UK Car of the Year 2026 - Derry Motoring with Jim Mc Cauley
The UK Car of the Year (COTY) was revealed at the end of February with the original 59 contenders narrowed down to eight category winners. This year, the competition was sponsored by Start Rescue breakdown service with judging by 33 motoring journalists.
The final eight represented established European and Korean brands with no recent newcomers making to the top eight. Of the eight finalists, five models were all-electric.
Judging was in eight categories giving a range of vehicle types, from which an overall winner was selected.
Small car Renault 5 E-Tech
Family car Kia EV4
Small crossover Citroen C3 Aircross
Medium crossover Skoda Elroq
Large crossover Hyundai Ioniq 9
Executive car Audi A6
Estate car Audi A6 Avant
Performance car Alpine A290
The Renault 5 E-Tech sat as the comfortable winner in the small car class having taken numerous awards along the way. These include the Irish COTY 2026 and the Scottish COTY 2026.
The question for Kia was if they could make it three in a row. The Korean company’s EV9 took the title in 2024 and the EV3 was the overall winner in 2025. The EV4 is a mid-sized hatchback and the first all-electric model from Kia to be built in Europe.
The Citroen C3 has grown in size but has retained a tempting starting price. The larger Aircross version provides seven seats, giving buyers a choice at competitive prices.
The Skoda Elroq headed the Medium crossover group. The all-electric SUV has a choice of 59kWh or 77kWh batteries providing the option to travel further on a single charge. Plus, extra standard equipment helps to make you more comfortable on those longer journeys.
The Hyundai Ioniq 9 topped the Large crossover category, with its 3-row seating able to provide accommodation for six or seven passengers. Ioniq is the sub brand name for their increasing number of all-electric vehicles. It joined the parent company’s other iconic brand Kia to have two different models topping their respective categories.
Audi also finished with two desirable models also topping their respective categories, making it three in all for the VAG group, along with Skoda’s category success. Offering a range of power options, the A6 highlights the company’s prestige standing combined with luxury interiors.
Adding interior space and versatility, its estate variant, the Avant, added to the judges’ appreciation of the marque.
The Renault Group also made it a double honour with the Renault 5’s performance sibling, the Alpine A290 impressing to take the performance category.
Of the category contenders, the Renault 5 saw 20 of the 33 person judging panel take it to overall honours and UK Car of the Year 2026.
“With its retro styling, the new Renault 5 tugs at the heart strings of those drivers who experienced the original,” said John Challen, co-chairman of the UK Car of the Year Awards and editor of UK Driver magazine.
Receiving the winner’s trophy, Adam Wood, managing director, Renault UK, said, “It has really hit the spot with all our customers, and as it is only one of the very few EVs to qualify for the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant, the R5 is well on its way to being a very common sight on our roads.”