VW’s ID.4 is the 2021 World Car of the Year
Cue the synthesized fanfare—Volkswagen’s electric ID.4 SUV has been crowned World Car of the Year for 2021. The news marks only the second time an EV has won the award outright, after Jaguar’s I-Pace took the honor in 2019.
The 2021 victory makes VW the most winning marque in the awards’ history, having taken five top prizes in the last 16 years since the WCOTY started. VW’s past victors are the Golf in 2009 and 2013, the Up! in 2012, and Polo in 2010.
Judged by a panel of 93 journalists from 28 countries the ID.4 was picked from a long list of 24 vehicles. The Honda e and the Toyota Yaris came in second and third places.
The judges also handed out a selection of other titles: The World Luxury Car gong went to the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Porsche 911 Turbo picked up World Performance Car, the electric Honda e was voted World Urban Car and the Land Rover Defender won World Car Design of the Year. There is no longer a separate World Green Car award but 2022 will see the introduction of a new World Electric Car of the Year. With VW on a major EV roll, we wouldn’t bet against the German brand bagging yet another honor next year.
