THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR 2026 and the WORLD CAR FINALS POWERED BY BREMBO concluded today with the live announcement of the winners in six award categories at the New York International Auto Show.
The Firefly is the 2026 World Urban Car.
This is the first World Car Award win for Nio / Firefly.
“This recognition isn’t just about a car, it reflects a shift in how we move through cities. At Firefly, we believe urban mobility should feel lighter, smarter, safer, and more in tune with everyday life. As a compact electric vehicle designed for global cities, we try to be more thoughtful, shaping a more intuitive, electric way to move, so people can move more freely, and glow in their own way,“ said Daniel Jin, NIO Vice President & firefly President.
A jury of 98 distinguished international automotive journalists from 33 countries selected the winning cars by secret ballot based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their on-going professional work. Today’s vote results have been tabulated by KPMG.
The Firefly was chosen from an initial list of five contenders from all over the world. A shortlist of three finalists was announced on March 3rd, 2026. The 2026 Top Three in the World were: Baojun Yep Plus / Chevrolet Spark EUV, Firefly, and Hyundai Venue.
Vehicles eligible for World Urban Car must be a maximum of 4.25 meters in overall length, must be approved for operation on public roads, must be produced in volumes of at least 5,000 units/year, and must be “on-sale” in at least two major markets (China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, USA) on at least two separate continents within the period January 1, 2025 and March 30, 2026.
For a complete list of previous winners in all categories, please visit our web site.
Mark Schienberg, president of NYIAS said, “The World Car Awards are a global benchmark for excellence by recognizing the vehicles and technologies that are truly moving the industry forward. We’re proud to host these honors at the New York Auto Show, where each spring the global automotive community gathers, bringing together leaders in industry and media to exchange ideas and shape what’s next.”
Daniele Schillaci, Chief Executive Officer of Brembo, said: “On behalf of Brembo, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the winners across all six categories of the World Car of the Year Awards. These recognitions honor vehicles that set new benchmarks in innovation, performance and design, representing the very best of today’s automotive excellence. At Brembo, we are proud to support an award that celebrates visionary achievements and inspires the entire industry to keep pushing boundaries.”
The Road to the World Car Awards is an annual journey that follows our international jurors as they test-drive, and vote on, the eligible vehicles for the awards’ season. The jurors’ road-test journey is captured virtually on World Car TV.
The World Car Awards program would not be possible without the support of our official 20th Anniversary Partners: AITASTIC Research & Consult, BREMBO, the NEW YORK International Auto Show, KPMG and Newspress. Thank you to our partners.
