From 2017, the World Car Awards will include a new category: World Urban Car.
Since 2014, the awards have comprised five categories: Overall World Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car, World Car Design, and World Luxury Car.
But now, with such a high percentage of the world’s population living in towns and cities, the organisers have revealed the sixth category.
“World Urban Car contenders can’t be large. But they don’t necessarily need to be that small,” said Mike Rutherford, World Car Awards vice-chairperson.
“If a manufacturer is clever enough to design and build a one- or two-metre, one- or two-seater car for urbanites, that’s fine. But multi-seat, multi-purpose cars that are approximately four metres long may be equally likely to win the inaugural World Urban Car trophy,” he added.
So, what sort of qualification criteria applies for the new World Urban Car award? Well, according to the organisers, contenders must be small, clean, green, safe, quiet, flexible, fun, and driver-, pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.
Furthermore, contenders should be affordable, comfortable, capable of motorway speeds, and able to fit in the narrowest of lanes and the tightest of parking spaces.
Lastly, to qualify, the vehicle must be on sale on at least two continents.
