BMW 5 Series is World Luxury Car 2024

After coming second in the European Car of the Year (COTY) contest, the new BMW 5 Series has been named the World Luxury Car 2024. For the members of the World Car Awards jury, it was the standout new arrival in the field of luxury vehicles that celebrated their debuts in the world’s car markets over the past 12 months.

The results were announced today at the start of the New York International Auto Show 2024 as part of a ceremony broadcast worldwide via streaming services.

100 journalists from 30 countries

The success of the BMW 5 Series was underpinned by assessments carried out during extensive test drives by the around 100 car journalists from 30 countries who made up the jury. The World Car Awards organizers recorded these ratings in detail.

The BMW 5 Series fended off competition from a field of 13 new luxury vehicles, winning over the jury “not only with the power delivery from its portfolio of electrified combustion engines as well as the electric drive system but also with its high comfort levels over long-distance journeys and numerous digital innovations.”

“We are very pleased to receive this prestigious award,” said Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President of BMW Brand and Product Management, Connected Company. “The verdict of the international jury shows that our strong-character products with their typical BMW qualities convince and inspire demanding target groups all over the world.”

20 years of WCA

The World Car Awards were created 20 years ago to complement national and regional distinctions and acknowledge outstanding innovations and new products in car markets worldwide. This year, five categories were presented in addition to the overall prize.

Over the years, BMW has collected eight wins in the World Car Awards. One of the victors was the BMW 7 Series, which was already crowned the World Luxury Car in 2016. In 2018, the title of World Performance Car was presented to the BMW M5.

Kia EV9 overall winner

In contrast to, for example, the European COTY award, the World Car Awards also have five distinct categories apart from the overall winner. In 2024, this overall winner was the Kia EV9, which was also awarded the title of World Electric Vehicle.

Besides BMW winning the title of World Luxury Car, there was also Hyundai winning the World Performance Car award for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N electric sports car, and Volvo getting the title of World Urban Car of the year with its EX30. The Toyota Prius got the award for Best World Car Design in 2023.