EUROPE’S BIGGEST LIVE AUTOMOTIVE EVENT CROWNS BEST BUY CAR OF EUROPE 2026 – AND THREE ALL-NEW ULTIMATE ACCOLADES
- The four most relevant European awards for four finalist models
March 28th, 2026, marked a historic milestone for AUTOBEST and for the European automotive industry: the Grand Finale of the very first AUTOBEST CONQUEST became the largest live independent motoring entertainment event ever created in Europe, broadcasted live on AUTOBEST’s official YouTube channel and watched by audiences across the continent. The first-ever AUTOBEST CONQUEST confirms overwhelming public engagement and opens a new era for Europe’s automotive awards.
The six finalists of AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2026 were: BYD Dolphin Surf, Citroën C3 Aircross, Fiat Grande Panda, Ford Puma Gen-E, MG S5 EV, Renault 4. These six models entered one of the most transparent and demanding selection systems ever created in Europe, where every finalist was judged by bot AUTOBEST Jury voting from 32 European countries AND direct European public voting across AUTOBEST official platforms. Public voting remained open until the first half of the live show itself, reinforcing the unique live tension of the competition.
The first ever `BEST CAR DESIGN OF EUROPE` went to the FIAT GRANDE PANDA with a total – AUTOBEST Jurors and public vote – number of 7996 points. It was followed by the runner up Renault 4 with a total 6697 points and the Citroën C3 Aircross with 6633 points.
The Fiat Grande Panda secured victory through a highly balanced score, benefiting from both strong jury recognition and excellent public support. The category revealed a remarkable public appreciation for retro-inspired reinterpretation, combined with accessible modernity.
The award was accepted live by François Leboine, FIAT Head of Design, whose intervention underlined the importance of European design heritage reinterpreted for contemporary mobility.
MG S5 EV was voted `BEST AFFORDABLE CAR TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE OF EUROPE` 2026. This was the second `first in the history` of the CONQUEST night, with the MG new model winning with a total – both AUTOBEST jurors and the public vote – number of 14955 points, followed closely by Renault 4 with a total of 14349 points and the 3rd place by Citroën C3 Aircross with 9950 points.
Accessible technology to consumers and car users remains one of AUTOBEST’s strongest criteria – and this category generated one of the most spectacular score dynamics of the evening. The extraordinary public support for MG S5 EV tech transformed this category into one of the clearest victories of the night. MG S5 EV succeeded by combining strong perceived technology value with affordability, a formula increasingly decisive for European buyers.
The award was received live by Tüttő László, Deputy Country Director, MG Motor Hungary.
CITROËN C3 AIRCROSS won `BEST USERS’ CAR OF EUROPE` 2026, becoming THE PEOPLE’S STRONGEST FAVORITE anddelivering one of the most impressive public endorsements of the evening. The Citroën C3 Aircross was voted number one by combining the Jurors’ and public vote, with 21676 points! It was followed by Fiat Grande Panda with a total of 19770 points and the Renault 4 with 18630 points.
The Citroën C3 Aircross demonstrated exceptional resonance with everyday European car users’ needs, proving strong emotional accessibility, usability and broad appeal.
The award was accepted live by Leslie Peltier, Global Communications Director for Citroën.
RENAULT 4 was crowned BEST BUY CAR OF EUROPE 2026. The final reveal came under maximum tension at the end of the show. The supreme AUTOBEST Award celebrating the 25th Edition confirmed the strongest consensus between professional experts and the public. With a total number of points – coming from both the Jurors and the public – of 39676 points, Renault 4 was declared the winner. The Citroën C3 Aircross, with a total number of 38259 points, came second, followed by the Fiat Grande Panda with 35405 points.
Renault 4 therefore emerged as the most loved car overall – by both the AUTOBEST Jury and the European public.
Its victory confirms one essential fact: Renault 4 succeeded in creating one of the strongest awareness currently possible in Europe, driven by emotional appeal, heritage power, relevance, affordability and future-readiness.
The award was accepted live by John Cleworth, VP Commercial Launching Operations & Revenue Management, Renault Brand.
For the first time in the history of European automotive awards, millions of car users were invited to vote directly alongside the professional AUTOBEST Jury, transforming the selection of Europe’s most important automotive distinctions into a unique democratic process combining expert evaluation with real public choice.
After almost three months of open public voting, the final live show delivered a completely new format for the automotive world: an entertainment-driven, interactive, pan-European event where professional jury votes, public participation, live executive interventions and category reveals created a genuine continental automotive spectacle.
AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2026 established itself from its very first edition as the biggest motoring media live event in Europe, proving that the future of automotive recognition belongs not only to specialists, but equally to the people who live with these cars every day.
The communication campaign generated outstanding global traction, reaching and engaging over 15 million people, with the majority of the audience based in Europe, while also attracting significant participation beyond the continent. This performance confirms not only strong regional dominance, but also a clear and growing demand for a truly global automotive competition.
Audience engagement spanned a highly relevant demographic, ranging from 18 to 65 years old, with a strong concentration of mobility-focused users actively involved in the voting process.
From a performance perspective, the campaign recorded over 5.3 million social media views, leads that were generated entirely organically, marking a significant milestone towards the projected total digital reach.
The campaign also demonstrated remarkable international expansion, with active participation recorded in over 28 countries outside Europe, spanning key regions such as Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, all achieved organically, while paid social media efforts were intentionally concentrated solely on European markets.
This impressive unique performance is the result of the SM & Digital marketing campaigns generated directly by the AUTOBEST organisation, the AUTOBEST Jurors who focused communication in all the 32 member countries, and the campaigns conducted by the six Finalists companies.
- A LIVE EUROPEAN MOMENT: 32 COUNTRIES VOTING LIVE
One of the most special moments of the evening came with the live jury voting sequence.
The voting opened symbolically with Ukraine, as a sign of respect for AUTOBEST’s Ukrainian jury member and for the current circumstances faced by the country, before continuing with the votes from all 32 AUTOBEST member countries.
Each jury member intervened live by video, awarding points to all six finalists, exactly as in the established AUTOBEST tradition – but now in front of a continental audience.
This created an unprecedented live transparency and dramatic progression rarely seen in automotive awards.
Between voting sequences and category announcements, AUTOBEST CONQUEST introduced a completely new entertainment language for automotive events:
Each finalist was celebrated through specially created artistic moments, with representative songs and dedicated live atmosphere segments, designed to underline the personality of every car.
In parallel, each award category included live interviews with top executives representing finalist brands, adding authority, spontaneity and direct connection between manufacturers and European audiences.
This direct executive participation became one of the strongest differentiators of AUTOBEST CONQUEST.
The first edition of AUTOBEST CONQUEST proved far more than a new event format.
It demonstrated that Europe is ready for live automotive storytelling, direct democratic participation, transparent continental voting and a stronger emotional connection between brands and audiences.
AUTOBEST now expands its role beyond traditional judging into becoming the strongest bridge between the automotive industry and European consumers.
The first edition is already considered a landmark success.
And importantly: AUTOBEST CONQUEST has only just begun.
The official final points for each category are presented below, highlighting the final combined verdict delivered by both the AUTOBEST Jury and the European public.
ENDS
Contact
Andreea Oglan
PR Coordinator, AUTOBEST
pr@autobest.org
