Japan Car of the Year 2026-2027 nominees announced

The Japan Car of the Year 2026-2027 nominees have been announced, featuring 33 vehicles: 12 domestic models and 21 imported models. The selection process, which evaluates design, performance, technology, and price, will proceed to the announcement of the '10 Best Cars' on November 2, followed by the final selection of the 'Car of the Year' on December 3.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are prominently represented in this year's lineup, including Suzuki's e SKY, Honda's Super-ONE and Insight, and BYD's Rakko. Notable domestic entries include the Toyota RAV4, Land Cruiser 'FJ', and Nissan Elgrand, while Mazda's new CX-5 is also among the nominees.

Among the imported nominees, Citroen has the highest representation with three models, followed by Audi, BYD, DS, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo with two models each.