2027 World Car of the Year field is already getting interesting

For an award that carries the word “world” in its name, the World Car Awards is not simply a popularity contest for new cars. It brings together more than 100 automotive journalists to evaluate new or significantly redesigned vehicles sold across multiple global markets.

The headline prize is the World Car of the Year, but it is only one part of the program. The awards also recognize World Urban Car, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car and World Car Design of the Year. For 2027, eligible vehicles must be on sale in at least two major markets and on two separate continents between January 1, 2026 and March 19, 2027.

That distinction matters when looking at the newly published 2027 World Car of the Year eligibility list.

The list is not a ranking, nor is it a list of finalists. Instead, it is the pool of vehicles that can enter the competition. For the overall award, vehicles must be produced at a minimum volume of 10,000 units annually and priced below the luxury-car level in their primary markets.

And this is where the 2027 list gets particularly interesting from a Philippine perspective.

A number of Chinese brands that are becoming increasingly familiar to Filipino motorists appear among the eligible vehicles, alongside established global manufacturers. The list includes models from Changan, GAC, Geely, Jetour, MG, Omoda and Xpeng, among others. Several names are already present in the Philippine market, while others represent models that have yet to make a local appearance.

The presence of these brands reflects how quickly the global automotive landscape is changing. Chinese automakers, in particular, are increasingly being evaluated within the same international framework as models from long-established manufacturers.

There is also a direct Philippine connection. The 2027 World Car Awards jury includes Filipino automotive journalist Carl Cunanan, placing a local voice among the international group responsible for evaluating the vehicles.

The road ahead is still long. From September 2026 through January 2027, jurors will test-drive the eligible vehicles before the first round of voting. The top 10 World Car of the Year finalists are scheduled to be announced in January, followed by the Top Three in February. The winners will then be revealed at the New York International Auto Show on March 24, 2027.

For now, the 2027 eligibility list is a snapshot of where the global car industry is heading as the 2027 season unfolds.

Autocar’s Take

The 2027 World Car of the Year eligibility list is interesting because it says something about how quickly the automotive landscape is changing. Seeing brands such as Changan, GAC, Geely, Jetour, MG, Omoda, and Xpeng alongside more established global names would have been less remarkable a few years ago. Today, it feels almost expected.

For Filipino readers, the bigger question is whether some of these globally eligible models will eventually find their way into our market. Eligibility does not guarantee a Philippine launch, but it does put these vehicles on the international radar. And that alone makes the 2027 field worth watching as the awards progress.

Below is a complete list of the 2027 World Car of the Year eligible models.