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BMW iX3 makes shortlist for 2027 European Car of the Year
The second-generation BMW iX3 has been named among seven finalists for the 2027 European Car of the Year award, a field made up entirely of electric vehicles for the first time in the award's history.
By Edward Beaumont · 3 min read
The second-generation BMW iX3 has made the final shortlist for the 2027 European Car of the Year award, putting the first production model from BMW's Neue Klasse family in contention for one of the automotive industry's most prestigious honours. The iX3 will compete against six other new electric vehicles, and for the first time in the award's 63-year history, every finalist is battery-electric with no combustion engine option.
The seven shortlisted cars are the BMW iX3, Cupra Raval, Hyundai Ioniq 3, Kia EV2, Renault Twingo, Volkswagen ID. Polo and Volvo EX60. The award's organising committee announced the list ahead of the second stage of voting, which will decide the winner. The result is due to be announced on 8 January 2027 at the Brussels Motor Show.
The first round of voting considered 38 models, with 64 jurors from 25 countries each having a say. To be eligible, a car had to be new to the market, not considered in any previous year, available for testing by jurors, and in series production and available to buy within the year in question. Only nine of the eligible cars had any kind of combustion engine, a sign of how quickly the shortlist has shifted towards electric drivetrains.
For BMW, a win would fill a notable gap. Despite being one of the world's most successful premium carmakers, the company has never taken the European Car of the Year title. It has finished as runner-up four times, most recently with the 5 Series in 2024. Reaching the final seven is already seen as a significant achievement for Munich's first Neue Klasse production model, which is tasked with introducing a new era of design and electric technology for the brand.
The iX3 has also shown commercial momentum. According to the BMW enthusiast site that first reported the shortlist, the electric SUV has attracted more than 100,000 orders, and production has passed 50,000 units within a year of launch. Commentators have suggested that an award would be more a validation of BMW's Neue Klasse strategy than a meaningful boost to sales, given that demand already appears strong.
Not every contender made the cut. Autocar's own jury representative said the Skoda Epiq and Honda Prelude were among the notable omissions, while other high-profile models such as the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and GLC electric variants, the Porsche Cayenne Electric and the Polestar 5 also failed to reach the final seven. No Chinese brand made the final seven this year, although several, including BYD, Leapmotor, MG, Xpeng and Zeekr, were in contention in the first round.
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