World Car of the Year 2020 launches in Frankfurt

Fifty all-new models have been selected as official 2020 World Car Awards (WCA) contenders. They'll be going to war against each other in pursuit of just five coveted trophies to be awarded at a New York International Motor Show ceremony in April next year.

• Auto Express New Car Awards 2019: the winners

Between now and then 80-plus World Car jurors (including Steve Fowler and Mike Rutherford from Auto Express) will be driving and rating the candidate cars in all corners of the globe - including Pasadena, Greater Los Angeles where a week-long WCA test drive programme is staged every autumn.

The 2020 provisional list heavily features models from French, German and South Korean firms, although two UK-based manufacturers are in with a chance of winning trophies. The MINI Electric is a qualifier in the World Car of the Year plus the World Urban Car (sub-4.2 metres) categories. And after securing the prestigious World Car of the Year title with the Jaguar I-Pace in 2019, JLR is hoping that at the New York Auto Show early next year, its all-new Land Rover Evoque will inherit that highly sought after WCOTY title.

Because the eagerly-anticipated Land Rover Defender is not yet in the showrooms across the globe, it will be a contender in the 2021 World Car Awards.

World Car of the Year 2020: candidates

Cadillac CT4DS DS 3 Crossback/EtenseDS DS 7 Crossback/EtenseFord Escape/KugaFord ExplorerHyundai PalisadeHyundai SonataHyundai VenueKia SeltosKia Soul EVKia TellurideLand Rover Range Rover EvoqueMazda CX-30Mazda3Mercedes AMG A35/45Mercedes AMG CLA35/45Mercedes-Benz CLAMercedes-Benz GLBMINI Cooper SEOpel/Vauxhall CorsaPeugeot 2008Peugeot 208Renault CapturRenault ClioRenault ZOE R135SEAT TarracoSkoda KamiqSkoda ScalaSsangYong KorandoVolkswagen GolfVolkswagen T-Cross

We’ll have more information on the 2020 shortlist and subsequent winners as and when it’s available. Bookmark this page to ensure you stay up to date.

Which car do you think deserves to win the World Car of the Year 2020 title? Let us know your thoughts below...