Renault 5 sweeps the board to claim UK Car of the Year 2026 title
Thu, 26 Feb 2026
The acclaimed Renault 5 has swept the board in claiming the influential UK Car of the Year 2026 award.
Nearly two-thirds of the 33-strong jury – which includes HonestJohn.co.uk editor David Ross – chose the Renault 5 as their top car from the eight-strong list of UK Car of the Year 2026 category winners.
“Renault has rediscovered its mojo for making great small cars,” said Ross. “The Renault 5 isn’t just a great EV, it’s one of the best small cars on sale today.”
“The French favourite pulled off a resounding victory to be crowned UK Car of the Year 2026,” said John Challen, co-chair of the UK Car of the Year Awards.
“With its retro styling, the new Renault 5 tugs at the heart strings of those drivers who experienced the original.”
UK Car of the Year 2026: The final standings
The Renault 5 took a massive 20 out of 33 votes from the jury. Here is how the top of the leaderboard looked:
| Position | Model | Category won |
| 1st | Renault 5 E-Tech | Snall car |
| 2nd | Kia EV4 | Fanily car |
| 3rd (joint) | Skoda Elroq | Medium crossover |
| 3rd (joint) | Alpine A290 | Performance car |
Renault UK MD Adam Wood said receiving the award “is something we’re very proud of.
“It has really hit the sport with retail and fleet customers… R5 is well on the way to becoming a very common sight on our roads.”
The Renault 5, already named Small Car category winner, was one of four electric cars that led the UK Car of the Year 2026 rankings. The Kia EV4, winner of the Family Car category, was named runner up, while the Skoda Elroq and Alpine A290 (sister car to the Renault 5) took joint third position.
Other winners included the Citroen C3 Aircross (and e-C3 Aircross), Hyundai Ioniq 9, Audi A6 and Audi A6 Avant.
But 2026 was all about the Renault 5. "Renault has smashed it out of the park," said another judge, Nicola Hume.
"Give it all the awards, all the diamonds and all the applause!"
Read our Renault 5 review.
