Car of the Year 2027: the electric revolution has become a reality. Seven all-electric vehicles in the final round
In the article:
The 2027 Car of the Year competition will go down in history as a milestone for European automotive industry
Only electric vehicles made it to the final seven
Five of the seven models cost less than 30,000 euros
The BMW iX3 seems to be a strong contender for the title
The winner of the European award will be announced on January 8, 2027, during the Brussels Motor Show
Car of the Year: a historic final for the competition
The European Car of the Year award has been regarded as one of the most important honors in the automotive industry for over six decades. However, this year’s edition will write a new chapter in its history. Seven models qualified for the 2027 Car of the Year final: BMW iX3, Cupra Raval, Hyundai Ioniq 3, Kia EV2, Renault Twingo, Volkswagen ID. Polo, and Volvo EX60. All of them are fully electric vehicles.
As the competition organizers emphasize, this is the first such case since the award was established in 1964. Spanish automotive journalist Xavier Pérez noted in a comment for Prensa Ibérica that “all seven cars competing in the final are 100 percent electric,” describing this year’s list of finalists as a “historic milestone” for European automotive industry.
Affordable electric cars taking over the scene
Until recently, electric cars were primarily associated with expensive premium models. However, this year’s final list shows a clear change. As many as five out of the seven cars cost less than 30,000 euros. The cheapest is the Renault Twingo, starting at 19,990 euros.
The Volkswagen ID. Polo will cost from 24,995 euros, the Cupra Raval around 26,000 euros, the Kia EV2 about 26,600 euros, and the Hyundai Ioniq 3 from 27,995 to 29,995 euros, depending on the market. The only ones that remain significantly more expensive are the BMW iX3 and the Volvo EX60, with prices exceeding around 69,000 euros and 63,000 euros respectively.
Industry media note that “the affordable European electric car has gone from promise to price list,” and most of the finalists are already available for ordering.
Europe focuses on domestic production
An interesting aspect of this year’s edition is also the location of production for the finalists. All models are manufactured in Europe or Turkey. The Renault Twingo is produced in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, the Kia EV2 in Slovakia, the Hyundai Ioniq 3 in Izmit, Turkey, the BMW iX3 in Hungary, and the Volvo EX60 in Sweden.
This is a clear contrast to the 2024 edition, when two cars produced in China made it to the shortlist. Although brands such as BYD, Denza, Leapmotor, MG, Xpeng, and Zeekr participated in the initial stage of this year’s competition, none of their models advanced to the final round.
When will we know the winner of Car of the Year?
The jurors will meet on November 25 and 26 at the Balocco track in Italy, where they will conduct the final test drives. Each of them will allocate 25 points among the finalists, with a single model able to receive a maximum of 10 points from one juror. The winner will be announced on January 8, 2027, during the Brussels Motor Show.
Who won last year?
The current title holder is the Mercedes-Benz CLA, which won in the 2026 edition. Previously, Renault triumphed for two consecutive years: the Scenic E-Tech won in 2024, and the Renault 5 E-Tech won in 2025. If the Twingo also wins in the 2027 edition, the French brand will claim its third title in four editions of the competition! The competition is very fierce. In our opinion, the BMW iX3 has a strong chance of winning.
Oskar Włostowski