GCOTY Awards
What are the GCOTY Awards?
The GCOTY Awards unite leading automotive journalists and expert creators to set a trusted industry benchmark. Each year, the program reviews, test drives, and rewards new cars entering the European market, recognising real progress in design, technology, and everyday usability. All eligible cars are evaluated, with the very best determined through voting, based on assessment within their categories and in a broader overall context.
The GCOTY Awards are now in the 9th season.
jurors
per year
media stories
THE CLASS WINNERS
The GCOTY Awards feature five categories, covering budget, compact, premium, and luxury segments, alongside a dedicated performance category for high-performance vehicles.
GCOTY Budget Car of the
Year 2027
GCOTY Compact Car of the
Year 2027
PERSON OF THE YEAR 2027
KLAUS ZELLMER
Award ceremony
The award ceremony celebrates the class winners and brings together jurors, program partners and industry executives. It marks a highlight in the automotive calendar year.
The Voting Process
Eligibility and Voting Integrity
Eligibility is determined strictly by objective criteria, including entry-level price and market availability, and vehicle selection is entirely independent of automaker influence. Participation is free of charge, both for category voting and the final test event, and manufacturers are neither required to pay to take part nor to receive an award.
Jury members are not compensated and incur no costs for their involvement, ensuring full independence at every stage. All votes remain strictly confidential and are never disclosed to automakers or third parties, while the entire voting process is conducted and certified by our trusted partner, Aitastic Research & Consult AG.
Independence and Transparency
The GCOTY Awards are financed through a combination of optional licensing fees and external sponsors, without any influence on the integrity of the process. Sponsors have no access to the jury, no role in vehicle selection, and no visibility into voting results at any stage.
In addition, GCOTY organizes complementary initiatives such as webinars, workshops, driving events – such as GTEST, and curated networking events. These activities are designed to support the community, and remain strictly separate from the official awards process.
Meet the Jury
Our jury includes over 45 automotive journalists and knowledgeable creators from Germany and key international markets, bringing a high level of expertise.