Mat Watson: these are the best cars I’ve driven in 2026 so far

This year is flying by, and in the first half of 2026 I’ve driven loads of new cars. I’ve reviewed everything from sub-£20,000 hybrid SUVs to £1 million hypercars on the Carwow YouTube channel, and some have really stood out.

Using my two decades of motoring journalism experience, I’ve put these cars through their paces, testing their practicality, technology, efficiency, driving experience and value for money. Here are the best cars I’ve driven in 2026 so far.

I’m going to split this list in two. First, we’ll look at the five sensible, everyday cars. Then I’ll move on to the more exotic stuff, as well as the cars I’ve driven which you can’t buy in the UK yet, but will be able to soon.

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.

The sensible cars: five of the best

1. Chery Tiggo 4
2. MG S9
3. Audi Q3
4. Volvo XC60
5. Honda Prelude

1. Chery Tiggo 4

The Chery Tiggo 4 is a car which I wouldn’t personally own, but it’s one I’ll recommend to a lot of people. It may not be all that exciting to look at, and other small SUVs are better to drive, but at this price it’s hard to ignore.

It starts from just under £20,000, rising to £22,000 for the top-spec model. That’s still less than a mid-spec Vauxhall Corsa, a car which is much smaller and less practical than this, and doesn’t come with as much standard equipment. The Tiggo 4 is one of the best-value cars I’ve driven this year.

2. MG S9

If you thought the Tiggo 4 was good value, wait until you see the MG S9. I was super-impressed with the amount of space on offer in this seven-seater, with even the third row accommodating lanky adults.

At just over £34,000, the S9 is almost £10,000 cheaper than a Peugeot 3008 plug-in hybrid, and it comes with things like surround-view cameras, a panoramic roof and adaptive cruise control as standard. The interior may not be as posh-feeling as the Peugeot’s, but that’s easy to forgive at this price point.

3. Audi Q3

The new Audi Q3 was a welcome return to form for the brand. I always used to recommend Audis to people, but in recent years they’ve been a bit dull and cheap-feeling in places – just look at the A6 e-tron.

I was therefore really pleased to get into the Q3 and see posh materials, solid build quality and clever features. I like Audi’s new column stalk solution, which uses paddles to keep all the controls at your fingertips. The driver’s display is a bit naff, but other than that it’s a great premium SUV.

4. Volvo XC60

Volvo is doing something different with its petrol-powered cars. Instead of developing all-new models, it’s just updating its existing ones. The XC60 has been around since 2019, but it still feels fresh thanks to tweaked styling and improved tech.

It’s the epitome of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The XC60 was always a good-looking, comfortable and posh-feeling SUV, and the new, larger touchscreen inside modernises it enough to keep up with the competition. I’d buy this over the new BMW X3 in a heartbeat.

5. Honda Prelude

I didn’t get off to the best of starts with the Honda Prelude. I wasn’t sure about the styling, and the 184hp hybrid engine didn’t seem exciting enough for a sports coupe. After spending a week with it though, I changed my tune.

It has suspension upgrades from the Civic Type R, so it’s a bit of a gem on a country road. It also has a really clever feature which simulates gear shifts, even though the engine never drives the wheels, and I even managed to get 41mpg without really trying. I even warmed to the styling.

The dream cars: three of my favourites

1. Aston Martin Valhalla
2. Pagani Codalunga Speedster
3. New Toyota Celica prototype

1. Aston Martin Valhalla

At £1 million, I wasn’t sure whether the Aston Martin Valhalla was a very expensive supercar, or a cheap hypercar. You can think of it as a more road-friendly version of the hardcore Valkyrie, and it’s powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with two electric motors.

Combined, these produce 1,080hp and 1,100Nm of torque. It’s also got technology from Formula 1 to increase downforce and improve airflow, and on a track this is one of the most thrilling cars I’ve ever driven. I reckon this puts it firmly in hypercar territory, which means it’s actually great value.

2. Pagani Codalunga Speedster

This stunning-looking car is the Pagani Codalunga Speedster – a one of 10, £11 million hypercar. The attention to detail which goes into making this thing is insane. There’s absolutely no plastic inside, just wood, leather, metal, fabric or carbon fibre.

Powering this thing is a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine with 864hp and 1,100Nm of torque. This is sent to the rear wheels only via a manual gearbox, and not only is it a gated manual, you can also see all the linkages working. It’s really satisfying.

3. Toyota Celica prototype

Back in June, I flew to Japan to see a very special prototype from Toyota’s GR division. It’s a Toyota GR Yaris with the engine in the middle which is a test bed for a new, mid-engined sports car which I reckon will be called the Celica.

It’s an all-new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with around 400hp, and this is sent to all four wheels. I got to go out on track in this car, and compared to a normal GR Yaris it is a total animal. It just wants to rotate through every corner, and when the production car goes on sale I simply have to buy one.

Cars coming soon: three I’m most looking forward to

These are the cars I’ve driven which aren’t available in the UK yet, but will be soon.

1. Rivian R2
2. Zeekr 8X
3. Yangwang U8

1. Rivian R2

This is the Rivian R2, and it’s an electric SUV from the USA which is coming to the UK in the next year or so. It’ll be an alternative to the Tesla Model Y, and I reckon it’s way better.

It looks much cooler than the Tesla, and it’s more spacious inside as well. The Rivian can also handle itself off-road, and the interior is really well-made. It’ll cost around £50,000, which is around the same as a mid-spec Model Y, and I can’t wait for it to arrive on our shores.

2. Zeekr 8X

The Zeekr 8X is a bonkers SUV from China which I tested against a Rolls Royce Cullinan. Why? Well I think it offers similar levels of luxury for a fifth of the price. It’s packed with tech, looks imposing and is good to drive, if not quite as comfy as the Roller.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine may sound a bit weedy, but some hybrid wizardry means it pushes out a whopping 1,400hp. It’s faster down the quarter-mile than a Ferrari Purosangue, but it only costs £54,000 in China.

3. Yangwang U8

Yangwang is a sub-brand of BYD which focuses on high-end supercars and SUVs. The U8 is the latter, and it has some pretty incredible tech on board. With an electric motor on each wheel, the U8 can “tank turn” on the spot, and it can even float in water for up to 30 minutes.

Inside, the U8 has a screen for every passenger and all the seats are heated, cooled and massaging. It also has over 1,000hp, so you won’t be left hanging at the lights. All this comes in at around £120,000.

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