BMW iX3 Neue Klasse is 2026 World Car of the Year

We’ve just seen the BMW iX3 Neue Klasse in the metal at the 2026 Bangkok International Motor Show. And much like us, the World Car Awards were impressed with what they saw.

The BMW iX3 Neue Klasse has been declared the 2026 World Car of the Year. This is the second consecutive World Car of the Year nomination for BMW and second World Car of the Year win overall, following the BMW iX being named to the Top Three in the World in last year’s program, and the BMW 3-Series winning the 2006 World Car of the Year title.

With the BMW iX3 also being named the 2026 World Electric Vehicle, BMW has now won a total of 11 awards in World Car’s 22-year history.

The BMW iX3 was chosen from an initial list of 58 contenders from all over the world. A shortlist of three finalists was announced in early March, with the Hyundai Palisade and Nissan Leaf as the iX3’S main competitors.

A jury of 98 distinguished international automotive journalists from 33 countries selected the winning cars by secret ballot based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their ongoing professional work.

“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. 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,” said Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse.