Korea Automobile Journalists Association Selects BMW The New BMW iX3 as August's Car of the Month

The Korea Automobile Journalists Association announced on August 6, 2026, that it has selected the BMW The New BMW iX3 as the Car of the Month for August 2026.

The Car of the Year Selection Committee under the Korea Automobile Journalists Association reviews new cars and facelifted models released each month from the 1st to the end of the month and announces the Car of the Month. The evaluation consists of seven criteria: ▲Design and emotional quality ▲Driving performance and energy efficiency ▲Safety and advanced driving technology ▲Infotainment and connected system ▲Space utilization and practicality ▲Price competitiveness and product value ▲Overall product quality and purchase appeal.

The New BMW iX3. BMW Korea

Among the new vehicles released last month, BMW The New BMW iX3 and Lincoln All-New Lincoln Navigator (listed in Korean alphabetical order by brand) were nominated as candidates for August’s Car of the Month. Ultimately, BMW The New BMW iX3 was selected as the winner, scoring 58.7 points out of a possible 70.

This vehicle achieved a high score of 9 out of 10 in the driving performance and energy efficiency category. In the infotainment and connected system, as well as price competitiveness and product value categories, it received 8.7 points. For safety and advanced driving technology and overall product quality and purchase appeal, it received 8.3 points in each category.

Won Sunwoong, Chairman of the Car of the Year Selection Committee, stated, "The New iX3 is the first achievement of the Neue Klasse project that BMW has prepared for ten years. It stands out for its advances in driving performance and charging efficiency, made possible by its dedicated electric vehicle architecture.” He added, “With a single-charge range of 611 kilometers according to domestic certification standards and ultra-fast charging capabilities of 350 to 400 kW, it sets a new benchmark in the premium electric SUV market."

He continued, "The refined driving feel centered around the Heart of Joy integrated computing platform, the generous second-row space made possible by the removal of the transmission tunnel, and the minimal yet high-quality interior design all meet the expectations of the increasingly diverse premium SUV customer base."

The Korea Automobile Journalists Association has been selecting and announcing the Car of the Month since 2019. Last month, the Toyota All-New RAV4 was chosen as the Car of the Month. Vehicles selected for this title receive the privilege of advancing directly to the first round of the final evaluation for the Korea Car of the Year (K-COTY) award, bypassing both the first-half and second-half evaluations.

Meanwhile, the Korea Automobile Journalists Association consists of 60 member companies, including major daily newspapers, broadcasters, news agencies, online media, and automotive magazines in Korea, with approximately 200 journalists participating. Founded in 2010, the association aims to contribute to the development of the automotive industry through the advancement of journalism, to establish a sound automotive culture, and to improve the expertise of automotive journalists while promoting exchanges among members.

The Korea Automobile Journalists Association also selects and announces the Korea Car of the Year (K-COTY) annually and carries out various activities such as presentations and discussions on automotive issues, symposiums and seminars to seek alternatives, tech tours, and awards ceremonies for automotive professionals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.