The sixth-generation Subaru Forester is the winner of the overall 2025-2026 Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) award after securing 1149 points from a panel of judges. The SUV faced closed competition from the reborn Honda Prelude which had to settle for second place with 1,076 points, while the Toyota Crown Estate completed the podium with 654 points.
The Forester is already on sale in Malaysia since late October this year, although we only get the SUV with a conventional naturally-aspirated powertrain. In Japan, the Forester is also offered with the brand’s ‘Strong Hybrid’ system.
Other models among the top ten finalists include the third-generation Nissan Leaf (622 points), Volkswagen ID.Buzz (578 points), Hyundai Inster (477 points), second-generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (416 points), third-generation Peugeot 3008 (393 points), Suzuki eVitara (357 points) and seventh-generation Daihatsu Move (338 points).
While the ID.Buzz missed out on the top prize, the electric van did secure two awards of its own, including Japan Import Car of the Year and Design Car of the Year. The latter saw finalists such as the 3008, Prelude, Inster, Cadillac Lyric, Leaf, BYD Sealion 7, Crown Estate, Alfa Romeo Junior and e Vitara.
Another winner in the 46th edition of the awards is the 992.2-generation Porsche 911 GTS, with the car’s T-Hybrid system impressing judges with its ability to elevate performance with electrification, but without compromising driving appeal – we lauded the car too. The 911 GTS fended off the Leaf, Prelude, Forester, Lyric, Audi A6 e-tron, Honda N-One e:, Sealion 7, Mercedes-AMG GT and eVitara to claim its prize.
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Really? Looks like the credibility of this contest is not really there, or Japan really runs out of talents!
malaysian buyers are happy to pay RM220k for japan car of the year, with godlike handling inbued by the low center of gravity from boxer engine, plus full time 4wd .
Ugly car but it still wins JCOTY bcoz it is a Jepunis otherwise if China car Volvo wins again they will lose face and harakiri all their designers.
why japan did not put their daddy american cars into contest? or because their market doesn’t have 2025 model y, or because they think their daddy’s car is junk
is a good car no doubt. but the price in malaysia has made it destined to be “discontinued”