Dacia Bigster as the only non-EV
Finally they are known: the seven cars that have a chance to win the title Car of the Year 2026. That is: the European Car of the Year. There is only one car among them that is not (also) available with electric powertrains: the Dacia Bigster.
Last year, the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric was awarded Car of the Year 2025 by a European jury of experts. It was the second year in a row that Renault won the annual competition. In 2024, the electric Scenic took home the same title. Perhaps Renault will win it again this year. Finally, the list of automotive finalists is known and the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric is also among them.
From the initial list of 35 automotive candidates, only seven remain after selection by an international jury of 60 experts. These finalists thus have a chance to win the title Car of the Year 2026. In addition to the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the Citroën C5 Aircross, the Fiat Grande Panda, Skoda Elroq, the Mercedes-Benz CLA, the Kia EV4 and the Dacia Bigster also have a chance to win the title. The Dacia Bigster is the only car that is only available with combustion engines. The C5 Aircross, Grande Panda and CLA are also available with electric powertrains in addition to petrol engines.
Which car becomes Car of the Year will be announced in January during the Brussels Motor Show.