus

|Chrysler 300M

|Jeep Grand Cherokee

|

1998

|Alfa Romeo 156

|Chevrolet Corvette

|Mercedes-Benz M-Class

|

1997

|Renault Mégane Scénic

|Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

|

|Ford Expedition

1996

|Fiat Bravo and Brava

|Chrysler minivans

|

|Ford F-150

1995

|Fiat Punto

|Honda Civic

|

|Chevrolet Blazer

1994

|Ford Mondeo

|Mercedes-Benz C-Class

|

|Dodge Ram

class="wikitable sortable"
YearMiddle East Motor Awards COTY
2013Jaguar F-Type
2012McLaren MP4-12C
2011Volvo S60

See also

References

{{reflist}}

Category:Motor vehicle awards

Category:1940s neologisms

pl:Samochód Roku

sco:Caur o the Year