This year’s coveted World car of the year award went to the Mazda MX-5 ‘Miata’, edging past the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC to the top spot. The award was given at the New York Auto show. It is also the first time in the history of the World car awards that the winning car also wins the best design of the year award.
The BMW 7 Series won the world luxury car award, the Audi R8 coupe scored highest in the world Performance car award and the World Green car award went to the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
Previous World Car of the Year winners were the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015), the Audi A3 (2014), the Volkswagen Golf (2013), the Volkswagen Up! (2012), the Nissan Leaf (2011), the Volkswagen Polo (2010, the Volkswagen Golf (2009), the Mazda2 / Mazda Demio (2008), the Lexus LS460 (2007), the BMW 3-Series (2006), and the Audi A6 (2005).
This year, vehicles were selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 73 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors’ ballots.