For the first time, all seven finalists for the Car of the Year in Europe are electric. Two of them, the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID. Polo, come from the Martorell plant.
According to Ara, the 2027 edition of the award is the first in which all final candidates are electric, with no combustion engine versions. Until now, the award has already gone to electric models in several editions, such as the Nissan Leaf in 2011 or the Renault 5 E-Tech in 2025.
The final list includes the BMW iX3, the Hyundai Ioniq 3, the Kia EV2, the Renault Twingo, the Volvo EX60, the Volkswagen ID. Polo, and the Cupra Raval. The last two are manufactured at the Seat plant in Martorell, in the Bajo Llobregat, which the Volkswagen group has assigned to these models. This is the first time that two cars made in Catalonia have reached the final of this award.
Both models share platform, accessories, powertrains, and battery packs.
The Raval and the ID. Polo are practically twins. The former has a sportier and more youthful character, while the latter opts for a more rational profile, and this closeness between the two could detract votes from each other in the final test.
The jury, made up of 58 journalists from 22 European countries, will meet on 25 and 26 November at the Balocco track, on the outskirts of Milan, to thoroughly test the seven models. Each member will distribute 25 points, with a maximum of 10 points per model, and the final vote must be cast before 31 December.
The winner will be announced on 8 January 2027 during the opening of the Brussels Motor Show. The award has been granted without interruption since 1964, and no model from Seat or Cupra has ever won it. Their best result was third place for the Cupra Formentor in 2022.
The BMW has also never won this award, although some of its models have reached the podium several times. Some reports suggest that the iX3 arrives with solid credentials, being one of the best electric SUVs manufactured to date.
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