The BMW iX3 has been crowned the 2027 Irish Car of the Year at an awards ceremony at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre in Dublin (12/11/26).
It is the 7th year in a row that an all-electric vehicle has been voted Irish Car of the Year, proving that past issues of range anxiety associated with driving EVs has dissipated and with the continuing advances in technology and engineering, more Irish drivers are turning electric as per market sentiment. The Irish Car of The Year Awards as voted by 29 jurors comprised of some of Ireland’s leading motoring media, is the longest running event of its kind in Ireland, originating in 1978.
Judged on overall capability, affordability, design, and practicality, the 51 finalists spanned small to compact cars, all-size SUVs, large cars/7-seaters, luxury premium and performance models all launched into the Irish market this year. Dominated by EVs again this year, the Awards highlight the best vehicles on sale in Ireland today, enabling Irish motoring consumers to make an informed decision when making a new car investment.
Attended by Ireland’s leading car brands, importers and distributors the 2027 Irish Car of the Year awards are voted on by the members of the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI) who individually drive and assess each new car model launched in Ireland each year.
Michael Sheridan, Chairman of the MMAI, said: “Congratulations to BMW on its iX3 taking the coveted Irish Car of the Year Awards for 2027. A clear winner, beating stiff competition across all segments the BMW iX3 stood out with jurors for its 805km range, its ability to charge over 350 KM in 10 minutes and is the first vehicle from what BMW calls its electrified Neue Klasse era. The BMW iX3 is the seventh EV to win the overall title of Car of the Year, and this clearly shows the continuing electric movement in the car market in Ireland”.
There were nine categories for the field of eligible cars for this year’s Irish Car of the Year – Small Car, Compact Car, Small SUV/Crossover, Compact SUV/Crossover, Medium SUV, Large Car & 7 Seater, Premium Car, Premium SUC and Performance Car with the overall winner selected from the category champions.
The Irish Car of the Year 2026 category winners:
· Irish Small Car of the Year: Nissan MICRA
· Irish Small/Crossover of the Year: Kia EV2
· Irish Compact Car of the Year: Hyundai IONIQ 3
· Irish Small/Compact Crossover: Nissan LEAF
· Irish Medium SUV of the Year: Citroen C5 Aircross
· Irish Large Car / 7-seater: Kia PV5 Passenger
· Irish Premium Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz CLA
· Irish Performance of the Year: Honda Prelude
· Irish Premium SUV: BMW iX3
The Irish Van of the Year awards for 2027, was also presented on the day, with the overall title awarded to the Kia EV 5 Cargo, The Pick-Up of the Year is the KGM Musso EV, the Commercial SUV of the Year is the Citroen C5 Aircross Commercial.
