World Car Awards 2027 Competition Begins with 56 Nominees

The 23rd annual World Car Awards competition has officially launched its "Road to World Car 2027" season, with 56 vehicles nominated across various categories. An international jury of 100 automotive journalists, including Kfir Kashrian representing Israel, will evaluate the new models. The World Car Awards has maintained its position as the leading global automotive awards event for 14 consecutive years, reaching over 493 million people in the past season. The winner of the 2026 award was the BMW iX3.

The 56 nominees for the main "Car of the Year" award reflect the automotive industry's rapid changes, featuring a mix of traditional European, Japanese, and American brands alongside a growing presence of Chinese manufacturers targeting global markets. To qualify, vehicles must be produced in annual volumes exceeding 10,000 units, be priced below hypercar levels, and be sold in at least two major markets on two different continents between January 1, 2026, and March 19, 2027.

Notable nominees include the new BMW i3, Cupra Raval, Volvo EX60, electric versions of the Mercedes C-Class and GLA, Mazda CX-5 and CX-6e, Hyundai Ioniq 3, Tucson, and Ioniq 5, Kia EV2, Seltos, and Telluride, and Chinese models from BYD (Ti7), Xpeng (G6, P7+), Deepal, Omoda, Zeekr, and Leapmotor.

The competition timeline includes traditional test drives in Los Angeles in November 2026, the announcement of the top 10 finalists for Car of the Year and five finalists in sub-categories (Luxury, Performance, Urban, EV, Design) in January 2027, the "World Person of the Year" in February 2027, the "Top Three in the World" in early March 2027, and the final award ceremony on March 24, 2027, at the New York International Auto Show.