The Skoda Elroq has been named The Car Expert’s Car of the Year 2026. Highly regarded for its refinement, practicality and polished all-electric driving experience, the Elroq also takes the award for Best Small Crossover.
Judging 60 cars over 12 categories, the 2026 edition of The Car Expert Awards draws from its exclusive Expert Rating Index. This proprietary Expert Rating Index brings together tens of millions of data points to deliver the UK’s most comprehensive, independent assessment of new cars – with coverage expanding rapidly into near-new used vehicles. Within this, The Car Expert has consolidated more than 17,500 expert reviews from over 35 leading UK motoring titles, and incorporates full Euro NCAP safety results, verified reliability insights, and detailed five-year running cost data.
Stuart Masson, Editorial Director at The Car Expert, said: “The Skoda Elroq consistently scored highly across every major outlet, and it earned its place at the top on merit. It is a genuinely outstanding new electric car that showcases how far compact EVs have progressed in refinement, comfort and usability.”
A wide range of worthy winners
Skoda’s headline win sits among a diverse range of category champions. The Hyundai Inster has been named Best Small Car, reflecting its combination of smart packaging and strong value. Kia secured another success with the Kia EV4, which has won Best Medium Car thanks to its combination of range, technology and usability. In the premium categories, the Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ has taken the award for Best Premium Medium Car, while the Audi A6 e-tron earns the award for Best Premium Large Car, both praised for their refinement and advanced electric capabilities.
Hyundai also celebrated a second win this year with the Hyundai Ioniq 9, crowned Best Large Car for its spacious interior and refined long-distance comfort. At the performance end of the spectrum, the Alpine A290 claims Best Hot Hatch, and the Aston Martin Vanquish is awarded Best Luxury Sports Car, described across multiple outlets as one of the most striking and capable performance models of the year.
Citroën achieved two honours this year, too: the ë-C3 Aircross, named Best Value Family Car for its affordability and generous equipment, while the C5 Aircross has been awarded Best Petrol Family Car for its comfort-oriented approach. Making its first appearance in the awards, the Omoda 9 earns Best Plug-in Hybrid Family Car, praised for its efficient electric-first performance and practicality.
EVs still performing strongly across the board
Electric vehicles continue to perform strongly in the Expert Rating Index. Although the award winners have already demonstrated this trend, the broader picture reinforces it: most of the 60 eligible models reviewed this year were fully electric or plug-in hybrids, with seven of the 12 winners powered wholly or partly by electric drivetrains. The revised 2026 categories reflected this shift, with a dedicated plug-in hybrid award introduced alongside continued recognition for the best petrol models.
Stuart Masson, Editorial Director at The Car Expert, said: “Choosing the best new car of the year always sparks debate across the industry, because every reviewer has their own experiences and their own preferences. Our approach is designed to cut through this noise. By aggregating expert opinion from across the UK’s top automotive publications, weighting the data, and integrating key real-world metrics, we’re able to provide an impartial, balanced and transparent verdict. The strength of this year’s EV and PHEV winners reflects the impressive progress electrified cars continue to make in real-world appeal and everyday usability.”
Clarity for car buyers
The Car Expert Awards are based on a custom algorithm designed to compare new models on a fair and consistent basis, drawing on professional reviews and key ownership metrics to offer the UK’s most comprehensive verdict on the best new cars. By combining expert insight with objective data, the awards give buyers a clear, confidence-inspiring view of how each model performs in the areas that matter most.
For full details and coverage of the 2026 award winners, visit: www.thecarexpert.co.uk/car-of-the-year-2026