The finalists in the 2026 World Car Awards have been announced. We’ve listed each.
The 2026 World Car Awards is officially underway, with the finalists competing for top honours for World Car of the Year and respective categories having been announced. Selected by a jury comprising 98 automotive journalists from 33 countries, we list each finalist.
2026 World Car of the Year finalists
The 10 cars vying for top honours for the World Car of the Year title are the new Audi Q5/SQ5, BMW iX3, which we’ve sampled for a first drive at its international launch event in 2025, BYD Seal 6 DM-i, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Palisade, Kia EV4 and EV5, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, Nissan Leaf, and SA-bound sixth-generation Toyota RAV4.
- 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 Urban Car finalists
The top five finalists in the Urban Car category are the new Alfa Romeo Junior and Hyundai Venue, Baojun Yep Plus/Chevrolet Spark EUV, Firefly, and Wuling Binguo/Ari Poly.
- Alfa Romeo Junior
- Baojun Yep Plus/Chevrolet Spark EUV
- Firefly
- Hyundai Venue
- Wuling Binguo/Ari Poly
2026 World Luxury Car finalists
The five finalists in the Luxury Car category are the Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron and A6/S6, SA-bound Volvo ES90, Cadillac Vistiq, and Lucid Gravity.
- Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron
- Audi A6/S6
- Cadillac Vistiq
- Lucid Gravity
- Volvo ES90
2026 World Performance Car finalists
In the Performance Car category, the SA-bound new BMW M2 CS goes head-to-head with the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro, Land Rover Defender Octa, which recorded a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 4.59 seconds in a 2025 CAR magazine road test, new-energy (E-Ray) Chevrolet Corvette, and Hyundai Ioniq 6 N.
- BMW M2 CS
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
- Land Rover Defender Octa
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro
2026 World Electric Vehicle finalists
The five cars competing for the gold in the World Electric Vehicle category are the SA-bound Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron, BMW iX3, Hyundai Ioniq 9, emissions-free Mercedes-Benz CLA, and the Nissan Leaf.
- Audi A6 e-tron/S6 e-tron
- BMW iX3
- Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Mercedes-Benz CLA
- Nissan Leaf
2026 World Car Design of the Year finalists
Chosen by a panel comprising an array of design experts, the top five cars competing in this category are the Volvo ES90, Kia PV5, Mazda 6e/EZ-6, Lynk & Co 08, and Firefly.
- Firefly
- Kia PV5
- Lynk & Co 08
- Mazda 6e/EZ-6
- Volvo ES90
