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European Car of the Year 2026 To Be Revealed Friday at Brussels Motor Show

A 59-member jury uses a public 25-point voting system to rank seven finalists after comparative tests.

Overview

  • The winner will be announced around midday local time in Brussels with a Eurovision-style, country-by-country tally streamed on the show’s channel and on YouTube.
  • Fifty-nine automotive journalists from 23 countries will cast votes, distributing 25 points across at least five cars with a maximum of 10 to a single model, with two Russian jurors temporarily absent.
  • The seven finalists are the Citroën C5 Aircross, Dacia Bigster, Fiat Grande Panda, Kia EV4, Mercedes‑Benz CLA, Renault 4 E‑Tech and Škoda Elroq.
  • Comparative road and circuit evaluations concluded recently at the Castellolí track near Barcelona to inform the final ballots.
  • Alongside the ceremony, Brussels Expo hosts major brand showcases, while a separate readers’ vote opens its January round featuring the Citroën C5 Aircross, DS Nº4 and Ebro S900.