BMW's all-electric 'Neue Klasse' iX3 SUV has taken home one of the biggest prizes in international motoring - the 2026 World Car Of The Year, an award handed out by a jury of 98 international motoring experts from 33 countries, which includes CompleteCar.ie's very own Shane O' Donoghue.
The iX3 must be pretty good then…
It certainly is. You can read our verdict on this hugely important new EV here. BMW is, of course, delighted with the win. It's not the company's first success in the WCOTY - the 3 Series took home the top prize in 2006, and the iX was one of the top three finalists last year, but the win for the iX3 seems especially significant, not least considering the car's exceptional electric performance.
What was BMW's reaction?
"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,” said Mike Reichelt, head of the Neue Klasse project at BMW.
"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.”
Which other cars were up for the award?
The iX3 won out over an initial longlist of 58 contenders for the World Car Of The Year, and the rounds of ballots whittled that down to a final three: the iX3, the Hyundai Palisade (a much praised large seven-seat SUV, which isn't on sale in Europe) and the new Nissan Leaf.
Which cars won in the other categories?
• World Car of the Year: BMW iX3
• World Luxury Car: Lucid Gravity
• World Performance Car: Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
• World Electric Vehicle: BMW iX3
• World Urban Car: Firefly
• World Car Design of the Year: Mazda6e / EZ-6
Who was named World Car Person of the Year?
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse was named 2026 World Car Person of the Year.
What are the eligibility rules for World Car of the Year?
Vehicles eligible for World Car of the Year must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units per 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, according to the WCOTY rules.
The awards are sponsored by braking experts Brembo, and 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 honour 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."