The World Car of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious awards out of all the automotive awards in the world. Now in its 19th year, it is one of the most anticipated awards as it recognizes the excellence in the industry amongst the top-rated car manufacturers of the world.
Judged by an international jury of 100 automotive journalists from 32 countries the people upon whom the world relies for an unbiased appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the 67 million automobiles we purchase each year.
At the black-tie dinner on April 5th, 2023, the World Car Finals Powered by Brembo were held on the eve of the New York International Auto Show.
The 2023 World Car Person of the Year Award was given to SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai Global Design Centre. Hyundai received four of the seven awards for the evening and shared the fifth award because it owns 33 percent of Kia.
2023 World Car of the Year: Hyundai Ioniq 6
The Ioniq 6, which is the second model from Hyundai’s dedicated all-electric sub-brand, won the 2023 World Car of the Year, 2023 World Electric Vehicle of the Year, and 2023 World Car Design of the Year awards, emulating the success of the first model in the series, the Ioniq 5, which won all of those categories in 2022.
These wins demonstrate the impressive performance of the Korean automotive industry, and its ability to impress the journalists whose opinions we rely on for sound automotive buying advice.
2023 World Car Design of the Year: Hyundai Ioniq 6
Boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.21, the Ioniq 6 has exceptional aerodynamics. This, combined with its 77.4-kWh battery capacity, enables the vehicle to cover almost 600 km (379 miles) on a single charge.
As one of the most energy-efficient electric vehicles on the market, the Ioniq 6 also features a bespoke Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture, providing ultra-fast 800-V charging capabilities and a roomy interior.
2023 World Electric Car of the Year: Hyundai Ioniq 6
With Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, driver assistance systems, and advanced connectivity offering over-the-air (OTA) software updates, the Ioniq 6 provides an exceptional in-car experience.
The vehicle’s elongated 2,950-mm wheelbase allows for a spacious and ergonomic interior that offers a range of empowering features, such as Dual Color Ambient Lighting, Speed Sync Lighting, EV Performance Tune-up, and Electric Active Sound Design (e-ASD), which enhance the electric mobility experience.
2023 World Urban Car of the Year: Citroen C3
There were only three entries in the 2023 World Urban Car class, with the three (Citroen C3, ORA Funky Cat/Haomao, and Volkswagen Taigo/Nivus) all becoming finalists.
2023 World Performance Car of the Year: Kia EV6 GT
Building upon the standard EV6 model, which won the 2022 European Car of the Year and the 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year titles, the Kia EV6 GT boasts a powerful 430-kW (577-bhp) output. With such prodigious power, the all-electric EV6 GT can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 162 mph (260.7 km/h).
2023 World Luxury Car of the Year: Lucid Air
The 2023 World Luxury Car class had five finalists: BMW 7 Series / i7, Genesis G90, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and the Lucid Air, with the BMW, Genesis, and Lucid filling the podium.
The History of the WCOTY Awards
By employing specific methodologies, the three finalists in each category are carefully selected. Subsequently, the winner is scrutinized by more than 100 reputable journalists who have tested and evaluated all the contenders in various categories. The list of finalists demonstrates that only the top-performing cars are ultimately awarded a podium position.