With the first round of voting in the 20th edition of the World Car Awards imminent, let’s reflect on the past 2 decades of this prestigious motoring awards programme.
I remember the day when the former (and late) editor of CAR magazine South Africa, John Wright, called all the magazine’s editors into his office (in Pinelands, Cape Town) to share the news that he had been selected as the (then) only South African on the new World Car Awards jury… The World Car Awards was a big deal from the outset, as John was a studious man not easily influenced by smoke and mirrors. He later handed over the jury position to his successor John Bentley, who in turn then passed it on to me.
So, from around 2007 (if I recall correctly), I have been part of this process, apart from a 2-year break when I joined the other side of the motor industry from 2013 to 2015 (when Cars.co.za content editor Mike Fourie served as South Africa’s World Car Awards judge). These days, however, there are 3 South Africans on the panel: me, Lerato Matebese and Brenwin Naidu (both of whom are #CarsAwards judges).
I looked back at the evolution of this awards programme recently and it was interesting to note how it has kept pace with a rapidly changing industry. In the first year (2004), there was only one winner (Audi’s A6) and I remember us discussing it as a team in Cape Town that more categories would be nice. The very next year, the organising committee added 3 more categories (Performance, Green and Design).
Hyundai design head SangYup Lee was named World Car Awards’ 2023 Person of the Year
These days there are also Luxury, Electric and Urban categories, as well as a Person of the Year. The Awards’ trophies were recently redesigned by none other than Ian Callum, former design chief at JLR.
The brands with the most wins
The brand that won the very first trophy – Audi – is also the brand with the most silverware overall (11 in total). It won the overall (major) trophy twice in the past 20 years.
Mercedes-Benz has won 9 trophies in total, and the overall trophy once. The third step on the podium is shared by 2 other German brands, BMW and Porsche, with 8 trophies each – the former has also taken the overall spoils once (with the E90-generation 3 Series business class sedan, in 2006).
Another very successful German brand is Volkswagen, which has won 7 times in total but, importantly, has by far the most overall wins (5), the most recent being in 2021, with the ID.4 electric crossover.
Jaguar has had a good run at the Awards, with 6 trophies in total, including 2 overall wins. If you add the 3 trophies from Land Rover/Range Rover, then JLR has indeed been a strong contender throughout!
In recent years, the Awards have become dominated, some would say, by the Korean brands Kia and Hyundai, with the latter standing on 6 trophies in total, two of those being overall wins. Kia has three trophies in its cabinet, one being an overall win, with the Telluride luxury off-roader in 2020.
What’s next for the World Car Awards?
The 100-odd international journalists on the World Car Awards panel will cast their ballots in the first round of voting for this year’s Awards during the next few weeks.
The list of eligible vehicles again reflects a rapidly changing marketplace, with a large number of electric vehicles and also Chinese brands. No Chinese brand has ever won a World Car Awards trophy.
Is 2024 the year? I wouldn’t bet against it.
Related content:
Hyundai Ioniq 6 Wins WCOTY 2023
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Wins 2022 World Car of the Year
