Toyota's total transformation of the fifth-generation Prius has paid off big time.

This year, the all-new Prius has been awarded as Japan's Car of the Year. The glow-up has seen the Prius find a new sense of style with the way it looks, and it also comes with better dynamics than its previous generations.

Japan's Car of the Year judges say the Prius was able to break through its shell for its fifth iteration. Aesthetically, the all-new Prius was reborn with its roof apex pushed further back, creating a more coupe-like appearance. Furthermore, the larger diameter tires give the car a sportier look than ever before.

Toyota was also praised for giving the Prius an added zest of performance, as its more powerful full hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains complemented the improved chassis dynamics to make it a more enjoyable car to drive.

The Toyota Prius emerged victorious over the BMW X1 and Honda ZR-V that finished as runners-up for this year's award. Since the small Bimmer crossover was not made from Japan, it was instead awarded as Japan's Import Car of the Year. Meanwhile, the ZR-V came in third by impressing over its driving dynamics, along with the operation of Honda's e:HEV full hybrid system.

Other cars that made the list include the Toyota Alphard / Vellfire (4th), the all-new Nissan Serena (5th), and the Mitsubishi Delica Mini (6th) which also won the Design Award. The Subaru Crosstrek, Abarth 500e, the Volkswagen ID.4, and the Maserati Grecale round out the Top 10 cars for the Japan Car of the Year 2023.