Dozens of cars in title hunt

A total of 48 cars have been named as contenders in the annual World Car Awards, with the winners set to be announced at next year’s New York International Auto Show.

Marques that have models on the list include Alfa Romeo, BMW, BYD, Cadillac, Citroen, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Skoda and Suzuki.

Kia has three cars in the running after taking out the World Car of the Year 2025 title with its EV3.

Vehicles eligible for World Car Awards must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units per year, be priced below the luxury-car level in their primary markets, and must be “on sale” in at least two major markets on at least two separate continents between January 1, 2025, and March 30, 2026.

Organisers officially launched The Road to World Car 2026 this month and more than 90 automotive journalists on the jury panel will now test drive and vote on the eligible vehicles over the coming months.

The countdown to naming the overall winners will heat up on January 6, 2026, when the top 10 World Car of the Year finalists are announced.

At the same time, the top five finalists in the EV, luxury car, performance car, urban car and design of the year categories will also be announced.

The shortlists will be whittled down to the top three on March 3 next year, with a live awards ceremony naming the winners of all six sections taking place at the New York International Auto Show on April 1.

The annual awards were inaugurated in 2003 and launched in January 2004 to reflect the reality of the global marketplace.

To view the provisional list of eligible vehicles for 2026, click here.