Carwow Car of the Year Awards 2026
November 20, 2025 by Alastair White
The Carwow awards are back and bigger than ever…
The Carwow Car of the Year Awards are here once again to help drivers choose their next car with total confidence. Each award celebrates the brands and models that have earned the highest expert ratings on Carwow.
As the go-to online destination for car-changing, with one of the world’s biggest car review YouTube channels, we know what it takes to make a winner. A Carwow Car of the Year Award isn’t just a talking point – it’s a major endorsement from trusted automotive experts, showing that a brand has succeeded in creating one of, perhaps the best, cars in its category.
This year, we put hundreds of vehicles through their paces across 14 categories, including the new ‘Hybrid Hero’ category, with each one scored out of 10 according to how well it meets drivers’ most important needs.
Winning brands can use their award to build trust, boost consideration and attract new customers – ultimately helping them sell more cars.
Let’s get to the categories and winners.
The Carwow Car of the Year winner is…
Chery Tiggo 8
Why Chery Tiggo 8 won:
“Chery’s debut to the UK market could hardly have impressed me more. The Tiggo 8 is one of those cars that seems almost too good to be true; it’s a premium-feeling SUV with loads of space for seven occupants, a cutting-edge hybrid system, all the luxury kit you could want… yet it costs about the same as a European hatchback. If a Chinese car was ever going to conquer the market, it should be this one. It’s unbeatable value and feels like so much more than a budget family bus.” Mat Watson
See the rest of the winners across all categories right here.
Congratulations to all of our award-winners. The competition was incredibly close once again, with plenty of brilliant brands and models narrowly missing out.
Is your brand a winner?
If you represent one of the award-winning brands and want to make the most of this achievement, get in touch with our team at oem@carwow.co.uk. We’ll help you turn your win into a powerful opportunity to drive even more sales.
How are we spreading the word?
Find out how we’re sharing the news of this year’s awards across Carwow and beyond — celebrating the achievements of the industry’s very best.
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Millions of drivers use Carwow to change their car. Whether you’re looking to source fresh stock, accelerate new and used sales or achieve brand goals, we’ve got the tools to help you never miss a car change.
As part of the Carwow Group, we draw on industry-leading data, expertise and editorial talent. Together with Auto Express, evo, Carbuyer, Driver Power, and DrivingElectric, we’re the go-to car-changing destination for drivers everywhere.
