2026 World Car Awards finalists selected by 98 international journalists from 33 countries.
Winners to be announced at the New York International Auto Show on April 1, 2026.
Six award categories include Electric, Luxury, Performance, Urban, Design, and World Car of the Year.
The 2026 World Car Awards have announced the top ten and top five finalists across six categories, initiating the beginning of the final phase leading up to the annual winners’ announcement on April 1 at the New York International Auto Show.
A global jury of 98 automotive journalists from 33 countries selected the finalists via a secret ballot. KPMG tabulated the results.
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The 2026 World Car of the Year will be selected from the following ten vehicles: Audi Q5 / SQ5, BMW iX3, BYD Seal 6 DM-i, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Hyundai Palisade, Kia EV4, Kia EV5, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Nissan Leaf, and Toyota RAV4.
In the World Electric Vehicle category, the top five include the Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron, BMW iX3, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Mercedes-Benz CLA, and Nissan Leaf.
The World Luxury Car category finalists are the Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron, Audi A6 / S6, Cadillac Vistiq, Lucid Gravity, and Volvo ES90.
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For the World Performance Car award, the finalists are the BMW M2 CS, Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Land Rover Defender OCTA, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro.
The World Urban Car category includes the Alfa Romeo Junior, Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV, Firefly, Hyundai Venue, and Wuling Binguo / Ari Poly.
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All vehicles in the five above categories are also eligible for the 2026 World Car Design of the Year award. A panel of international design professionals reviewed each eligible vehicle and selected five design finalists: Firefly, Kia PV5, Lynk & Co 08, Mazda 6e / EZ-6, and Volvo ES90.
The Top Three in the World finalists will be announced on March 3 via World Car TV. Final winners will be named during a live ceremony at the New York International Auto Show on April 1, 2026. This year marks the 21st year of the awards’ partnership with the show.
The World Car Awards program is supported by partners including Brembo, KPMG, New York International Auto Show, AITASTIC Research & Consult, and Newspress. The awards follow a year-long evaluation by jurors who test-drive and review eligible vehicles, with coverage shared through World Car TV.
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