2020 World Car Awards top three finalists

Ahead of this year’s World Car Awards winners being declared next month, the top three finalists in each of the five categories have been announced.

Some of the initial finalists that failed to reach this stage might be surprising. What’s more, a few successful models appear multiple times on the lists below – indeed, the pure-electric Porsche Taycan could still take three of the titles.

As well as illustrating how alternative-fuel vehicles have become mainstream, such a situation provides justification for abandoning the separate World Green Car of the Year prize that was run in previous years.

The 2020 top three finalists are:

World Car of the Year
  • Kia Telluride
  • Mazda 3
  • Mazda CX-30
The Volkswagen Golf is perhaps the most notable absentee here.

Kia Telluride (2020) Front Side
Kia Telluride

World Luxury Car
  • Mercedes-Benz EQC
  • Porsche 911
  • Porsche Taycan
Bad news for BMW, as both the X5 and X7 dropped out of the running (although whether or not the Porsche 911 fulfils the ‘luxury’ brief is debatable).

Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4Matic (2020) Front Side
Mercedes-Benz EQC

World Performance Car
  • Porsche 718 Spyder / Cayman GT4
  • Porsche 911
  • Porsche Taycan
A guaranteed victory for Porsche, after the BMW M8 and Toyota GR Supra were rejected by jurors.

Porsche Taycan 4S (2020) Front Side
Porsche Taycan

World Urban Car
  • Kia Soul EV
  • Mini Electric
  • Volkswagen T-Cross
Two French superminis – the Peugeot 208 and Renault Clio – didn’t secure enough support to proceed any further.

Mini Cooper SE 3-Door Hatch (2020) Front Side
Mini Electric

World Car Design of the Year
  • Mazda 3
  • Peugeot 208
  • Porsche Taycan
Neither the Alpine 110S nor the Mazda CX-30 are going to be given this highly subjective accolade.

Peugeot 208 (2020) Front Side
Peugeot 208

Related posts:
2020 European Car of the Year winner named
2020 World Car Awards finalists
2020 NACTOY winners

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts:

Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson

Image
Saab has got experience of producing special editions in honour of rally driver Erik Carlsson, having previously named versions of the 900 and 9000 after him during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Now it has decided to do it again, this time to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Swedish driver’s first win in Britain’s RAC Rally, which was achieved at the wheel of a Saab 96. Thankfully, the company has resisted the urge to just bung some fancy alloys and a few other extra bits onto something like a mid-range diesel model. Instead, it appears to have resurrected the limited edition Turbo X from a couple of years ago, as the new edition similarly features a turbocharged 2.8 litre petrol V6, Saab’s XWD all-wheel drive system and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The result is the 9-3 Aero Carlsson saloon, which turns out to be a very rapid car. With 276 bhp (205 kW / 280 PS) and a healthy 400 Nm of torque, the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) dash takes just 6.9 seconds. But it’s in the mid-range t...
Read more

American spec Fiat 500

Image
Fiat has released the first details and images of the North American specification 500. The tiny city car will be available in Pop, Lounge and Sport trim levels, and is distinguished from the European version by its more aggressive front and rear bumpers, bigger grille and flared sills. Another unique feature is the engine. Fiat has decided to use the 1.4 MultiAir unit currently found in models such as the Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa Romeo MiTo. Perhaps it felt that using the forthcoming two-cylinder TwinAir in the American 500 would have been too much for markets there to take? There’s no word yet on what power output the MultiAir will have, although in its current applications it comes with either 103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS), 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) or 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS). Similarly, prices have yet to be confirmed, but hopefully both details will have been sorted out by the time the order book for the 500 hatch opens later this year. For convertible fans, the 500C is due ...
Read more

i10 N Line versus the Up! GTI

Image
Hyundai has confirmed specifications and pricing for its sporty i10 N Line. This new variant – which arrives at dealers later this month – benefits from some cosmetic tweaks, unique suspension components and a more powerful 1.0 litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine.
Read more