The finalists for the 2026 World Car of the Year and other categories have been announced, with three models remaining in the race for the global automotive industry’s most prestigious award.
The final three contenders for the 2026 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) are the BMW iX3, Hyundai Palisade, and Nissan Leaf. Two of the three finalists are fully electric vehicles, highlighting the growing influence of electrification in global automotive awards.
The winner will be revealed on April 1 at the New York International Auto Show. Kia missed out on the award for a third consecutive year, though sister brand Hyundai remains in the competition.
Top 3 finalists across all 2026 World Car Awards categories
For the 2026 awards, vehicles are evaluated through a multi-stage process by a global jury panel of 98 international automotive journalists from 33 countries. Cars are assessed based on a range of factors beyond standard specifications, including styling and design, performance, utility, safety, sustainability, and emotional appeal.
The winners of the 2026 edition will be announced live on April 1, 2026, at the New York International Auto Show. The 2026 World Car Awards highlight the growing influence of EVs, with many finalists across multiple categories powered entirely by battery.
2026 World Car of the Year (WCOTY)
2026 World Electric Vehicle
- BMW iX3
- Mercedes-Benz CLA
- Nissan Leaf
2026 World Luxury Car
- Cadillac Vistiq
- Lucid Gravity
- Volvo ES90
2026 World Performance Car
- BMW M2 CS
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
2026 World Urban Car
- Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV
- Firefly EV
- Hyundai Venue
2026 World Car Design of the Year
- Kia PV5
- Mazda 6e
- Volvo ES90
More: Top 10 finalists across all 2026 World Car Awards categories
Strong presence from major manufacturers
General Motors (and its Chinese joint-venture partners), BMW, and Hyundai Motor Company each have three finalists across the above-mentioned categories. Most finalists are either already sold in Australia or confirmed for a future launch, except the Baojun Yep Plus, Firefly and Lucid Gravity.
Korean brands dominate recent awards
Korean manufacturers have dominated the awards in recent years. Kia has won 3 times this decade: Kia Telluride (in 2020), Kia EV9 (in 2024), and Kia EV3 (in 2025).
Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Company claimed the title twice with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (in 2022) and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 (in 2023). The only other brand winner this decade was the Volkswagen ID.4 (in 2021).
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