Toyota GR Yaris shines at 2021 carwow Car of the Year awards

Toyota has started 2021 on a high, scooping four gongs at the 2021 carwow Car of the Year awards – including the overall award!

Here at Johnsons, we love the Toyota GR Yaris, and were thrilled to see this exhilarating world-rally-bred hatchback named carwow’s overall ‘Car of the Year’. Having claimed the ‘Hot Hatch of the Year’ title in the awards, it was shortlisted for online public voting along with two other models, via the car-buying comparison website’s five million YouTube subscriber base. It triumphed with 5,000 votes more than its closest rival.

Announcing the results, carwow’s Chief Content Officer Mat Watson said:

“The Toyota GR Yaris is a fantastic little pocket rocket that put the biggest smile on my face from the first time I drove it. Its fizzy 1.6-litre engine pumps out a whopping 261hp and its four-wheel-drive system gives it the traction of a rally car. Our audience absolutely loves it too. It took an early lead in our Car of the Year poll and didn’t look back.”

The immediate impact of this superb hot hatch was also recognised in a special ‘thank you’ award from carwow to Toyota President Akio Toyoda for committing to make the car and bring it to market. Watson commented:

“This award is to personally thank the boss of Toyota for making us happy, for giving us the glorious GR Yaris. Akio Toyoda personally pushed through this project to make a gem of a rally-bred homologation special that appeals to every car fan.”


But the headlines weren’t just for the performance variant of the Yaris – the original model also took to the carwow podium, winning ‘Best Small Hybrid Car’. Mat Watson enthused:

“The new Toyota Yaris has everything you want from a small car. It looks good, is easy to drive and it comes with loads of standard kit. And because it’s a hybrid it does more than 60mpg. You can’t argue with that.”

For the full list of 2021 carwow awards, visit: https://www.carwow.co.uk/news/4992/2021-carwow-car-of-the-year

And, if the Toyota GR Yaris and Toyota Yaris have caught your eye, contact your local Johnsons Toyota today to experience them for yourself!