Auto Express Car of the Year winners announced: affordable electric car takes the crown
Car changing is a big deal
Auto Express has crowned its 2026 Car of the Year, with the trophy going to the new Nissan Leaf. Read on to see all the winners from this year’s awards ceremony
The new Nissan Leaf has been crowned Auto Express Car of the Year for 2026, with judges impressed by its long range, comfy suspension and affordable price tag. Other award winners include the Skoda Superb, BMW iX3 and the Mercedes CLA.
The cars are judged on practicality, value for money, technology, driving experience and much more. Here are all the winners from this year’s Auto Express Car of the Year awards.
Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.
Winner: the Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf has taken the Car of the Year crown, making it the fifth electric car in a row to claim the title. The judges were impressed by its combination of long range, powerful motors, efficiency and low starting price.
According to Richard Ingram, deputy editor of Auto Express, ““Against every yardstick, Nissan’s Leaf is an outstanding Car of the Year.
“Rivals can’t beat its mix of long range, keen pricing and a powertrain that blends performance and efficiency like few others. Add in a premium ride quality, tight handling plus an interior that offers impressive space wrapped in a dynamic design, and its victory is richly deserved. Engineered and manufactured in Britain, it’s a homegrown triumph to boot.”
The Leaf was one of the first electric cars to go properly mainstream, and the latest one is better than ever. It costs just under £28,000, undercutting the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq by a few grand, rising to around £32,000 for the model with a larger battery and a whopping 387 miles of range.
We’ve tested the Leaf, and we were also impressed by the comfy suspension and solid interior. It’s a deserving winner.
The awards in full
The Auto Express Car of the Year Awards isn’t just about the winner – there are 26 different categories covering small city runarounds, low-slung sports cars and even vans.
A few highlights include Estate Car of the Year, which went to the Skoda Superb – a car that also has a Carwow Comfortable Cruiser Award to its name. The Porsche 911 also won Performance Car of the Year, and Large Van of the Year went to the Renault Master – Carwow’s reigning Van of the Year.
Here’s a full rundown of all the winners:
| Category | 2026 winner |
|---|---|
| Car of the Year | Nissan Leaf |
| City Car of the Year | Kia Picanto |
| Supermini of the Year | Cupra Raval |
| Family Car of the Year | Kia PV5 Passenger |
| Estate Car of the Year | Skoda Superb |
| Small Company Car of the Year | Nissan Leaf |
| Mid-size Company Car of the Year | Mercedes-Benz CLA |
| Large Company Car of the Year | Audi A6 e-tron |
| Small SUV of the Year | Renault 4 |
| Mid-size SUV of the Year | Skoda Elroq |
| Large SUV of the Year | Skoda Kodiaq |
| Small Premium SUV of the Year | Audi Q3 |
| Mid-size Premium SUV of the Year | BMW iX3 |
| Large Premium SUV of the Year | Range Rover Sport |
| Hot Hatch of the Year | Volkswagen Golf GTI |
| Coupé of the Year | BMW 2 Series |
| Convertible of the Year | Mazda MX-5 |
| Performance Car of the Year | Porsche 911 |
| Affordable Electric Car of the Year | Nissan Leaf |
| Premium Electric Car of the Year | BMW iX3 |
| Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year | MG HS |
| Premium Hybrid Car of the Year | Audi A5 |
| Pick-up of the Year | Ford Ranger |
| Electric Van of the Year | Kia PV5 Cargo |
| Small Van of the Year | Kia PV5 Cargo |
| Mid-size Van of the Year | Ford Transit Custom |
| Large Van of the Year | Renault Master |
| Driver Power car | Tesla Model 3 |
| Driver Power manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz |
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
Want to see the latest car content first? Add Carwow as a preferred source here. Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.