The Korea Automobile Journalists Association (KAJA) said on the 6th that it selected Toyota's compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) "All New RAV4" as the car of July.
The KAJA Car of the Year selection committee reviews new cars and facelift models released from the 1st to the last day of each month and releases the "car of the month."
Among the new cars unveiled on the 5th, ▲ Audi "The New Audi Q3" ▲ Toyota "All New RAV4" ▲ Ford "All-New Ford Expedition" were nominated for the car of July. After competition, the All New RAV4 scored 56 out of 70 points and was finally selected as the car of July.
The All New RAV4 scored 8.3 out of 10 in driving performance and energy efficiency, safety and advanced driving technology, and overall product appeal and purchase attractiveness. It recorded 8 points in design and perceived quality, price competitiveness and product value, and 7.7 points in infotainment and connected systems.
Won Sun-ung, chair of the Car of the Year selection committee, said, "The 6th-generation All New RAV4 stands out with its hybrid system that balances output and efficiency, and dramatically improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) quietness," adding, "In particular, its unparalleled 77-kilometer electric-only driving range in the domestic plug-in hybrid (PHEV) market and the introduction of 50 kW fast charging set a new paradigm in the eco-friendly SUV market."
He added, "However, compared with the vehicle's excellent mechanical reliability and high-tech features, the high proportion of hard plastic materials used around the dashboard and doors leaves something to be desired in perceived quality for the price," noting, "If minor details such as the visibility issues in parts of the instrument cluster user interface (UI) are improved, it will continue to firmly uphold its reputation as a global best-selling SUV in the Korean market as well."