The AUTOBEST European Jury has officially completed the selection of the final two distinctions out of the nine AUTOBEST Award categories for 2026: ECOBEST 2026 and SMARTBEST 2026. These recognitions highlight outstanding achievements in environmental performance and smart connected technologies that significantly enhance the driving experience.
The ECOBEST 2026 Award is presented to the Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric, recognised by the AUTOBEST Jury for its strong contribution to highly accessible and practical urban electromobility.
Designed as a compact five-door city EV, the Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric stands out for its urban agility, playful character and smart packaging, offering a surprisingly spacious interior within a small footprint. The model represents a modern reinterpretation of an iconic nameplate and brings electric mobility closer to a broader customer base by focusing on simplicity, sustainability and real-world city driving needs.
Generally chosen a year in advance of a vehicle entering production, the ECOBEST distinction traditionally anticipates the EV expected to make the most meaningful impact in the coming year in terms of environmental performance and innovation. The jury considered the Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric a strong symbol of democratised electric mobility for European cities.
The SMARTBEST 2026 Award goes to Polestar for the integration of Google Maps’ live lane guidance directly into the driver display, debuting on the Polestar 4. The AUTOBEST Jury recognised this innovation as a significant step forward in intelligent onboard navigation and driver assistance technology.
Polestar is the first automaker to integrate Google Maps’ live lane guidance into the vehicle’s 10.2-inch driver display, using AI and vehicle camera data to highlight the correct lanes during navigation. The system is particularly valuable in complex traffic environments such as highway merges, multi-lane exits and heavy urban traffic, helping drivers make safer and more confident decisions in real time. The technology delivers contextual, ‘thoughtful’ navigation support and contributes to a more relaxed and intuitive driving experience. Initially rolling out in the United States and Sweden, the feature demonstrates how advanced connectivity and intelligent software integration can directly improve everyday driving safety and comfort — key criteria behind the SMARTBEST distinction.
With the decision of the ECOBEST and SMARTBEST distinctions, the AUTOBEST Jury – composed of independent motoring journalists from 32 European countries, representing the largest independent motoring media jury in Europe and the world – has now selected all winners across the nine prestigious AUTOBEST Award categories for 2026.
The trophies will be presented during an exclusive AUTOBEST Awards Ceremony in Vienna, dedicated to honoring the 2026 winners. It will take place on March 19th, 2026, in the beautiful city of Vienna, at the Vienna Conference Center, in the format of an official seated lunch event. The ceremony will bring together top executives and CEOs of the winning companies, alongside international media, to celebrate excellence and innovation in the automotive industry.
At the same time, AUTOBEST is running the AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2026, representing a historic evolution in how automotive awards are decided.
Officially launched on January 19th, 2026, at 20:26 CET — a symbolic moment echoing the CONQUEST 2026 edition — the initiative opened the voting process to millions of car users across Europe. Consumers now have the opportunity to discover, test-drive and vote for the finalist models alongside the AUTOBEST Jury.
AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2026 Finalists:
These models compete for the title of Best Buy Car of Europe 2026, the most influential automotive accolade in Europe. For the first time in AUTOBEST history, the public joins the jury in selecting not only the Best Buy Car of Europe, but also winners in three additional new categories:
Public voting is open on autobest.org, with a simple and accessible voting process. Votes from the public will count for 50% of the final result, while the AUTOBEST Jury will represent the remaining 50%.
The final results will be revealed live during the AUTOBEST Conquest Show Grand Finale on March 28th, 2026. Marking a major transformation in AUTOBEST history, the Conquest Show replaces the traditional gala format with a full live entertainment production, broadcast on the AUTOBEST YouTube channel. The show will present the final voting results and announce the winners LIVE, in what is expected to be a landmark event – an unprecedented first in the automotive industry.
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. The AUTOBEST jury pays close attention to the automotive industry’s efforts. Investments, new automotive job opportunities, funds for green cars and technologies, the support for different regions of Europe are all carefully checked by the jury. New in-car technologies and connectivity are also under scrutiny.
ENDS
Contact
Andreea Oglan
PR Coordinator, AUTOBEST
pr@autobest.org