The top 10 finalists for the World Car of the Year (WCOTY) 2026 award, chosen via a secret ballot, have been announced. Ninety-eight distinguished international automotive journalists from 33 countries are a part of the WCOTY jury, including Hormazd Sorabjee, editor, Autocar India, and Renuka Kirpalani, consulting editor, Autocar India.
- SUVs, followed by sedans, lead top 10 finalists for WCOTY award
- Top 3 cars will be revealed on March 3
- Winner to be announced on April 1
Top 10 2026 World Car of the Year award finalists
- Audi Q5/SQ5
- BMW iX3
- BYD Seal 6 DM-i
- Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Hyundai Palisade
- Kia EV4
- Kia EV5
- Mercedes-Benz CLA
- Nissan Leaf
- Toyota RAV4
The World Car Awards also named the leading contenders across five other categories:
Top 5 2026 World Urban Car award finalists
- Alfa Romeo Junior
- Baojun Yep Plus/Chevrolet Spark EUV
- Firefly
- Hyundai Venue
- Wuling Binguo/Ari Poly
Top 5 2026 World Luxury Car award finalists
- Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron
- Audi A6/S6
- Cadillac Vistiq
- Lucid Gravity
- Volvo ES90
Top 5 2026 World Performance Car award finalists
- BMW M2 CS
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
- Defender OCTA
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro
Top 5 2026 World Electric Vehicle award finalists
- Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron
- BMW iX3
- Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Mercedes-Benz CLA
- Nissan Leaf
Top 5 2026 World Car Design of the Year award finalists
- Firefly
- Kia PV5
- Lynk & Co 08
- Mazda 6e/EZ-6
- Volvo ES90
2026 World Car Awards: What’s next
The top three finalists will be revealed on March 3, followed by the announcement of all winners (category-wise) at the New York International Auto Show on April 1.
Lenny D'sa
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
