The top 10 finalists in the 2026 World Car Awards have been announced, with contenders from Germany, China, South Korea and Japan.
The countdown ends on April 1, when the winners will be announced at the 2026 New York International Auto Show. A jury of 98 automotive journalists from 33 countries — including TimesLIVE reporter Brenwin Naidu — selected the top 10 by secret ballot and also voted for finalists in four categories.
The annual competition has been held since 2005, and the reigning World Car of the Year is the Kia EV3.
The 10 finalists for the overall winner are:
- 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.
The top five 2026 World Electric Vehicle finalists are:
- Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron;
- BMW iX3;
- Hyundai Ioniq 9;
- Mercedes-Benz CLA; and
- Nissan Leaf.
The top five 2026 World Luxury Car finalists are:
- Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron;
- Audi A6/S6;
- Cadillac Vistiq;
- Lucid Gravity; and
- Volvo ES90.
The top five 2026 World Performance Car finalists are:
- BMW M2 CS;
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray;
- Defender OCTA;
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 N; and
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro.
The top five 2026 World Urban Car finalists are:
- Alfa Romeo Junior;
- Baojun Yep Plus/Chevrolet Spark EUV;
- Firefly;
- Hyundai Venue; and
- Wuling Binguo/Ari Poly.
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