Carwow, the online car-changing platform, proudly announces the winners of its highly anticipated Carwow Car of the Year Awards 2026, celebrating the most exciting and inspiring cars on the market for the year ahead.
This year’s awards highlight exceptional vehicles that combine design flair, innovation, and real-world usability across 14 distinctive categories; from smart spending to driving pleasure, technology and comfort. Each winner represents the very best of what modern motoring has to offer, whatever your budget or lifestyle.
In a standout year for global automakers, Chery has taken home the prestigious title of ‘Car of the Year’ for its Tiggo 8 hybrid, a model praised by Carwow’s Mat Watson and expert editorial judges for its versatility, technology and outstanding value.
Carwow has become one of the most influential names in consumer car media. It boasts one of the biggest automotive channels on YouTube; keeping over 10 million subscribers entertained, while the content across Carwow’s website helps thousands of motorists choose the right car for them every year. Carwow’s Chief Content Officer and face of the YouTube channel, Mat Watson, tested and reviewed hundreds of cars to select the most deserving winners, which reflect the needs and desires of every type of driver.
Mat Watson, Chief Content Officer at Carwow, said: “Whether you want practicality, performance or pioneering technology, our winners represent the best choices out there for the year ahead. We’ve seen a wave of innovation, particularly in electrification and smart design, that makes the car market more exciting than ever. Our award winners prove that you don’t need to compromise between head and heart when choosing your next car.”
On the three standout award categories, Mat Watson, Chief Content Officer at Carwow commented:
Car of the Year: Chery Tiggo 8
“Chery’s debut to the UK market couldn’t 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.”
