8:19 am, January 27, 2026
The eight category winners of the UK Car of the Year Awards 2026 have been named, highlighting the increasing popularity of electric models.
The 2026 running of the awards, this year sponsored by Start Rescue, featured 59 contenders battling for eight categories. The overall UK Car of the Year will be revealed on February 26.
Audi scooped two wins, with the new A6 taking top honours in the Executive Car category, and the A6 Avant in the Estate category.
Fellow Volkswagen Group brand, Skoda, emerged victorious in the Medium Crossover class with its Elroq. The electric SUV came out on top in category that contained a whopping 19 entries.
The Renault 5 has added another gong to its trophy cabinet after taking the Small Car category win. The retro French EV was a clear winner, with nearly two-thirds of the judging panel choosing it as their favourite.
Family Car of the Year went to the Kia EV4, while fellow Korean brand Hyundai scooped the Large Crossover category for the second year running, this time with the Ioniq 9. Small Crossover, meanwhile, went to the Citroen C3/e-C3 Aircross.
Alpine returned to the UK Car of the Year winner’s roster with its A290 as it took the Best Performance Car award for 2026.
The full list of winners is below, with the overall victor being named on February 26.
The judging panel is made up of 33 motoring journalists and automotive experts, one of whom is Car Dealer’s associate editor James Batchelor.
The 2026 awards is sponsored for the first time by Start Rescue.
Director of the UK Car Awards, John Challen, said: ‘It is great to have Start Rescue onboard, they’re just as passionate about keeping motorists informed as we are and they are experts in their own right.’
UK Car of the Year Awards 2026 – category winners
Small Car – Renault 5
Family Car – Kia EV4
Small Crossover – Citroen C3/e-C3 Aircross
Medium Crossover – Skoda Elroq
Large Crossover – Hyundai Ioniq 9
Executive Car – Audi A6
Estate Car – Audi A6 Avant
Performance Car – Alpine A290
