Japan Car of the Year Selection Committee Reveals 3 Hidden Cars? [Personally Impressed Cars of 2024]

What are the hidden gems of this year’s COTY?

More than 30 new car models are released every year. Their debuts are a diverse mix of joys and sorrows: some sell well, some are the talk of the town, and some stumble at the start due to various issues. Among them are some cars that have excellent performance and features but don’t get much attention, or rather, aren’t properly evaluated. Well, when you see models like that, it’s tempting to blame yourself for your own lack of power… but that’s beside the point.

One of the indicators of what’s hot is the Japan Car of the Year (COTY) awards. As a member of the selection committee, I once again poured my heart out on the entered models and chose a few… but somehow, I wasn’t strong enough, and there were quite a few models that I thought were good cars but didn’t make it into the top 10, let alone receive an award, so I’d like to write about some of these “hidden gems of this year’s COTY.” (For details on the selection method, entry list, and award results, please refer to the official website .)

Two Stellantis cars are a waste

First up are the Jeep Avenger and the Fiat 600e. These are the latest models from the Stellantis Group, compact, fully battery-powered BEVs that share a platform. Of course, they were entered separately, but they didn’t make much of a splash in the awards race. Their Japanese debut was at the last minute, and there weren’t enough media test drives, so in that sense, the importer was to blame, but even so, this is still a shame.

Both cars are very well-made and easy to use BEVs. The styling and interior design of both cars are also excellent, and I think they are the most cohesive of the recent new Stellantis Group models.

The Avenger in particular is the first BEV from the popular Jeep brand, and it’s garnering a lot of attention. In fact, it’s been highly praised in overseas award competitions (which doesn’t mean it’s the same in Japan). I don’t think it’s going to be a complete failure. The same goes for the 600e. Naturally, like the Avenger, the drive feel is good, and overall there’s nothing to complain about in terms of the finished product.

These days, BEVs are facing a lot of criticism in Japan, but Hyundai, BYD, Volvo, and others have made it into the top 10 and advanced to the “finals.” In the end, many of the selection committee members, including myself, did not have enough opportunity to test and assess the Avenger and 600e. What a shame. The Avenger and 600e are truly excellent cars.

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It’s old, but

Next, we were reminded of the trends of the times, as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, two major models that would be considered global standards in other times, both missed out on making the top 10.

To be honest, these two cars were my personal favorites, so naturally I couldn’t choose between them in the finals, where both cars were eliminated. As a result, I had a hard time choosing a model for my final vote. A mid-class sedan and wagon. Sure, they’re old, but compared to the SUVs out there, they’re still much more refined, and in other words, overwhelmingly better cars. I guess that’s why they’re outdated. SUVs have been the standard for choosing cars for a long time.

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Another old school classic

Similarly, the Toyota Crown Sedan, which was the top pick among Japanese cars, also received no mention at all at COTY. Even the much talked about and popular Crown Sport failed to make it into the top 10, so it seems like a sedan was out of the question. But the Crown Sedan is also a really good car. Frankly, it’s 10 times better than the Crown Crossover or Crown Sport. You can also choose an FCEV, which I thought was an interesting car, but I guess that just means it’s another old-school classic.

So this year’s COTY proved that I really am a fan of old-style cars. Well, that’s been the case every year for the past few years! But only recently have I finally started giving points to SUVs too (lol).

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