Le prix de la Voiture mondiale de l'année (World Car of the Year) fut créé en 2004. 102 journalistes automobiles de 33 pays différents se réunissent au New York International Auto Show pour élire la meilleure voiture au monde dans chaque catégorie.
Depuis 2006, le prix se divise en quatre catégories :
World Car of the Year - World Performance Car - World Green Car - World Car Design of the Year
En 2014, un nouveau prix est décerné : World Luxury Car of the Year
En 2017, un nouveau prix est décerné : World Urban Car of the Year
Résultats depuis 2005
2005 :
World Car of the year : Audi A6 C6
2006 :
World Car of the year : BMW Série 3 E90
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche Cayman S Type 987
World Green Car of the year : Honda Civic VIII Hybrid
World Car Design of the year : Citroën C4 I
2007 :
World Car of the year : Lexus LS IV
World Performance Car of the year : Audi RS4 B7
World Green Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe E W211 320 Bluetec
World Car Design of the year : Audi TT II
2008 :
World Car of the year : Mazda 2 II
World Performance Car of the year : Audi R8 I
World Green Car of the year : BMW Série 1 E87 118d
World Car Design of the year : Audi R8 I
2009 :
World Car of the year : Volkswagen Golf VI
World Performance Car of the year : Nissan GT-R R35
World Green Car of the year : Honda FCX
World Car Design of the year : Fiat 500 II
2010 :
World Car of the year : Volkswagen Polo V
World Performance Car of the year : Audi R8 I V10
World Green Car of the year : Volkswagen BlueMotion (tous les modèles BlueMotion)
World Car Design of the year : Chevrolet Camaro V
2011 :
World Car of the year : Nissan Leaf I
World Performance Car of the year : Ferrari 458 Italia
World Green Car of the year : Chevrolet Volt
World Car Design of the year : Aston Martin Rapide
2012 :
World Car of the year : Volkswagen Up!
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche 911 Type 991
World Green Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe S W221 250 CDI BlueEfficiency
World Car Design of the year : Land Rover Range Rover Evoque I
2013 :
World Car of the year : Volkswagen Golf VII
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche Boxster Type 981 & Porsche Cayman Type 981
World Green Car of the year : Tesla Model S
World Car Design of the year : Jaguar F-Type
2014 :
World Car of the year : Audi A3 III
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche 911 Type 991 GT3
World Green Car of the year : BMW i3
World Car Design of the year : BMW i3
World Luxury Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe S W222
2015 :
World Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe C W205
World Performance Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
World Green Car of the year : BMW i8
World Car Design of the year : Citroën C4 Cactus
World Luxury Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe S Coupé C217
2016 :
World Car of the year : Mazda MX-5 ND
World Performance Car of the year : Audi R8 II
World Green Car of the year : Toyota Mirai
World Car Design of the year : Mazda MX-5 ND
World Luxury Car of the year : BMW Série 7 G11
2017 :
World Car of the year : Jaguar F-Pace
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche 718 Boxster Type 982 & Porsche 718 Cayman Type 982
World Green Car of the year : Toyota Prius IV
World Car Design of the year : Jaguar F-Pace
World Luxury Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe E W213
World Urban Car of the year : BMW i3
2018 :
World Car of the year : Volvo XC60 II
World Performance Car of the year : BMW M5 G30
World Green Car of the year : Nissan Leaf II
World Car Design of the year : Land Rover Range Rover Velar
World Luxury Car of the year : Audi A8 D5
World Urban Car of the year : Volkswagen Polo VI
2019 :
World Car of the year : Jaguar I-Pace
World Performance Car of the year : McLaren 720S
World Green Car of the year : Jaguar I-Pace
World Car Design of the year : Jaguar I-Pace
World Luxury Car of the year : Audi A7 II
World Urban Car of the year : Suzuki Jimny II
2020 :
World Car of the year : Kia Telluride
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche Taycan
World Car Design of the year : Mazda 3 IV
World Luxury Car of the year : Porsche Taycan
World Urban Car of the year : Kia Soul III
2021 :
World Car of the year : Volkswagen ID.4
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche 911 Type 992 Turbo
World Car Design of the year : Land Rover Defender II
World Luxury Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz Classe S W223
World Urban Car of the year : Honda e
2022 :
World Car of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 5
World Performance Car of the year : Audi e-tron GT
World Electric Car of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 5
World Car Design of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 5
World Luxury Car of the year : Mercedes-Benz EQS
World Urban Car of the year : Toyota Yaris Cross
2023 :
World Car of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 6
World Performance Car of the year : Kia EV6 GT
World Electric Car of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 6
World Car Design of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 6
World Luxury Car of the year : Lucid Air
World Urban Car of the year : Citroën C3 IV
2024 :
World Car of the year : Kia EV9
World Performance car of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
World Electric Car of the year : Kia EV9
World Car Design of the year : Toyota Prius V
World Luxury Car of the year : BMW Série 5 G60
World Urban Car of the year : Volvo EX30
2025 :
World Car of the year : Kia EV3
World Performance Car of the year : Porsche 911 Type 992 Carrera GTS
World Electric Car of the year : Hyundai Inster
World Car Design of the year : Volkswagen ID.Buzz
World Luxury Car of the year : Volvo EX90
World Urban Car of the year : BYD Dolphin Surf
2026 :
World Car of the year : BMW iX3 NA5
World Performance Car of the year : Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
World Electric Car of the year : BMW iX3 NA5
World Car Design of the year : Mazda 6e
World Luxury Car of the year : Lucid Gravity
World Urban Car of the year : Nio Firefly