The powerful Japan Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (JAMA) has named Toyota’s third-generation Toyota Prius winner of its 30th Japan Car of The Year Award.
Final judging occurred at the opening of the 41st Tokyo International Motor Show. It is the second time Prius has been named Japanese Car of the Year as the original Prius was capped with the award on debut in 1997-1998.
Third-generation petrol-electric Prius received 433 votes, defeating its nearest rival – another hybrid car – by a narrow 42 votes: one of the closest finishes on record.
Sixty one journalists and industry representatives voted in a live final tally at the media day for the Tokyo Show.
Third-generation Prius has been Japan`s best-selling car for the past five months, according to figures from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association (JADA).
It reached an all-time high of 31,758 sales in September, accounting for 10.8 per cent of all automobile sales in Japan for the month, JADA said.
New-generation Prius has been credited with reinventing the transition of passenger cars from conventional power to hybrid delivery.
