2025 World Car Awards journey begins

The latest edition of the World Car Awards is officially underway.

Inaugurated in 2003, and launched in January 2004, the prestigious competition was designed to reflect the reality of the global marketplace.

Our motoring editor, Brenwin Naidu, has been a representative on the jury panel since 2020.

The annual Road to the World Car Awards journey follows more than 100 highly respected automotive journalists on the jury panel as they test-drive, and vote on, the 2025 eligible vehicles. The journey is punctuated by a stop in Pasadena, CA, US, for a test drive event.

The world car finals, powered by Brembo for the seventh consecutive year, will begin the winners’ countdown in early January 2025 when the top 10 World Car of the Year finalists as well as the top five finalists in the world electric vehicle, world luxury car, world performance car, world urban car and world car design of the year categories will all be announced. The countdown excitement will continue to grow when the number of finalists is narrowed down to the top three in the world to be announced – virtually – in March 2025.

Finally, the grand finale live awards ceremony wherein the winners in six categories are declared will be at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, April 16 2025. The occasion will mark two decades of the New York Auto Show partnering with the World Car Awards and co-hosting the winners’ announcement as a special kick-off to the Show’s Press Preview Days. The year 2025 marks the show’s 125th anniversary.

Vehicles eligible for World Car of the Year must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units a 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, US) on at least two separate continents within the period January 1 2024 and March 30 2025.

The 2025 provisional list of all eligible vehicles is as follows:

Audi A5/S5
Baojun Yunduo/Cloud/MG Windsor EV
Beijing X55/X55II
Bestune B70
BMW 1 Series
BMW X2/iX2BMW X3
Buick Envista
BYD Quzhujian 05/King/Chazer 05
BYD Seagull/Dolphin Mini
BYD Sealion 07
Chevrolet Equinox EV
Chevrolet Traverse
Cupra Terramar
Fiat 600
Ford Mustang
GAC GN8/Trumpchi M8
GAC GS3/Emzoom/Trumpchi GS3
Geely Boyue/Starray
Geely Geometry E
Hyundai Inster/Casper Electric
Jaecoo J7/Chery Tansuo 06
Jeep Avenger
Kia EV3
Kia K4
Leapmotor C10
Lincoln Nautilus
Mazda CX-80
MG 3
MG CybersterMG HS/Roewe RX5
Mini Aceman
Mini Cooper
Mini Cooper Electric
Mini Countryman
Nammi Box/Nammi 01
Omoda 5/C5
Polestar 4
Skoda Kodiaq
Subaru Impreza
Suzuki Swift
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota CamryToyota Land Cruiser/Land Cruiser 250
Volkswagen Passat/Magotan
Volkswagen Tiguan
XPeng G6

The road to the World Car Awards is supported by AITASTIC Research & Consult AG, Brembo, KPMG, the New York International Auto Show and Newspress.