Six finalist models, four major awards and the active participation of European consumers. AUTOBEST announces the next steps of CONQUEST 2027, including the AUTOBEST Final Test and the upcoming public voting campaign.
AUTOBEST announces the six finalist models selected for the AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2027, marking the next chapter of Europe’s independent automotive competition and its unique approach to involving the public directly in the evaluation and selection of the best cars on the European market.
The six finalist models are:
- Dacia Striker
- Hyundai IONIQ 3
- Leapmotor B05
- MG4 EV Urban
- Renault Twingo
- Volkswagen ID. Polo
These six models have entered one of the most transparent and demanding automotive selection systems in Europe, bringing together the expertise of the professional AUTOBEST Jury, representing 32 European countries, and the direct participation of European consumers through public voting on AUTOBEST’s official platforms.
THE PUBLIC TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN DECIDING THE WINNERS
A defining element of AUTOBEST CONQUEST is the active involvement of the European public in the final selection process. For this edition, consumers will once again have the opportunity to vote alongside the professional AUTOBEST Jury, contributing directly to the results of four major European automotive awards:
- BEST BUY CAR OF EUROPE
- BEST USERS’ CAR OF EUROPE
- BEST CAR DESIGN OF EUROPE
- BEST AFFORDABLE CAR TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE OF EUROPE
The public vote will be combined with the professional Jury’s evaluation, giving European car users a direct voice in recognizing the models and innovations that best respond to their expectations.
AUTOBEST FINAL TEST: 9–10 MARCH 2027, TEESDORF, AUSTRIA
An essential stage of the competition will be the AUTOBEST Final Test – renamed AUTOBEST U – Test (with U from Ultimate`), during which all six finalist models will be evaluated by AUTOBEST Jury Members in a dedicated testing event.
For the 2027 edition, AUTOBEST has decided to introduce an important change to its traditional competition calendar. While the Final Test was previously organized towards the end of November, the upcoming edition will move the testing activities to the beginning of spring.
The AUTOBEST U Test is now scheduled for 9-10 March 2027, at the ÖAMTC Driving Center in Teesdorf, near Vienna, Austria.
This decision reflects AUTOBEST’s commitment to continuously improving the organization and overall timeframe of the competition. The revised schedule provides additional preparation time for all parties involved: the AUTOBEST organization, the international Jury Members and the participating automotive manufacturers.
Moving the testing activities to March is also expected to offer more favorable weather conditions and a less crowded period in the automotive calendar, creating a more suitable environment for conducting the evaluations.
During the Final Test, the AUTOBEST Jury will thoroughly assess all six finalist models across a wide range of real-life evaluation criteria, combining professional expertise with practical testing conditions. The results of these evaluations will form an essential part of the competition’s final assessment.
EUROPEAN LOCAL TEST DRIVES START ON 18 JANUARY 2027
AUTOBEST CONQUEST is designed to bring the finalist cars closer to the people who will ultimately use them. For this reason, the competition will also include a series of local test-drive activities organized across the participating AUTOBEST countries.
Starting 18 January 2027, European car users will have the opportunity to visit participating dealerships and experience the finalist models firsthand.
These local test drives will continue across the participating countries until the end of March 2027, giving consumers the opportunity to discover the six finalists, explore their features and evaluate them based on their own driving experience.
PUBLIC VOTING OPENS ON 25 JANUARY 2027
One week after the start of the local test-drive activities, public voting will officially open on 25 January 2027 through AUTOBEST’s official digital platforms.
European consumers will be able to cast their votes for the finalist models and contribute to the selection of the winners in the four competition categories: Best Buy Car of Europe, Best Users’ Car of Europe, Best Car Design of Europe and Best Affordable Car Technology Package of Europe.
The voting process will remain open until the AUTOBEST CONQUEST live show, planned for the end of March / beginning of April 2027.
The combination of professional Jury voting and direct public participation ensures that the final results reflect both independent automotive expertise and the expectations of European consumers.
AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2027 LIVE SHOW
The competition will culminate in the AUTOBEST CONQUEST live show, scheduled for the end of March or beginning of April 2027, with the exact date to be announced.
Broadcast live on the official AUTOBEST YouTube channel, the show will bring together the finalist brands, automotive industry representatives, AUTOBEST Jury Members and audiences from across Europe.
As the culmination of the competition, the live show will reveal the final results and celebrate the winning models in the four AUTOBEST CONQUEST award categories.
AUTOBEST FESTIVITY IN BRUSSELS
In addition to the AUTOBEST CONQUEST activities, AUTOBEST is preparing another important event for its international automotive community: the AUTOBEST Festivity, scheduled for the evening of 7 January 2027, in Brussels, Belgium.
The event will take place at on the eve of the Brussels Motor Show official press day, scheduled for 8 January 2027.
This timing offers an excellent opportunity to bring together AUTOBEST Jury Members, automotive industry personalities, manufacturer representatives and other distinguished guests who will already be travelling to Brussels.
The AUTOBEST Jury will also conclude its deliberations on the other AUTOBEST Awards, covering the eight traditional additional award categories – COMPANYBEST, MANBEST, ECOBEST, DESIGNBEST, TECHNOBEST, SAFETBEST, SMARTBEST and SPORTBEST– by the end of 2026. Their results will be publicly announced as part of the upcoming awards activities.
The Brussels Festivity will therefore represent an important gathering for the AUTOBEST community, celebrating the achievements of the automotive industry and bringing together the people and organizations contributing to its development.
AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2027 – KEY DATES AT A GLANCE
- 7 January 2027: AUTOBEST Festivity, Brussels, Belgium.
- 18 January 2027: Start of local test drives across participating AUTOBEST countries.
- 25 January 2027: Official opening of public voting on AUTOBEST’s platforms.
- 9–10 March 2027: AUTOBEST Final Test, ÖAMTC Driving Center, Teesdorf, Austria.
- Until the end of March 2027: Local test-drive activities continue across participating countries.
- End of March / beginning of April 2027: AUTOBEST CONQUEST live show and announcement of the winners. Exact date to be confirmed.
About AUTOBEST
AUTOBEST is an independent European automotive organization bringing together professional automotive journalists and industry experts from 32 European countries. The AUTOBEST jury represents 32+1 European countries (Russia remains suspended), making it the largest independent motoring jury both in Europe and globally in terms of represented nations.
Through its awards, testing activities and international initiatives, AUTOBEST recognizes excellence in the automotive industry, with a particular focus on innovation, accessibility, technology and the needs of European consumers.
For more information, visit www.autobest.org and follow AUTOBEST’s official communication channels.
ENDS
Contact
Andreea Oglan
PR Coordinator, AUTOBEST
pr@autobest.org
