Toyota awards 2020: praise for the cars and its people

Paula Cooper wins mobility and category in Autocar’s Great Women in the British Car Industry 2020 Awards

Paula Cooper, Toyota (GB) ConsumerOne Director, has won the Mobility and Digital category in Autocar’s Great Women in the British Car Industry 2020 Awards. Along with Paula, three other female Toyota employees had the honour of being selected in the Top 100 list of the most influential British women in the motoring industry in Autocar’s Great British Women awards 2020.

• Liz Mehdevy, General Counsel and General Manager, Legal and Corporate Operations, Toyota (GB)
• Sophie Ogunbiyi, Manager, External Affairs, Toyota Motor Europe
• Mairi Gordon, General Manager, Production Operations, Engine Division, Toyota Manufacturing UK

Chair of the judging panel and managing director of Autocar and Haymarket Automotive, Rachael Prasher, commented: “The phenomenal success of all our Top 100 Great Women demonstrates the scope of career opportunities in the automotive world and the achievements possible. Each year, the talent pool gets bigger, making our job as judges harder, but it’s a fantastic sign of the breadth of talented women working in the industry.”

Run in partnership with the SMMT, Autocar’s Great British Women in the Car Industry initiative is supported by sponsors including Toyota (GB). The Great British Women awards recognise the most influential women in the British car industry today. The winners’ achievements will be celebrated at a virtual live event taking place on 16 September.

Which? Reliability Survey

A reliability survey conducted by Which? found that Toyota is the leading mainstream automotive manufacturer in the UK, after studying ownership experiences of more than 47,000 UK motorists. Toyota came second in the survey, only being beaten by its premium sister brand Lexus.

When answering the question “why are Toyota cars so good?” Which? says: “Toyota cars are not just reliable wonders. Its latest generation of hybrids has once again pushed the boundaries on fuel efficiency. This means you can expect both truly low amounts of climate-changing carbon dioxide and no wide-eyed glares at your card statements when you see how much you’re doling out to your local petrol station.”

Mark Roden, Toyota (GB) Operations Director, said: “The people who own and drive our cars are the best judges of quality and it’s fantastic that, through the Which? survey, they have given such a positive verdict. Toyota is long-established as the global pioneer of hybrid electric technology and we continue to improve its performance – most recently taking efficiency to new heights in the system developed for the all-new Yaris. True to our commitment to building ever-better cars, we aim to deliver even better quality and reliability in the future.”

Which? Car Survey: roadside assistance

A survey by the consumer organisation Which? concluded that Toyota Roadside Assistance members receive the fastest and best service if they are ever left stranded by a breakdown. The assistance package is provided free for one year on all new Toyota passenger cars.

The results were calculated from the personal feedback of more than 7,500 respondents, all of whom had contacted one of the breakdown services offered by 12 manufacturers within the last 12 months. Toyota owners reported an average call-out response time of 39 minutes, which was unmatched by any other brand. They also gave the highest overall customer score of 89%, confirming they were the happiest with their service.

Auto Express Used Car Awards

The Toyota Prius claimed another award for Toyota when it was crowned the best-used hybrid car to buy in the 2020 Auto Express Used Car Awards.

The hybrid Prius was noted for its “fine reputation for environmentally-friendly motoring” plus reasonable finance offers available on used models. Strong residual values also went in favour of the Prius with some used models being as reasonable as just £247 per month on PCP deals.

The win for the Prius in the Used Car Awards also highlights that hybrid models still pose a good proposition for customers looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle in the second-hand car market.

Honest John Satisfaction Index

It was a 1-2 finish for Toyota in the 2020 Honest John Satisfaction Index awards, with the Toyota Prius being named the most reliable car in the UK, with the Yaris following closely behind in second place. This is the second time that the Prius has come out on top in this award too, proving how reliable the car is with its owners.

Dan Powell, Honest John Managing Editor, said: “The Toyota Prius is the most reliable car on sale in the UK, according to the results in our index for 2020. It came out on top with a near-flawless 9.88 average rating out of 10. Combine that with its low running costs and refined hybrid powertrain and it’s easy to see why the Prius is such a popular car with drivers in the UK.”

Auto Express Driver Power survey

It was a double whammy for Corolla in this year’s Driver Power survey as the model made an emphatic first appearance in the annual awards ceremony. Owners and Auto Express readers not only voted it the Best Compact Family Car but judged it to possess the best ride and handling characteristics in its category.

Steve Fowler, Auto Express editor-in-chief, commented: “A win in a debut year is mightily impressive, and that is precisely what the new Toyota Corolla has achieved.

“On its way to taking the Best Compact Family Car win, the Corolla recorded an excellent set of scores across the board; in fact, no car scored higher for ride and handling. Owners love the smooth ride and the responsiveness of steering and brakes. The Corolla remains cheap to run, especially when it comes to fuel economy, plus overall build quality inside and out is rated highly.”

Fleet News awards

Toyota has been honoured as the Fleet News Green Fleet Manufacturer of the Year, the first vehicle manufacturer to achieve this award three years in succession.

The judges commented: “Toyota’s holistic approach to the environment sets it apart from other manufacturers. Yes, it’s committed to hybrid, electric and hydrogen technology, but it is Toyota’s other activities, including zero-landfill, utilisation of renewable energy, fleet localisation plan and pledge to recycle waste water at its production plants that make it a truly green company, not simply a manufacturer of green cars.”

Its success – in fact the fourth award in five years – was announced at a prize ceremony in London this week, along with a Best Mid-size SUV award for the all-hybrid RAV4.

The judges remarked: “The new hybrid-only Toyota RAV4 impressed with its balance of running costs, practicality and efficiency. Compared to its predecessor, it has greater driver appeal thanks to improved comfort and refinement levels, plus the new hybrid powertrain is more responsive, making the car better to drive.

Stuart Ferma, General Manager Toyota and Lexus Fleet said: “We’re proud to once again be recognised by Fleet News for our green leadership in our fleet business. We remain committed to giving our customers products and services that reflect today’s important environmental issues, and which also deliver the quality and reliability they require.”

Company Car Today

The Toyota C-HR opened its 2020 honours account with the Best Crossover title in the Company Car Today 100 (CCT100) listing. The C-HR achieved its winning status thanks to its combination of tax-friendly low emissions from its self-charging hybrid powertrains, low day-to-day running costs, good looks and lasting value.

Paul Barker, Company Car Today Editor, said: “Toyota’s C-HR deploys hybrid technology to deliver low running costs and excellent emissions figures, which combine with good residual values to tick the boxes that make for an excellent company car. It also enjoys cutting edge design and has recently been revised to make it an even better proposition, and well worthy of the CCT100 Best Crossover title.”

What Car? Car of the Year Awards

The Toyota Corolla took the title of Best Hybrid Car in the 2020 What Car? Awards, leading a haul of three honours for the brand.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? Editor, said: “The Toyota Corolla comfortably beats the fuel economy of pure petrol-powered rivals and betters a fair few diesels in its 1.8-litre form that we recommend. Better still, it manages this while delivering more performance than most people will need. Plus, in stop-start traffic, near-silence descends when you use electric power alone.”

Announced at a ceremony in London in mid-January, the awards also saw the Toyota Yaris Hybrid taking the title for Best Hybrid Car for less than £20,000 and the Toyota Aygo being named the Best Value Car (priced between £10,000 to £12,000).

4×4 Magazine

When it comes to ‘sustainable’ vehicles, the familiar points of reference are qualities such as fuel economy, low emissions and recyclability. But there’s another aspect to the issue that has helped earn Toyota’s mighty Land Cruiser the Sustainability Award in 4×4 Magazine’s 4×4 of the Year Awards.

Where the judges were concerned, Land Cruiser has no equal when it comes putting in year after year of reliable service, delivering the kind of longevity that other models cannot match. And that’s the key to making it a winner as a ‘sustainable’ vehicle.

4×4 Magazine Editor Alan Kidd explained: “Not everyone will be able to understand why the Land Cruiser has won our Sustainability Award, but it’s very simple. You can buy one and, if you so choose, never need to return to the car market for the rest of your life.”

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid also triumphed in 4×4 Magazine’s 4×4 of the Year Awards, named Best Medium SUV.

Car of the Year award

The Corolla is among the finalists for the prestigious Car of the Year 2020 award, one of only seven cars to make the shortlist after a first vote of the 60 jurors. The organisation comprises judges from several European automotive publications: Auto, Autocar, Autopista, Autovisie, L’Automobile Magazine, Stern and Vibilagare.