The 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) category winners have been unveiled, marking another exciting milestone ahead of the overall award announcement scheduled for March 5, 2026, just days before International Women’s Day. The awards, now in their 15th edition, celebrate excellence in automotive design, innovation, performance, sustainability and comfort — all judged exclusively by women automotive journalists from around the world.

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Award Categories and Winners

A total of six category winners were selected from 55 eligible new models that were launched across at least two continents or 40 countries during 2025. These winners will now compete for the prestigious WWCOTY 2026 Overall Title.

Here are the 2026 WWCOTY category winners:

• Best Compact Car: Nissan Leaf — Recognized for its practicality, value and electric performance.

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• Best Compact SUV: Skoda Elroq — A standout in the growing compact SUV segment with strong design and usability.
• Best Large Car: Mercedes-Benz CLA — Awarded for premium design, driving dynamics and overall refinement.
• Best Large SUV: Hyundai Ioniq 9 — The all-electric SUV impressed jurors with its cutting-edge technology, comfort and performance.
• Best Performance Car: Lamborghini Temerario — Celebrated for its exhilarating performance and engineering prowess.
• Best 4x4: Toyota 4Runner — Honoured for its off-road capability and rugged reliability.

These winners reflect a broad spectrum of automotive excellence — from eco-friendly electric vehicles and versatile SUVs to high-performance machines and rugged off-roaders.

Special Honours: Tech and Social Recognition

In addition to category awards, two special recognitions were also presented:

• Best Tech Award: Renault received this honour for its advancements in electric platforms, including its AmpR Small and AmpR Medium architectures, which aim to democratize electric mobility.
• Sandy Myhre Award: Ford was recognised for its ongoing commitment to gender equality and support for women within its corporate structure.

Judging and Eligibility

The WWCOTY jury comprises 84 women motoring journalists from 54 countries, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise to the evaluation process. Cars eligible for the awards had to be newly launched in 2025 in at least two continents or 40 countries, ensuring a wide international representation in the competition.

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Mugdha Mishra, Editor of Auto Media Strategy at Autocar India, explained that jurors placed emphasis on attributes such as practicality, comfort, safety and effective use of technology in enhancing the driving experience — criteria that guided their selections for the category winners.

Looking Ahead: Overall Winner Announcement

While the category winners have now been revealed, the ultimate WWCOTY 2026 Overall Winner will be selected from these victors and announced on March 5, 2026. This announcement will spotlight a single model as the best car of the year, representing the pinnacle of automotive achievement as judged by this global, women-led jury.