Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
EV & Sustainability

Autotrader crowns Renault 5 E-Tech New Car of the Year for 2026

More than 160,000 UK car owners completed an online survey sharing their thoughts on their cars.

3 min read
Share
autotrader new car
ADVERTISEMENT

The Renault 5 E-Tech has been crowned Autotrader’s New Car of the Year 2026 according to a consumer vote at the ninth annual Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards.

This year, more than 160,000 UK car owners completed an online survey sharing their thoughts on their cars, with their opinions determining the winners in 20 of this year’s 24 award categories.

In addition to the Renault 5 taking this year’s top award, along with Best Car for City Drivers and Most Fun Car to Drive, other wins include the Best In-Car Design category (Defender 110), as well as Best Car for New Drivers (Peugeot 208), Best EV for Long Distance (Tesla Model 3), Best Car for Dog Owners (Tesla Model Y) , and the Best 7-Seater (Volvo XC90).

Chery won Best Value Brand, while the BYD Seal U received two awards for Best In-Car Technology and Best Value New Car.

An electric model was crowned the winner of the Editor’s Choice Award, which is chosen by Autotrader’s editorial team, led by editorial director, Erin Baker. The editorial team’s new car this year was the Nissan Leaf.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rory Reid, Autotrader’s YouTube Director and former Top Gear star, opted for the fully electric BMW iX3.

Other awards included Most Reliable Brand (Tesla), Best Car for City Drivers (Renault 5 E-Tech), and Best Car for Running Costs (Škoda Enyaq).

The awards also comprised of the Sustainability Initiative Award, which went to Toyota, Hypervolt won the Best Home Charger, with the Best Public Charging Point being Tesla Supercharger, and the Media Campaign of the Year going to JLR ‘House of Brands’.

ADVERTISEMENT

Reid said: “What makes these awards so valuable is that they give a direct, real-world view of what drivers actually want from their cars.

“This year, more than 160,000 owners told us how their vehicles perform in everyday life, and the results reveal clear opportunities for retailers.

ADVERTISEMENT

“EVs continue to dominate across key categories, led by the Renault 5 E-Tech, showing that for many motorists the switch to electric is now delivering on both practicality and enjoyment.

ADVERTISEMENT

“At the same time, the strong performance of newer brands like BYD and Chery underlines just how much value and in-car technology is influencing buyer decisions.

“Clearly, demand is being shaped by value, technology and positive real-world ownership experiences, and the brands and models delivering on these areas are the ones winning over customers.”

Within the survey, car owners who have bought, driven and lived with their cars were asked to rate them according to a range of lifestyle factors.

This methodology ensures that these awards are a true reflection of what UK consumers think of their car and what they want from it.

ADVERTISEMENT

People were asked to rate their cars across 16 different criteria, from reliability and performance to appearance and running costs.

They were also asked about their overall satisfaction with their car and how likely they would be to recommend it to others.

Independent analysts then used this data to determine the finalists for 20 of the categories – the full list of which can be found below.

Related