The World Car Awards has announced the top ten contenders for the 2026 World Car of the Year, alongside the top five finalists across six major categories. These cover key segments such as World Electric Car, World Performance Car, and World Luxury Car. From this long list, the contenders will be cut down to the “Top Three in the World”, before the final winners are unveiled live at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, one of the biggest stages in the global auto calendar.

What gives these awards weight is the judging process. The World Car Jury brings together 98 automotive journalists from around the world, including autoX founder and Editor-in-Chief Dhruv Behl, as they test and evaluate eligible vehicles.

Also Read: BMW Adds Alpina to Its Fold as New Luxury Marque

From new-age electric models to evolved versions of familiar segments, this list reflects where carmakers are pushing hardest right now. Let’s dive into the finalists across each category and see what makes them stand out.

2026 World Car of the Year 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

2026 World Electric Vehicle

- Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron

- BMW iX3

- Hyundai Ioniq 9

- Mercedes-Benz CLA

- Nissan Leaf

2026 World Luxury Car

- Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron

- Audi A6/S6

- Cadillac Vistiq

- Lucid Gravity

- Volvo ES90

2026 World Performance Car

- BMW M2 CS

- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

- Defender OCTA

- Hyundai Ioniq 6 N

- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro

2026 World Urban Car

- Alfa Romeo Junior

- Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV

- Firefly

- Hyundai Venue

- Wuling Binguo / Ari Poly

2026 World Car Design of the Year

- Firefly

- Kia PV5

- Lynk & Co 08

- Mazda 6e / EZ-6

- Volvo ES90