China’s rapidly expanding auto industry will have a huge presence when judges begin whittling down the field for the 2027 World Car of the Year award. Of the 56 vehicles currently listed as eligible, 27 come from Chinese brands.
That’s roughly 48 percent of the entire field. The list stretches well beyond the Chinese manufacturers that have already become familiar names overseas, with contenders representing BYD, Chery, Geely, GAC, Leapmotor, XPeng, Zeekr, and numerous others.
They’ll be competing against new vehicles from established manufacturers, including BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, and Volkswagen. The remarkably diverse field also illustrates just how global the World Car Awards have become.
The World Car Awards has published its preliminary list of eligible vehicles for the 2027 competition, with the winners scheduled to be announced on March 24, 2027. Before that happens, the field will be evaluated by a jury of automotive journalists from around the world.
Chinese Brands Are Everywhere
The Chinese presence isn’t concentrated around a handful of models. BYD has the Ti7, while Chery is represented by the Q, and Geely enters the Starray EM-i and EX2.
There are also multiple entries from newer or internationally expanding brands. Leapmotor has the B10, C10, and T03, while XPeng brings the G6 2026 Edition, L03, and P7+, and Geely-owned Zeekr has the upcoming 8X.
Several vehicles developed or manufactured in China also wear familiar global badges. Nissan’s Frontier Pro and NX8 are on the list, as is the Mazda CX-6e/EZ-60.
Meanwhile, the non-Chinese side includes everything from the BMW i3 and Hyundai Ioniq 3 to the Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Trailseeker, and Volvo EX60.
Getting On The List Isn’t Automatic
World Car of the Year eligibility requires vehicles to satisfy several criteria. A model must be produced at an annual rate of at least 10,000 units and be priced below the luxury-car level in its primary markets.
It also needs genuine international availability. Eligible vehicles must be on sale in at least two major markets on at least two continents during the specified competition window running from January 1, 2026, through March 19, 2027.
Those requirements make the number of Chinese entries especially interesting. China’s domestic market is enormous, but eligibility here requires manufacturers to establish a presence beyond their home turf.
The list can still change before voting is completed, so the 56 vehicles represent the current eligible field rather than the final shortlist.
China Is Strong In Other Categories Too
Chinese manufacturers also appear throughout the additional World Car Awards categories. Chery, Geely, iCAUR, and Leapmotor are among those represented in World Urban Car, while Avatr, Denza, XPeng, and Zeekr appear in the World Luxury Car field.
Performance isn’t exclusively the territory of familiar European and American badges either. The World Performance Car candidates include the Lynk & Co 02 and Zeekr 7GT alongside machines such as the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X, Genesis GV60 Magma, and Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric.
Candidates for World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year have yet to be confirmed, which leaves plenty of opportunity for the overall Chinese presence to grow elsewhere in the competition.
Winning is another matter entirely, and 27 entries certainly don’t guarantee the trophy. Still, when almost every second vehicle competing for the industry’s most globally recognized car award carries a Chinese badge, it’s easy to see how dramatically the automotive industry has changed.