The “German Car of the Year” (GCOTY) competition has announced its finalists for 2026, and the results have caused a real commotion. For the first time in the short history of the competition, founded in 2017, there is not a single German model among the five contenders. The jury of 40 professional automotive journalists voted for an international selection, with four of the five finalists being fully electric.
As the Motor1 website reports, this year’s favorites are dominated by crossovers and electric vehicles, which clearly outlines the trends in the European market. Here are the winners in the individual categories that will fight for the big title:
The contrast with last year is palpable, when the winner was the new BMW 5 Series. This year's selection, which includes models from Romania, the Czech Republic, South Korea and the USA, highlights that the German market is becoming increasingly open to innovation and competition from abroad, especially in the electric segment.
The grand finale, after which the absolute winner will be determined, will take place on November 17, after the jury has completed a series of intensive test drives with the five finalists.
