The all-new Nissan LEAF emerged as the Supreme Winner for the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) award, an accolade that’s given by an international jury comprised exclusively of women automotive journalists. The Nissan LEAF bested other vehicles listed as finalists, which include the Hyundai Ioniq 9, Toyota 4Runner, and Lamborghini Temerario, among others.
Cars built and designed by an Asian automaker have once again got the most thumbs up from the WWCOTY international jury. To put things in perspective, the Hyundai Santa Fe was named the overall winner for the 2025 WWCOTY award. For 2026, it is the all-new Nissan LEAF that captivated the judges, keeping the WWCOTY award among Asian car brands.
The LEAF was first launched in 2010, and it is regarded as the first mass-market electric vehicle (EV). Now in its third generation, the Nissan LEAF builds on that legacy with a sleeker design, enhanced range, and intuitive technology, which are qualities that stood out from this year’s WWCOTY jury.
“New LEAF being named overall winner by the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year is a proud moment for everyone at Nissan. LEAF helped bring electric driving into the mainstream, and this new generation carries that mission forward. It’s designed to make going electric easier and more enjoyable for more people around the world,” said Nissan President & CEO Ivan Espinosa.
The Nissan LEAF bested other vehicles that won in their respective categories. These vehicles, including the LEAF, were the finalists in determining the overall or supreme winner. The Nissan LEAF was named the winner under the Compact Car category. Other vehicles include the following: Skoda Elroq (Compact SUV winner), Mercedes-Benz CLA (Large Car), Hyundai Ioniq 9 (Large SUV), Toyota 4Runner (4×4), and Lamborghini Temerario (Performance Car).
Nissan shared that the WWCOTY jury evaluates vehicles based on safety, design, value, ease of use, and environmental impact. The jury is comprised of 86 women journalists across more than 50 countries. The jury praised the LEAF for its “realistic approach to electric mobility, and balance of advanced electric performance and simple, enjoyable day-to-day driving.”
Autocar’s Take
The Nissan LEAF clinched the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) award, besting other cars, including the Hyundai Ioniq 9. The LEAF’s win is a testament to the notable design and build quality from car brands hailing from Asia. As mentioned in the article, last year’s winner was the Hyundai Santa Fe, a Korean car. For this year, the LEAF clinched the said award, which is an electric car from Japan.
The LEAF’s win also shows that new energy vehicles are among the qualities that stood out from the WWCOTY jury. Aside from this, the all-new Nissan LEAF’s sleeker design, enhanced range, and intuitive technology are among the qualities that stood out from this year’s WWCOTY jury.
