Which hybrid car won the 2005 European Car of the Year award?

The Toyota Prius won the 2005 European Car of the Year award.

The second-generation Toyota Prius took the title in the 2005 competition, receiving 406 points from the jury. It finished ahead of the Citroën C4 and Ford Focus, making the Prius the first hybrid vehicle to win the prestigious European award.

The result reflected how substantially the second-generation Prius improved over its 1997 predecessor. The 2004 redesign brought a more spacious five-door liftback body, stronger performance, better refinement, and improved hybrid-system efficiency. Its gasoline engine and electric motor worked together through Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system.

The Prius was still unusual in the European market because it emphasized low emissions and fuel economy rather than conventional performance priorities. It could also move under electric power in limited situations, although it was not a plug-in car and had only a short battery-only capability.

The award is sometimes confused with the 2012 European Car of the Year victory by the Chevrolet Volt and its sister model, the Opel Ampera. Those were separate awards in different years.