KATHMANDU: The race for the 2027 World Car of the Year has officially begun, with 56 models shortlisted for the first stage of the awards.
The list, released by the World Car Awards, includes models from major global automakers. Chinese brands account for 27 of the 56 candidates, making up nearly half of the field.
A dozen models that are already available, or have recently entered the Nepal market, are also part of the competition.
These include the Changan Nevo Q05, sold in Nepal as the Deepal Nevo Q05, and the Chery Q, which is also known as the Chery QQ3. Deepal S05 and S07, GAC Aion V, iCAUR V23 and Jetour T2 are also on the list.
The other Nepal-linked models are Leapmotor B10, C10 and T03, and XPeng G6. The Geely EX2 is also on the list and is sold in Nepal as the Proton e.MAS 5.
The Deepal Nevo Q05 is currently priced from Rs 4.899 million to Rs 5.199 million in Nepal, while the Chery Q is positioned as a more affordable compact EV. The Deepal S05 and S07 are also currently available in Nepal.
Leapmotor’s B10, C10 and T03 are available in Nepal through Shangrila Motors. The B10 is currently offered at around Rs 5.5 million, while the T03 is positioned as the brand’s entry-level EV.
The Jetour T2 has also recently arrived in Nepal through Laxmi MotorHub after several delays. Its official launch is expected in October.
To qualify for the main World Car of the Year category, a model must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units a year, priced below the luxury-car level in its primary markets and sold in at least two major markets on two separate continents. The eligible period runs from January 1, 2026, to March 19, 2027.
56 models in the World Car of the Year list
- BMW i3, Buick Electra E7, BYD Ti7, Changan Nevo Q05, Chery Q, Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Captiva EV/PHEV, Cupra Raval, Deepal S05, Deepal S07 and DS No.7.
- Exeed Exlantix ET, Exeed RX, GAC Aion UT, GAC Aion V, Geely EX2, Geely Starray EM-i, Hyundai Bayon, Hyundai Ioniq 3, Hyundai Tucson and iCar V23.
- Infiniti QX65, Jetour G700, Jetour T2, Kia EV2, Kia Seltos, Kia Syros EV, Kia Telluride, Leapmotor B10, Leapmotor C10 and Leapmotor T03.
- Lepas L6 EV, Lepas L8 PHEV, Lexus ES, Lincoln Corsair, Lynk & Co 900, Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-6e/EZ-60, Mercedes-Benz electric C-Class, Mercedes-Benz electric GLC, Mercedes-Benz GLA, MG4 EV Urban, Nissan Frontier Pro and Nissan NX8.
- Omoda 4, Onvo L90, Polestar 4 SUV, Renault Filante, Subaru Trailseeker, Subaru Uncharted, Volkswagen Atlas/Teramont Pro, Volvo EX60, XPeng G6 2026 Edition, XPeng Mona M03, XPeng P7+ and Zeekr 8X.
11 models shortlisted for World Urban Car
The World Urban Car category includes Chery Q, Cupra Raval, Exeed Exlantix ET, Geely EX2, Hyundai Bayon, Hyundai IONIQ 3, iCAUR V23, Kia EV2, Kia Syros EV, Leapmotor T03 and Mercedes-Benz GLA.
The finalists for the 2027 awards will be announced in stages, with the winners set to be revealed on March 24, 2027, at the New York International Auto Show.
