The jury for the European Car of the Year (COTY) has officially announced the seven finalists for the 2027 edition on October 30, 2026. In a significant shift for the award, every model selected for the final round runs exclusively on electricity, leaving thermal and hybrid vehicles out of contention from the first round. This outcome aligns with recent trends but underscores a definitive move toward electrification in the industry's most prestigious European accolade.
The lineup includes seven models produced across expanded Europe, representing five different nationalities: Germany, South Korea, Spain, France, and Sweden. The Hyundai Ioniq 3, manufactured in Turkey, is included as the country is part of the European customs union. The contenders are the BMW iX3, marking the debut of the Neue Klasse platform; the Cupra Raval, a dynamic Spanish city car; the Hyundai Ioniq 3 with its surprising design; the Kia EV2, an affordable urban SUV; the Renault Twingo E-Tech, a neo-retro model developed in under two years; the Volkswagen ID. Polo, positioned as a pragmatic people's car; and the Volvo EX60, a premium family SUV.
A notable aspect of this year's selection is the presence of two models from the Volkswagen Group: the ID. Polo and the Cupra Raval. Both vehicles share the same technical platform, battery formats, and are produced at the Martorell factory in Spain. While the ID. Polo is considered a natural favorite due to its sober design, reassuring name, and target price around 25,000 euros, the inclusion of the more expressive Cupra Raval creates a potential split in voting. Unlike Renault's strategy in 2025, where the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 competed as a single entry to win together, Volkswagen and Cupra are defending separate candidacies this year.
This internal division could benefit competitors like Renault, whose Twingo E-Tech is positioned with a price floor under 20,000 euros and an agile design. Following previous successes with the Scenic in 2024 and the R5/A290 duo in 2025, the French manufacturer aims to capitalize on the potential fragmentation of votes within the Volkswagen Group. The final verdict will be announced on January 8, 2027, at the opening of the Brussels Motor Show.
Sources: Numerama.