BMW iX3 is the 2026 WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR ™ and 2026 WORLD ELECTRIC VEHICLE
THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR 2026 and the WORLD CAR FINALS POWERED BY BREMBO concluded today with the live announcement of the winners in six award categories at the New York International Auto Show.
The BMW iX3 is the 2026 World Car of the Year™.
This is the second consecutive World Car of the Yearnomination for BMW and second World Car of the Year win overall. The BMW iX was named to the Top Three in the World in last year’s program, and the BMW 3-Series has previously won the 2006 World Car of the Year title. With the BMW iX3 also being named the 2026 World Electric Vehicle, the total number of awards won by BMW is eleven in World Car’s 22-year history.
“We are delighted by this outstanding result for the BMW iX3, the first production model of the Neue Klasse. The iX3 marks the beginning of a new era for BMW in terms of design language, range and charging performance, driver assistance systems, and the user experience with the first-ever BMW Panoramic iDrive.
Above all, the iX3 stands for the next generation of sheer driving pleasure, powered by the Heart of Joy. With 40 new or updated models coming in the next year, the innovations of the Neue Klasse will benefit our entire product portfolio,” said Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse.
A jury of 98 distinguished international automotive journalists from 33 countries selected the winning cars by secret ballot based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their on-going professional work. Today’s vote results have been tabulated by KPMG.
The BMW iX3 was chosen from an initial list of 58 contenders from all over the world. A shortlist of three finalists was announced on March 3rd, 2026. The 2026 Top Three in the World were: BMW iX3, Hyundai Palisade, and Nissan Leaf.
Vehicles eligible for World Car of the Year must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units/year, must be priced below the luxury-car level in their primary markets, and must be “on-sale” in at least two major markets (China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, USA) on at least two separate continents within the period January 1, 2025 and March 30, 2026.
For a complete list of previous winners in all categories, please visit our web site.
Mark Schienberg, president of NYIAS said, “The World Car Awards are a global benchmark for excellence by recognizing the vehicles and technologies that are truly moving the industry forward. We’re proud to host these honors at the New York Auto Show, where each spring the global automotive community gathers, bringing together leaders in industry and media to exchange ideas and shape what’s next.”
Daniele Schillaci, Chief Executive Officer of Brembo, said: “On behalf of Brembo, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the winners across all six categories of the World Car of the Year Awards. These recognitions honor vehicles that set new benchmarks in innovation, performance and design, representing the very best of today’s automotive excellence. At Brembo, we are proud to support an award that celebrates visionary achievements and inspires the entire industry to keep pushing boundaries.”
The Road to the World Car Awards is an annual journey that follows our international jurors as they test-drive, and vote on, the eligible vehicles for the awards’ season. The jurors’ road-test journey is captured virtually on World Car TV.
The World Car Awards program would not be possible without the support of our official 20th Anniversary Partners: AITASTIC Research & Consult, BREMBO, the NEW YORK International Auto Show, KPMG and Newspress. Thank you to our partners.
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