The list of the 2026 World Car Awards finalists is out on the first day of the World Car Finals powered by Brembo. A panel of 98 journalists from around the world will collectively judge and award the best cars that came out in the past year, across six categories, and one will be crowned World Car Of The Year 2026. All World Car Awards category winners will be announced on April 1, 2026, in a live ceremony at the New York International Auto Show.
2026 World Car Awards categories and finalists
The 2026 World Car Awards include 6 main categories, and eligible vehicle participants must meet strict rules for production numbers and global availability. A global jury of automotive journalists from 33 countries test-drive eligible vehicles and vote in two rounds.
Cars are judged on comfort, performance, safety, value, and overall appeal (Wow! factor). All voting results for the 2026 edition have been tabulated by KPMG. Here is the list of 2026 World Car Awards finalists for all six categories:
Top 10 finalists for the 2026 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) award
- Audi Q5 / SQ5
- BMW iX3
- BYD Seal 6 DM-i
- Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Hyundai Palisade
- Kia EV4
- Kia EV5
- Mercedes-Benz CLA
- Nissan Leaf
- Toyota RAV4
Top 5 finalists for the 2026 World Electric Vehicle award
- Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron
- BMW iX3
- Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Mercedes-Benz CLA
- Nissan Leaf
Top 5 finalists for the 2026 World Luxury Car award
- Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron
- Audi A6 / S6
- Cadillac Vistiq
- Lucid Gravity
- Volvo ES90
Top 5 finalists for the 2026 World Performance Car award
- BMW M2 CS
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
- Defender OCTA
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro
Top 5 finalists for the 2026 World Urban Car award
- Alfa Romeo Junior
- Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV
- Firefly
- Hyundai Venue
- Wuling Binguo / Ari Poly
Top 5 finalists for the 2026 World Car Design of the Year award
- Firefly
- Kia PV5
- Lynk & Co 08
- Mazda 6e / EZ-6
- Volvo ES90
For the design award, a separate panel of design experts from different countries creates a shortlist before the main jury votes.
When will the winners be announced?
The top 3 finalists will be announced online via World Car TV on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Winners in all 6 categories will be announced on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).
A brief history of the World Car Awards
The World Car Awards were created by a group of well-known automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. A steering committee of journalists was the first jury in 2003, which had 17 members, including respected names like Mike Allen (USA), Peter Burgess (UK), Hormazd Sorabjee (India), and Matt Davis (Italy).
The awards were created to recognise automotive excellence at a global level, reflecting how modern cars are sold across many countries and continents. The WCA was designed to complement, not compete with, national and regional “Car of the Year” awards. Over the years, the World Car Awards have become a global benchmark, influencing car buyers, manufacturers, and industry standards.
The Audi A6 was the first-ever World Car of the Year in 2005. The Nissan Leaf became the first all-electric car to win in 2011. Kia EV3 won the World Car of the Year in 2025, continuing the success for Hyundai from the previous year.
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