Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous automotive awards.^{[citation needed]}

The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by Motor Trend magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of the Year.^[1][2][3]

Other publications and various organizations also have developed COTY recognitions.^{[citation needed]} The Australian automobile magazine Wheels began an award in 1963.^{[citation needed]}

In 1964, a jury of European automotive journalists began selecting the European Car of the Year award.^{[citation needed]}

Many COTY awards focus on regional markets, vehicle types, or market segments.^{[citation needed]} An example is the "tow car of the year" in the UK (for pulling travel trailers).^[4] or the COTY AJAC award in Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Criteria

The COTY is meant to award excellence in automotive design.^{[citation needed]} Criteria vary, but the World Car of the Year are typical:^[5]

• eligible cars are all those that have been launched and gone on sale in the past year
• must be available on at least two continents
• juror can borrow the car in question from manufacturer fleet of test cars
• fitness for purpose
• real-world practicalities such as running costs, interior space and comfort, acceleration, handling, roadholding, ride comfort, noise levels, fit, finish, visual and tactile quality of the interior
• Innovation - advance of car design and engineering

The originator of the COTY award, Motor Trend, uses these criteria:^[6]

• Advancement in design
• Engineering excellence - integrity of the total vehicle concept and execution and use of technologies that benefit the consumer
• Efficiency - fuel economy and overall operating costs
• Safety - protect occupants from harm in a crash and avoid a crash
• Value - relative to competitors in the same market segment
• Performance of intended function

Global

• World Car of the Year selected by a jury of 102 international automotive journalists from 30 countries,^[7] beginning in 2003

Regional

• Arab Car of the Year (ARABCOTY) (Middle East) ^[8] https://www.arabcoty.com/
• European Car of the Year selected by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organisers of the award are Auto (Italy), Autocar (United Kingdom), Autopista (Spain), Autovisie (Netherlands), L'Automobile Magazine (France), Stern (Germany) and Vi Bilägare (Sweden). The voting jury consists of motoring journalists from publications throughout Europe.
• Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY)^[9] https://www.mecoty.com/ Archived 2020-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
• North American Car of the Year - 60 automotive journalists from the US and Canada

National

• Drive Car of the Year (Australia)^[10]
• Wheels magazine's Car of the Year (Australia)
• Canadian Car of the Year
• China Car of the Year^[11]
• German Car of the Year^[12]
• Das Goldene Lenkrad^[13] (Germany)
• Indian Car of the Year
• Irish Car of the Year^[14]
• Japan Car of the Year
• RJC Car of the Year (Japan)
• Car of the Year (KAJA, AWAK/ Korea)
• Lithuanian Car of the Year^[15]
• Qatar Car of the Year - Maqina Magazine (QCOTY) (Qatar) ^[16]
• Russian Car of the Year^[17]
• South African Car of the Year
• UK Car of the Year^[18]
• Auto Express magazine's Car of the Year Awards (UK)
• Evo Magazine's Evo Car of the year [eCoty] (UK)
• Fifth Gear's Car of the Year Awards (UK)
• Top Gear's Car of the Year Awards (UK)
• What Car? magazine's Car of the Year (UK)
• Automobile Magazine's Automobile of the Year (USA)
• Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best (USA)
• Motor Trend magazine's Motor Trend Car of the Year The magazine continues its COTY award begun in 1949, and has also expanded to separate trophies for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) (USA)
• MotorWeek magazine's Driver's Choice Awards (USA)
• Green Car of the Year selected by Green Car Journal (USA)
• Carsguide Car of the Year^[19]
• International Car of the Year selected by Road & Travel Magazine (USA)

Sample Results