The Toyota GR Yaris – which will make its debut in South Africa in June 2021 – has been named the 2021 UK Car of the Year.

In perhaps its most remarkable award-winning achievement yet, the Toyota GR Yaris has been named the 2021 UK Car of the Year (UK-COTY).

The result reveals the level of love for a car that sits well outside the mainstream: An out-and-out performance hatchback designed and engineered with a focus on the pure joy of driving.

TOYOTA GR YARIS: HOT HATCH WITH A MODERN TWIST

Announcing the result, UK-COTY director John Challen said: “The GR Yaris exudes the same sort of emotions found in the original breed of hot hatches, with a modern-day twist thanks to advances in automotive technology. The most fun I’ve had behind the wheel of a car for many, many years.”

GR Yaris qualified for consideration having last week won the UK-COTY Best Performance title. In progressing to the top honour, it edged out the Toyota Yaris Hybrid hatchback, the all-new model having been named Best Supermini.

The annual UK-COTY awards are judged by a group of 29 top motoring journalists from across the country, with winners in 12 categories going forward for consideration for the overall car of the year title.

TOYOTA GR YARIS SET FOR SA

On the local front, the GR Yaris is poised to re-ignite the passion for hot Toyota’s, harking back to the RSi-badged Conquest, Corolla and Cressida of the 80s, 90s and 2000s.

The GR sub-brand (spearheaded by president and CEO Akio Toyoda) has injected true petrol-head passion into the Toyota brand, with products such as the Hilux GR Sport and GR Supra having led the revolution.

The GR Yaris builds upon this momentum, having racked up rave reviews from international motoring media, car enthusiasts and YouTube bloggers. It will also mark the first official introduction of a turbocharged, four-wheel-drive Toyota sports model on South African soil.

The GR Yaris will make its local debut in June 2021, with detailed information being released closer to launch timing.

Originally published at The South African