The shortlist of nominees for the 2017 World Car of the Year award have been announced, with Audi and Kia leading with three entries each.
The awards are organized by a non-profit committee of automotive journalists from around the world (22 different countries) and have been an annual occurrence since its inception in 2004. To be eligible for a World Car of the Year nomination, the vehicle must be new and must be available for sale in at least five countries on at least two continents.
The top three finalists will be announced at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, and the winners will be announced at the 2017 New York Auto Show. Last year’s winner for 2016 World Car of the Year was the Mazda MX-5 Miata.
The full shortlist is below:
Nominees for 2017 World Car of the Year: Buick Lacrosse, Buick Envision, Chevrolet Cruze, Chrysler Pacifica, Audi A5/S5, Audi Q2, Audi Q5, Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda Civic, Infiniti Q60, Mazda CX-9, Subaru Impreza, Toyota CH-R, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Genesis G80, Kia Cadenza, Kia Rio, Kia Sportage, SsangYong Tivoli/Tivoli XLV, Skoda Kodaiq, Fiat 124 Spider, SEAT Ateca, and Jaguar F-Pace.
Nominees for 2017 World Luxury/Performance Car of the Year: Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XT5, Lincoln Continental, Audi R8 Spider, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster, Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman, Honda NSX, Lexus LC500, Bentley Bentayga, Range Rover Evoque Convertible, Hyundai Genesis G90, and Volvo S90/V90.
Nominees for 2017 World Urban Car of the Year: BMW i3, Smart Brabus, Smart Cabriolet, Citroen C3, Citroen E-Mehari, Suzuki Baleno, Suzuki Ignis, and Ford Ka+.
Nominees for 2017 World Green Car of the Year: Chevrolet Bolt, Chevrolet Malibu, Tesla Model X, Audi Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI, BMW 740 e iPerformance, Mercedes GLC 350 e, Honda FCV Clarity, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Prius Prime, Hyundai Ioniq, and Kia Niro.
