World Car Awards 2025 Finalists Revealed: BMW X3, Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3 In Running For Top Honours

The World Car Awards 2025 has announced the top three contenders for all categories in the build-up to the announcement of the winners on April 16 in New York. The finalists were picked on the basis of a secret ballot by a jury of over 90 international automotive journalists with the votes tabulated by KPMG.

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Hyundai's small EV, the Inster is in the running for World Car Of The Year as well as the Urban Car Award and World Electric Car Award.

Starting with the top honours - The World Car Of The Year 2025 - the three finalists have been narrowed down to the new-gen BMW X3, Kia EV3 and the Hyundai Inster/Casper Electric. The Inster/Casper Electric and EV3 are also in the running for the World Electric Vehicle Award alongside the new Macan EV.

The EV3 makes the final cut for the World Car Of The Year, World Electric Car and World Car Design Awards.

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The Casper/Inster is also in the running for the World Urban Car award alongside the BYD Seagull / Dolphin Mini and the Mini Cooper Electric. The Kia EV3 meanwhile makes it to the final shortlist of for the World Car Design Award alongside the new Toyota Land Cruiser / Land Cruiser 250 and the Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric van.

The Porsche Macan meanwhile will take on its stablemate the new Panamera, and the Volvo EX90 in the World Luxury Car category while its two Porsches and one BMW make the final cut for the World Performance Car Award. The category will see the new BMW M5 plug-in hybrid take on the new Porsche 911 Carrera GTS and the new Taycan Turbo GT - Porsche’s most powerful road car to date.

The new Macan is in the running for the World Luxury Car and World Electric Car Awards.

Here is a look at the complete list of finalists for each category:

World Car of the Year

- BMW X3

- Hyundai Inster / Casper Electric

- Kia EV3

World Electric Vehicle

- Hyundai Inster / Casper Electric

- Kia EV3

- Porsche Macan Electric

World Luxury Car

- Porsche Macan

- Porsche Panamera

- Volvo EX90

World Performance Car

- BMW M5

- Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

- Porsche Taycan Turbo GT

World Urban Car

- BYD Seagull / Dolphin Mini

- Hyundai Inster / Casper Electric

- Mini Cooper Electric

World Car Design

- Kia EV3

- Toyota Land Cruiser / Land Cruiser 250

- Volkswagen ID. Buzz