Nissan Leaf wins Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year 2026 – Introduction

The Nissan Leaf has been named the overall winner of the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) after the final round of voting among six category winners.

The result was decided by 86 women motoring journalists from 55 countries across five continents, who evaluated vehicles over several months before casting their votes. According to the organisers, the final round saw very close voting between the shortlisted models, highlighting the strong competition across segments.

1. Leaf’s practical approach to electrification helps secure WWCOTY 2026 overall title
2. India-bound Mercedes-Benz CLA wins the Best Large Car award
3. Lamborghini Temerario crowned as the Best Performance Car

Autocar India’s Renuka Kirpalani (consulting editor – videos) and Mugdha Mishra (editor – auto media strategy) were a part of the 86 women jurors who selected the category winners.

According to Marta Garcia, executive president of WWCOTY, “there was significant parity in the voting. Several models received very similar levels of support, which reflects the exceptional quality and diversity of today’s automotive industry. In the end, however, the Nissan Leaf prevailed.”

Mugdha Mishra, said “The Nissan Leaf is the overall winner of WWCOTY 2026 because it impressed jurors with its practicality, efficiency and ease of driving. Its victory also reflects how electric mobility is maturing globally. In the end, what resonated most with the jury was its no-nonsense approach and pragmatic solutions to everyday mobility.”