BMW iX3 crowned 2026 World Car of the Year
What's the story
The BMW iX3 has been crowned the 2026 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) at the New York International Auto Show today. The BMW iX3 beat out tough competition from Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Palisade, which were also in contention for this prestigious award. To be eligible for the WCOTY award, a vehicle must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units per year and priced below the luxury car level in its primary market.
Award criteria
Eligibility criteria for the WCOTY award
To be eligible for World Car of the Year title, it should also be available in at least two major car markets (China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America and US) across two continents during the period from January 1, 2025 to March 30, 2026.
Additional accolades
Other winners at the 2026 World Car Awards
The 2026 World Car Awards also announced winners in six other categories. The NIO Firefly was named the 2026 World Urban Car of the Year, while Lucid Gravity took home the title of World Luxury Car of the Year. Hyundai Ioniq 6 N won as the 2026 World Performance Car of the Year, and Mazda 6e/EZ-6 bagged top honors for design excellence.
Leadership recognition
Person of the Year honor goes to BMW Group chairman
Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the BMW Group, was named the 'Person of the Year' at this year's World Car Awards. The jury for these awards comprised 98 automotive journalists from publications worldwide. Autocar India's Editor Hormazd Sorabjee represented India on this prestigious panel.