First Chinese car in the Top 10 Best Models of the Japan Car of the Year award

Source: BYD

On December 14, the pure electric BYD Seal was selected in the "Top Ten Best Models" of the “Japan Car of the Year” award (also known as JCOTY) for 2024-2025, one of the most prestigious vehicle award in the country.

The previous recipient of the Car of the Year Japan award for 2023-2024 was the Toyota Prius.

BYD is the first Chinese vehicle brand to crack the top 10 of JCOTY award, which was first awarded in 1980.

The first non-Japanese brand to win the award in Japan was the Volkswagen Golf in 2013.

Meanwhile, the highest-ranked American car by the selection committee was the Jeep Cherokee in 2014, ranking 8th.

Source: Car of the Year Japan

The JCOTY selection committee was composed of senior Japanese automotive journalists that carefully selected amongst 31 shortlisted vehicles.

The BYD Seal won the award thanks to its innovative design, excellent performance, and forward-looking technological configuration.

The BYD Seal arrived in the Japanese market in 2024 and has won the praise of many consumers in global markets.

The Seal went on sale in Japan in June of this year and is currently available at 55 BYD authorized dealerships across the country.

Source: RJC

Earlier in December, BYD Seal also won the 34th RJC Car of the Year, an annual automotive technology award given by the Japanese NPO Automotive Researchers and Journalists Conference of Japan (RJC).

RJC was established in 1990 and the selection committee consists of Japanese automotive critics and journalists.

The BYD Seal had won the RJC award for its LFP Black Battery, which optimizes battery energy density and safety while maximizing vehicle space utilization and its CTB body structure, integrating the battery as part of the vehicle body structure.