An EV has clinched the prestigious Car of the Year crown, with a luxury brand coming out on top.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA saloon has emerged victorious in the 63rd edition of the awards, which seeks to crown the finest vehicles available on the market.
Battling it out against strong contenders including the Fiat Grande Panda, Kia EV4, Renault 4, Skoda Elroq, Citroen C5, and Dacia Bigster, the German manufacturer's offering prevailed with 320 points.
It represents Mercedes' first win in 52 years, having previously secured the accolade with the 450 SE/SEL back in 1974.
Marking the achievement, the official Car of the Year jury declared: "The Car Of The Year award celebrates its 63rd edition this year and has done so by returning a premium brand to the top."
"This year's edition was more competitive than ever, given that all the finalist models had electrified features, and most of them were 100% electric."
The Skoda Elroq finished as runner-up with 220 points, whilst the Kia EV4 claimed third spot on 208 points. The Mercedes inherits the crown from last year's champion, the Renault 5 EV.
Following the announcement, Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG remarked: "The new CLA was named Car of the Year 2026 - a proud moment for Mercedes Benz.
"Jurors from across Europe have confirmed what our customers have been telling us: the CLA is a game-changer, delivering outstanding efficiency and effortless intelligence."
Beyond its all-electric variant, the CLA is also available as a hybrid or estate car—sometimes called a shooting brake.
It's among numerous vehicles now offered in both hybrid and fully electric versions, as car makers navigate the challenging shift away from fossil fuels.
Recent figures suggest that despite government ambitions, electric car adoption has experienced a slight dip, with the latest SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) data revealing a reduced market share compared to the previous year.
In a statement, they said: "Uptake of battery electric vehicles rose just 0.1% to 29,654 units - delivering a 20.6% market share, the lowest since April 2025.
"The decrease follows a strong 2025 January performance when uptake was pulled forward as buyers sought to avoid April's introduction of new tax rates on BEVs....The largest growth was again recorded in plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), rising 47.3% to account for 12.9% of registrations."
