The car of the year 2026 is the Mercedes-Benz CLA. The model, offered as an electric and hybrid, was announced as the winner on Friday during a gala at the Brussels auto show in front of around 350 spectators. The Skoda Elroq came in second, the Kia EV 4 completed the podium. The Mercedes has a remarkable lead over the rest of the field. He received 320 votes, a whopping 100 more than the runner-up. German manufacturers have traditionally found it difficult, especially because of their high prices. Mercedes last won 52 years ago. The jury particularly emphasizes the technological leap and the driving behavior, but opinions differ on the design. It has been awarded since 1964. The award with the original English title “Car of the Year” is considered the most coveted in the industry. The award has been presented since 1964 and has never been derailed. However, the circumstances have changed after the corona pandemic. The Geneva Salon, traditionally held in March, is no longer taking place; with their long-standing and valued partner, the voting journalists have lost their usual place at the awards ceremony. The Brussels trade fair immediately offered itself as a stage, and so the award will now be presented in January and once again at this location. This is what winners look like.AppelThere were 35 candidates up for election this year, which proves the busyness of the industry. However, no BMW, no Porsche, no Volkswagen. The following were nominated in alphabetical order in the final: Citroën C5 Aircross, Dacia Bigster, Fiat Grande Panda, Kia EV4, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Renault 4, Škoda Elroq. Experienced and independent One can only speculate about the motives; the choice for the shortlist is secret. Only the Car of the Year award is made public; each juror writes down their evaluation, which can be viewed on the organization’s homepage. The jurors are experienced and independent. They are dedicated to the joy of progress and individual mobility, you could also say: simply the joy of good cars. The price cannot be influenced by the industry; there are no sponsors from the industry. The organization, which is supported by the participating media, bears the costs itself. The focus is on the consumer and the quality assessment should be for them. The criteria are strict. Each jury member must have personally driven each car they wish to judge. This ensures that the impressions are authentic. Because of the transparency and the professional jury, the title is particularly desirable. There is only one winner, no subcategories. Readers and jurors agree. The Technology and Motor editorial team traditionally accompanies the election, the author of these lines is a member of the jury. As in previous years, we once again let our readers vote on FAZ.NET: Activate external content If they had their way, the Mercedes would also have become Car of the Year 2026. He won the readers’ poll, in which around 4,000 votes were cast, with 38 percent, i.e. by a noticeable margin. Skoda Elroq and Renault 4 followed in second and third place. These were the seven finalists:Citroën C5 Aircross Citroen C5 AircrossCitroenDacia Bigster Dacia BigsterDacia (in planning)Fiat Grande Panda Fiat Grande PandaFiat Kia EV 4KiaMercedes-Benz CLA Mercedes-Benz CLAMercedes-Benz AG Renault 4RenaultŠkoda Elroq Skoda ElroqSkodaMore on the topic
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