GM and Stellantis excluded from competition, leaving Pony Cars to represent America
- The World Car Awards finalists were announced ahead of the New York Auto Show.
- Germany and Japan top the list, with more than a dozen contenders dominating the list.
- The Mustang was the only American finalist, competing in two major award categories.
The 2025 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year will be revealed tomorrow at the Detroit Auto Show, but attention has already turned to the World Car Awards. They will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show on April 16. While that’s still a long way off, this year’s finalists have been revealed, with U.S. automakers largely shut out.
The biggest honor is World Car of the Year, a title awarded to one of the ten finalists. These include the Audi A5/S5, BMW X3, Ford Mustang, Hyundai Inster/Casper Electric and Kia EV3. They will compete with the Mini Cooper Electric, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Camry, Toyota Land Cruiser/Land Cruiser 250 and Volkswagen Tiguan/Tayron.
More: ICE-powered models dominate 2025 NACTOY finalists list
It’s a pretty diverse segment, with a mix of luxury and electric cars as well as American muscle cars. It’s hard to know which one will stand out, but you might have your eye on the Mustang and EV3.
Speaking of electric vehicles, the World Electric Vehicle finalists include Hyundai Inster/Casper Electric, Kia EV3, Porsche Macan Electric, and Volkswagen ID. Bath and Volvo EX90. Some of these models are also eligible for the World Luxury Car Awards, including the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Volvo EX90 as well as Lexus GX, Porsche Macan and Porsche Panamera.
One of the most notable categories is World Performance Cars. This year’s finalists include the BMW M5 and Ford Mustang, as well as the Bentley Continental GT Speed, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
Last but not least, the shortlist for the annual World Car Design Award is somewhat puzzling. Although the reasons for Kia EV3 and Volkswagen ID are easy to understand. Buzz makes the cut, is the Mini Cooper’s continued evolution all that noteworthy? Probably not.
We wouldn’t be surprised if people have mixed feelings about the Toyota Land Cruiser and Baojun Yunduo/Yunduo/MG Windsor EVs. Both are somewhat interesting, but are they really the best? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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