Electric Cars Lead Nominations for World Car Awards
By Steve Fowler
March 18, 2025
Electric vehicles are expected to be a dominant force at the 2025 World Car Awards, with the Kia EV3 and Hyundai Inster EVs leading the charge. Two of the three finalists for the prestigious overall World Car of the Year award are fully electric, highlighting the rapid shift towards EVs in the automotive industry.
The all-electric Kia EV3
The remaining contender for the top prize is available with a range of powertrains, including petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric options. This trend follows the recent dominance of EVs in the awards; five of the past six World Car of the Year winners have been electric. Korean brands have particularly excelled, taking the top spot for the past three years. The Kia EV9 won last year, following the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 5 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Volkswagen ID.4 took home the award in 2021, with the Jaguar I-Pace winning in 2019.
The Kia EV3 is also in contention for the World Car Design of the Year award, alongside the new Toyota Land Cruiser and the all-electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz.
Hyundai’s little Inster EV
The Hyundai Inster has secured nominations in three categories. It’s a contender for the World Electric Vehicle Award, alongside the Porsche Macan, and for the World Urban Car Award, competing against the MINI Cooper Electric and the BYD Seagull/Dolphin Mini. This is the first World Car Award nomination for the Chinese brand BYD.
Other notable nominations include electric models in the World Luxury Car category, such as the Volvo EX90 and the Porsche Macan. The Porsche Panamera, which offers plug-in hybrid power, is also a contender. Furthermore, the World Performance Car category features electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, and the BMW M5.
The winners of the 2025 World Car Awards will be announced at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, April 16th. This event marks the 20th year the awards have been presented at the New York show, which is celebrating a significant anniversary.
Mark Schienberg, president of NYIAS, commented on the upcoming event:
“As the New York Auto Show marks an incredible 125 years, we’re thrilled to kick off the celebration with one of the industry’s most prestigious honors – the World Car Awards! Winning this award, judged by 96 of the world’s top automotive journalists, is a true triumph and the perfect way to launch North America’s first and most-attended auto show. A huge congratulations to the World Car team for over two decades of excellence, and best of luck to this year’s outstanding finalists!”
