2026 World Car Awards Top 3 finalists announced

With the upcoming World Car Awards scheduled to take place at the 2026 New York International Auto Show on April 1, the names of the three World Car of the Year finalists have now been announced. The cars selected are the BMW iX3, Hyundai Palisade and Nissan Leaf. These were picked by a panel comprising automotive journalists from 33 countries, with one of the jurors being Autocar India’s Hormazd Sorabjee.

1. Top three cars are from BMW, Hyundai and Nissan
2. There are a total of six categories, each having three finalists
3. Winners will be announced on April 1, 2026

2026 World Car of the Year nominees

Two EVs and a three-row premium SUV made it to the top

The BMW iX3 has been shortlisted for the 2026 World Car of the Year award, alongside the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Palisade. Where the iX3 is a premium offering, the Leaf sits on the opposite (affordable) end of the EV spectrum. As for the combustion-powered Palisade, it is Hyundai’s flagship three-row SUV primarily aimed at family buyers.

2026 World Car Awards category finalists

World Electric Vehicle: BMW iX3, Mercedes-Benz CLA EV and Nissan Leaf

Joining the aforementioned BMW and Nissan EVs is Mercedes-Benz’s most affordable electric offering, the CLA, which debuted globally in March 2025 and in India in February 2026. This is the first time that the CLA has adopted a fully electric platform; the nameplate was earlier a combustion-powered model. Where the Leaf is Nissan’s most affordable electric car in its global portfolio, the new CLA fills in the same role for Mercedes-Benz.

World Luxury Car: Cadillac Vistiq, Lucid Gravity and Volvo ES90

The Cadillac Vistiq and Lucid Gravity are both three-row SUVs targeting the luxury end of the global EV market. Where the former employs GM’s 400-volt architecture and a battery capacity of 102kWh, the Gravity is energised by a 123kWh battery pack running a 926-volt architecture. Meanwhile, the ES90 is Volvo’s flagship electric sedan based on an 800-volt platform.

World Performance Car: BMW M2 CS, Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and Hyundai Ioniq 6 N

Globally unveiled in May 2025 and the only pure combustion-powered car in this category, the BMW M2 CS comes with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six cranking out 530hp and 650Nm. Among the shortlisted candidates here is the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, which combines a 6.2-litre V8 with a front-mounted electric motor to produce 655hp. Revealed at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the pure-electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 N features an 84kWh battery pack that powers two electric motors for a combined output of 650hp and 770Nm.

World Urban Car: Baojun Yep Plus/Chevrolet Spark EUV, NIO firefly and Hyundai Venue

The pure-electric Baojun Yep Plus and Chevrolet Spark EUV are essentially the same car underneath but are sold in separate markets. Therefore, these compact electric SUVs also share the same 42kWh battery pack. Accompanying these two electric SUVs is the firefly by NIO; a 4-metre-long hatchback that is being marketed as a ‘lifestyle’ EV by the Chinese brand. The Hyundai Venue, which was launched in India in late 2025, is also in contention for the ‘World Urban Car’ award this year.

World Car Design of the Year: Kia PV5, Mazda 6e/EZ-6 and Volvo ES90

Unveiled in February 2025, the Kia PV5 is an electric MPV based on the brand’s modular Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) architecture and is available in Passenger and Cargo iterations. Making its debut in 2024 and depending on the market, the Mazda EZ-6 or 6e sedan is offered with pure-electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains. Finally, the Volvo ES90 electric sedan is also a candidate for the ‘World Car Design of the Year’ award.

2026 World Car of the Year panellists

All the cars mentioned here were first reviewed by a panel of seven design experts comprising Anja Bracht (Germany - Pforzheim University), Marek Djordjevic (USA - Chair of Transportation Design, Art Center College of Design), Fabio Filippini (Japan - ACCAEFFE Creative Consulting), Antony Grade (retired, Renault), Gert Hildebrand (Germany - owner, Hildebrand-Design), Victor Nacif (USA - chief creative officer, Brojure.com and design instructor, New School of Architecture and Design) and Shiro Nakamura (Japan - CEO, Shiro Nakamura Design Associates Inc).

Once these design panellists were through, the final list of candidates underwent a voting phase by jurors consisting of 98 automotive journalists from across the world, with Hormazd Sorabjee representing Autocar India.

Speaking about the finalists’ announcement was Mark Schienberg, president of the New York International Auto Show. “The announcement of the finalists is an important moment for the global automotive industry as it represents one of the most respected honours in our business. The anticipation surrounding this year’s contenders reflects the innovation, performance and vision shaping the future of mobility, and we extend our congratulations to the finalists and to the World Car organisation for its continued leadership,” Schienberg said.