Which Car Will Be World Car of the Year 2021?

Which car will be named World Car of the Year 2021? The answer is drawing ever closer. It will be determined by a panel of 93 journalists representing the world’s leading markets.

Guilherme Costa, Director of Razão Automóvel, is the juror representing Portugal in what has been regarded as the automotive industry’s most significant global award for the eighth consecutive year, according to market research conducted by Prime Research. Profiles for every juror can be found on the World Car Awards website.

World Car of the Year 2021 finalists

Following the completion of the first voting stage - a process audited by consultancy firm KPMJ - the first finalists in the five World Car Awards categories have now been announced.

Of the 24 models competing for the World Car of the Year (WCOTY) title, the first 10 finalists are, in alphabetical order:

• Audi A3
• BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé
• BMW 4 Series
• Honda e
• Kia Optima
• Kia Sorento
• Mazda MX-30
• Mercedes-Benz GLA
• Toyota Yaris
• Volkswagen ID.4

The five finalists for World Urban Car, in alphabetical order, are:

• Honda Jazz
• Honda e
• Hyundai i10
• Hyundai i20
• Toyota Yaris

The five finalists for World Luxury Car, in alphabetical order, are:

• Aston Martin DBX
• BMW X6
• Land Rover Defender
• Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• Polestar 2

The five contenders for World Performance Car, in alphabetical order, are:

• Audi RS Q8
• BMW M2 CS
• BMW X5 M / X6 M
• Porsche 911 Turbo
• Toyota GR Yaris

World Car Design of the Year 2021

Every car entered in the four WCA categories was eligible for the World Car Design of the Year award, although only five have progressed to the final stage. The finalists for the World Car Design of the Year category at the 2021 World Car Awards are:

• Honda e
• Land Rover Defender
• Mazda MX30
• Polestar 2
• Porsche 911 turbo

Unlike the other categories, the World Car Design of the Year prize is decided by former automotive industry professionals or figures with relevant experience in the field.

For 2021, the award’s jury comprises: Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School); Ian Callum (United Kingdom – Design Director, CALLUM); Gert Hildebrand (Germany – Owner, Hildebrand-Design); Patrick le Quément (France – Designer and Chairman of the Strategy Committee – The Sustainable Design School); Tom Matano (USA – Academy of Art University, former Head of Design – Mazda); Victor Nacif (USA – Chief Creative Officer, Brojure.com, and Design Professor at the New School of Architecture and Design); and Shiro Nakamura (Japan – CEO, Shiro Nakamura Design Associates Inc.).

The road to World Car of the Year 2021

The next key date in the 2021 World Car Awards calendar is 30 March, when the three World Car of the Year finalists will be revealed. The announcement can be followed via the World Car Awards YouTube channel.

As is customary, the occasion will also be used to consider the future of the automotive industry. The Global Trends Report, a study by Cision Insights co-presented by BREMBO - a global leader in braking system development - will be launched. The report explores the emerging and future trends reshaping the automotive industry.

Razão Automóvel has been part of the World Car Awards jury panel since 2017, representing Portugal alongside some of the world’s most prestigious media organisations. At an institutional level, the World Car Awards are supported by the following partners: ZF, Cision Insights, Brembo, KPMG and Newspress.