Toyota has once again achieved success in the Middle East Car of the Year (Mecoty) awards, the biggest and most prestigious awards programme for the regional automotive sector.
The Toyota Prius bagged this year’s “Future of Motoring” special category award, while the Toyota Fortuner was named the “Best Midsize SUV”.
The winners were chosen by a jury of 15 independent motoring journalists from leading automotive publications throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Helping to mitigate the environmental effects of automobiles has long been a priority for Toyota.
Based on the stand that environmentally-friendly vehicles can only truly have a significant positive impact if they are widely used, Toyota has encouraged the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles across the globe.
Toyota launched the Prius – the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle – in December 1997.
Since then, Toyota hybrid vehicles (HV) have received tremendous support from consumers around the world.
What makes the Prius particularly innovative is the presence of two power sources in the form of the sophisticated electric motor and petrol engine.
Thanks to the blend of the twin power sources, the car moves off under full electric power right from the start, using no petrol at all, producing zero emissions and delivering exceptional performance.
The owner does not even need to worry about charging the hybrid battery – the smart Prius will take care of it by charging it through the petrol engine or when braking and decelerating.
The Prius also offers an impressive fuel economy of 26.1 km/L, which means that with a full tank (capacity of 43 litres), one can easily drive over 1,000km in ideal conditions, making the vehicle extremely fuel-efficient.
As of January 31, 2017, Toyota estimated that the use of Toyota’s HVs in lieu of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance has resulted in approximately 77mn fewer tonnes of CO2 emissions and saved approximately 29mn kilolitres of gasoline.
Takayuki Yoshitsugu, of Toyota Motor Corporation’s Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, said: “We are pleased and proud to have been honoured with two awards at Mecoty 2017.”
The second-generation Toyota Fortuner, a seven-seater SUV with full-fledged 4WD capability, launched in the Middle East last year, builds on its heritage of being a durable sport utility vehicle (SUV) with impressive off-road capabilities.
With the latest Fortuner, Toyota has focused on creating a more distinctive, sleek and powerful design while improving performance and adding a wide variety of intelligent features that increase convenience and safety, as well as making the drive highly enjoyable and comfortable.




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