The 2026 World Car Awards process is well underway with the top 3 contenders in 6 categories being confirmed!
Following the recent announcement that BMW’s Oliver Zipse had been crowned the World Car Person of the Year 2026, the World Car Awards organisation has now revealed the Top 3 contenders across six car categories in this prestigious awards programme.
The winners will be announced live at the 2026 New York International Auto Show on April 1 2026. A jury of nearly 100 international automotive journalists, including South Africa’s longest-serving jury member, Cars.co.za’s Hannes Oosthuizen, selected the Top Three in the World finalists by secret ballot based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their on-going professional work. The vote results have been tabulated by KPMG.
The Top Three in the World finalists for each category are:
World Car of the Year
– BMW iX3
– Hyundai Palisade
– Nissan Leaf
World Electric Vehicle
– BMW iX3
– Mercedes-Benz CLA
– Nissan Leaf
World Luxury Car
– Cadillac Vistiq
– Lucid Gravity
– Volvo ES90
World Performance Car
– BMW M2 CS
– Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
– Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
World Urban Car
– Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV
– Firefly
– Hyundai Venue
World Car Design of the Year
– Kia PV5
– Mazda 6e / EZ-6
– Volvo ES90
Winner Prediction
The most-wanted international motoring award is the overall World Car of the Year trophy, and based on not only Oosthuizen’s launch review (click here to read), but also international reports, the iX3 is a very likely winner this year. The last time BMW won the overall trophy was as far back as 2006, with the E90-generation 3 Series.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the World Car of the Year (WCOTY)?
Which cars are the finalists for the 2026 World Car of the Year?
- BMW iX3
- Hyundai Palisade
- Nissan Leaf
What are the different award categories?
- World Car of the Year: The overall top honour.
- World Electric Vehicle: For vehicles powered solely by electric motors.
- World Luxury Car: Focused on premium craftsmanship and status.
- World Performance Car: For overtly performance-focused models.
- World Urban Car: For compact vehicles (max 4.25m) designed for city use.
- World Car Design of the Year: Awarded for aesthetic excellence and innovation.
