What Car? Car of the Year Award 2026 contenders revealed
Later this month we'll name the best new cars on sale in the UK, and crown one the overall What Car? Car of the Year for 2026 – these are the models in contention...
The winners of the What Car? Car of the Year Awards will be announced later this month, and the cars in contention for our highest accolade have now been revealed.
The Car of the Year Awards, held in association with MotorEasy, honour the best cars across 22 different categories, ranging from sports cars to SUVs, and from electric cars to executive cars. And from our winners, one will be named as the overall What Car? Car of the Year for 2026.
Held annually since 1978, the What Car? Car of the Year Awards are the culmination of 12 months of testing, during which our expert team of road testers and journalists have driven hundreds of new cars back-to-back with their rivals, both on the road and at our private test track.
To be in the running for the overall Car of the Year Award, a car has to have been launched within that period, and it needs to be available to order by the time of the ceremony on 22nd January. Last year, the title was given to the Renault 5 small electric car.
As well as factors including how good a car is to drive and how comfortable it is, our judges consider interior quality and usability, practicality, reliability, safety, value and running costs.
Below you'll find more information on each car shortlisted for the overall What Car? Car of the Year Award. You can click the links to read our in-depth reviews of each model. These contenders are presented in alphabetical order.
What Car? Car of the Year Award 2026 contenders
Alpine A390
Described by its maker as being 'a racing car in a suit', Alpine's first sports SUV offers up to 463bhp in top-spec GTS form, resulting in a 0-62mph acceleration time which is quicker than some versions of the Porsche Macan Electric. No matter which version you go for, you'll get an 89kWh (usable capacity) battery which officially delivers a range of up to 345 miles between charges. Elsewhere, we've been impressed with the A390's nimble handling.
Read our full Alpine A390 review
Audi A6
The latest generation of Audi's executive cruiser will cost you less to own as a cash purchase than the rival BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class, and better still, it's predicted to hold its value better than those models. Available with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power, there's an A6 to suit most drivers, though the latter will be the cheapest option for company car drivers. In plug-in hybrid form, the combined 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor produce 295bhp, and the battery offers up to 65 miles of range.
Read our full Audi A6 review
Audi Q5
The Q5's engine line-up is refreshingly simple, with just one petrol and one diesel engine to choose from, and both offer 201bhp and four-wheel drive. In the diesel, we managed to complete the 0-60mph sprint in a respectable 6.9 seconds.
Read our full Audi Q5 review
BMW iX3
This all-electric counterpart to the BMW X3 is the first of a new generation of BMW electric models. As well as a fresh look, it features the next generation of the brand's iDrive infotainment system, a smart brain that's claimed to make the car feel more agile to drive, and a headline-grabbing range of up to 500 miles between charges. Your passengers will certainly be comfortable, with rear space that's on par with the Tesla Model Y and a cut above what you'd find in the Audi Q6 e-tron.
Read our full BMW iX3 review
BYD Dolphin Surf
Though its name might remind you of another BYD product, the smaller BYD Dolphin, the Dolphin Surf is actually a completely different model, and counts the Renault 5, Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03 among its key rivals. Price is key at this end of the electric car market, and sure enough the Dolphin Surf is among the cheapest models you can buy, at least in entry level form. The cheapest versions come with a 30kWh battery offering an official range of just 137 miles, but mid-range Boost models up that figure to a more respectable 200 miles, thanks to their larger 43.2kWh batteries.
Read our full BYD Dolphin Surf review
Citroën ë-C5 Aircross
The largest of Citroen's electric SUVs shares plenty with the closely related Peugeot e-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland Electric, and in entry-level form it will cost less than both of those cars, as well as almost every other electric SUV rival. Comfort Range models get 207bhp and an official range of 320 miles, which is further than the Kia EV6 Air and Skoda Enyaq can manage. Go for the Extended Range version and that figure increases to a heady 422bhp, and the power output grows to 227bhp.
We've been impressed with the ë-C5 Aircross' big boot and comfortable ride, but interior quality is only so-so and some electric SUV rivals handle better.
Read our full Citroën ë-C5 Aircross review
Dacia Bigster
As its name suggests, the Bigster is the largest model Dacia makes, and it certainly fits its name, because this is a huge SUV. There's more boot space than you'd find in most rival family SUVs such as the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, as well as plenty of rear leg and head room. You can choose from hybrid and mild hybrid power, with the mid-range 138bhp petrol option being our favourite.
For a family SUV of this size, the Bigster feels composed through corners, and less wallowy than some versions of the Citroën C5 Aircross. That said, with light and generally numb steering, we'd stop short of calling the Bigster fun to drive.
Read our full Dacia Bigster review
Fiat Grande Panda
Available in both hybrid and electric forms, the Fiat Grande Panda will certainly get you noticed, whether that's down to its pixelated front grille, or the rather bright colour palette it's available with. The wow factor continues inside, where the Grande Panda is a real breath of fresh air next to darker interiors offered by the Dacia Duster and Seat Arona. A couple of six-footers will be comfortable on the back seats, too, with plenty of head room thanks to the car's boxy shape.
Hybrid versions of the Grande Panda mix a 1.2-litre petrol engine with a tiny electric motor, while the Panda Electric has a 111bhp motor which can cover the 0-60mph sprint in around 11 seconds.
Read our full Fiat Grande Panda review
Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
Hyundai's latest performance car has a lot to live up to, since we were hugely impressed with its SUV sibling, the Ioniq 5 N. The 6 has gotten much of the same treatment, with ferocious looks and four electric motors which offer a combined output of 601bhp, or up to 641bhp for 10-second bursts. The result is as fast as you'd hope, with 0-62mph covered in less time than a BMW i4 M50. And while some versions of the Audi E-tron GT or Porsche Taycan can do the job in even less time, they also cost a lot more to buy than the Hyundai.
Read our full Hyundai Ioniq 6 N review
Hyundai Ioniq 9
The second Hyundai to be up for our top award is the Ioniq 9, the larger sibling to the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. It's the largest and most expensive electric car made by Hyundai, and counts the Volkswagen ID Buzz LWB and Peugeot e-5008 among its key rivals. Plus, it's based on the Kia EV9 – a car which has already impressed us.
All versions come with the same 106kWh (usable capacity) battery, but the range you get depends on how much performance you cant. Entry-level RWD models get 215bhp and 385 miles of official range, while Long Range versions add four-wheel drive and a dollop of extra power. The trade-off is that the official range falls to 372 miles.
With the Kia EV3, EV6 and EV9 already having impressed us, you might think that the Kia EV4 would have an easy time of things, but when the rivals for this electric SUV include the Cupra Born and Renault Megane, it still needs to be impressive in its own right. Kia has given the EV4 all of the right tools to compete, from a nippy 201bhp electric motor a range which, in Long Range form, beatrs anything that the Born or Megane can manage. And if you want to go faster, then an EV4 GT is already waiting in the wings.
Read our full Kia EV4 review
Kia PV5
You might look at the relatively boxy shape of the Kia PV5 and dismiss it as a van with seats, but to do so would be to dismiss what is an incredibly practical yet affordable MPV. You see, the PV5 undercuts every rival by quite some margin in entry-level form, and even if you go for a mid-range version with all the nicities you'd want included, you'll still be paying less than you would for a Volkswagen ID Buzz.
Space is, natually, a major strength of the PV5, and there's so much of it inside that you'll likely struggle to find things to fill it with. But it's also clever, with luxuries such as a tray for your phone, a pull-out cubby at the bottom of the centre console, and three different levels of door bin, making good use of all that room.
Read our full Kia PV5 review
Mercedes CLA
As a classy four-door coupé with a prestigous badge on its nose, the Mercedes CLA is the kind of car which is sure to get you noticed in the corporate car park. Of even more benefit to corporate drivers is the fact that it's available as a fully electric car, which means extremely tasty benefit in kind tax savings for company car drivers. It has long legs, too, with the CLA 250+ officially able to cover 484 miles, which is further than most rivals. You can also have the CLA as a hybrid, where it receives a 1.5-litre petrol engine and very small amounts of electrical assistance.
You probably remember the original Nissan Leaf as one of the founding fathers of electric cars, and this latest version has morphed from a fairly frumpy hatchback into a cutting edge SUV. With up to 386 miles of range, you'll go further ona charge than in any version of the Kia EV3 or Skoda Elroq, although those cars have the edge when it comes to handling. While it's not unwieldy, the Leaf isn't the sort of car you'll enjoy threading along a country road.
Inside, the Leaf has a similar layout to the larger Nissan Ariya, with two 14.3in screens if you go for a higher-end trim. The Leaf feels pretty premium inside, and certainly a cut above what you'd find in a Ford Puma Gen-E.
Read our full Nissan Leaf review
Nissan Micra
The Micra is the second car to come from a joint project between Nissan and Renault, and is, essentially, a re-worked version of the brilliant Renault 5. And since that car is our reigning Car of the Year, you might say that puts the Micra on a good footing.
And the first signs are certainly positive. The Micra offers sprightly performance and enough range to make easy work of long trips. Better still, it's enjoyable to drive, with a supple ride and handling which gives you more confidence to press on through corners than you'd get with the Citroën e-C3.
You'll pay less to put this electric executive car on your driveway than you would for rivals including the BYD Seal, Mercedes CLA or Polestar 2, but there's a lot more to the IM5 than just a keen price. For a start, it has very long legs indeed, with Long Range models officially able to take you 441 miles between charges, which is more than most rivals can manage. And when you do need to charge up, the IM5 has one of the fastest charging speeds around, at 396kW. Of course, you'll need to find a charger capable of delivering that much power in order to take advantage of it.
It's not all good news, though, because the IM5's rear space is a little less than you'd find in the Tesla Model 3, and when we tested how many carry-on suitcases we could fit into its boot, we managed six whereas most rivals can swallow seven, and the Model 3 can take eight split between its front and rear boots.
Read our full MG IM5 review
MG S6
Sitting between the smaller MG S5 and the larger MG IM6 in the Chinese brand's line-up, the S6 counts the Kia EV6 and Skoda Enyaq among its biggest rivals. It undercuts both of them on price, and the good news is that you don't need to spring for an expensive trim level, since the cheapest SE versions come with everything you're likely to need, including heated front seats, a head-up display and dual-zone climate control.
To drive, the S6 is comfortable and quiet, although it's not especially engaging – the Skoda Enyaq is better in that respect. Single Motor versions have an official range of 329 miles, while Dual Motor models drop that figure to 301 miles.
Like the Nissan Micra elsewhere on this list, the Renault 4 has a head start on most of the other models here, because it borrows heavily from last year's overall Car of the Year, the Renault 5. It comes with a 148bhp electric motor which drives the front wheels, and draws power from a 52kWh (usable capacity) battery. And while the range might be a fairly modest 245 miles, it's still roughly on par with what you'll find in rivals including the Jeep Avenger Electric and Vauxhall Mokka Electric.
While some rivals offer more space for rear occupants, the Renault 4 counters with a larger boot. At 375 litres, it beats what's on offer in the Avenger, Mokka and Volvo EX30.
Read our full Renault 4 review
Skoda Kodiaq
Skoda sold more than 850,000 examples of the first-generation Skoda Kodiaq, so hopes are high for the second generation of this seven-seat SUV. It's already impressed us with a well judged blend of ride comfort and handling, and we like that the plug-in hybrid variant – the natural choice for company car drivers – has a strong electric range. There's a traditional mix of petrol and diesel engines on offer, too, the latter of which offer the kind of low-down grunt that's good for towing.
Inside, you'll find a great driving position and user-friendly controls, but the interior quality is a little more underwhelming when you consider what's on offer from premium SUV rivals.
Read our full Skoda Kodiaq review
Smart #5
This practical and comfortable SUV is the largest and most expensive car made by Smart, but it's been given every tool to justify its range-topping billing. Entry-level models get a 74.4kWh battery and a 335bhp electric motor, with the former offering an official range of 288 miles between charges. Upgrading to the Pro+ version gets you a larger 94kWh battery, which ups the range to 366 miles, which means you can go further on a charge than entry-level versions of the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y.
The #5's space has also impressed us, because there's lots of it. The big boot has more space than in the Skoda Enyaq, and the rear seats split and fold in a helpful 40/20/40 configuration if you need to liberate more.
Read our full Smart #5 review
Toyota Aygo X
Toyota's smallest and cheapest model is nontheless very impressive, especially since it's now available as a fuel-sipping hybrid. It's the same setup as you get in the larger Toyota Yaris, and combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, allowing the Aygo X to drive on electric power alone for short distances and at low speeds. Officially, drivers can expect to see upwards of 70mpg returned, but even if you don't quite match that figure, we'd still suggest that this is one of the most fuel-efficient cars on sale.
Read our full Toyota Aygo X review
Volkswagen T-Roc
The previous-generation Volkswagen T-Roc was one of our favourite small SUVs, and this new version picks up the baton right where the old model left off. It's one of the most spacious options on the market, and includes lots of cubby holes for all of your odds and ends, as well as a boot that's practical and well shaped.
Though the rival Ford Puma ultimately has the edge in terms of driving enjoyment, the T-Roc does offer a quiet range of petrol engines and a comfortable ride.
Read our full Volkswagen T-Roc review
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