Forty‑six new car models will fight it out for the coveted title of Irish Car of the Year 2026, in association with Continental Tyres, writes Trish Whelan. And for the first year in the history of the awards, the majority of eligible models are electric-powered vehicles.
Voted on by jury members drawn from the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI), a group made up of 29 of Ireland’s most experienced motoring journalists, the Irish Car of the Year awards highlight for Irish motorists the best cars launched in the country each year, taking into account the particular requirements of the Irish market.
Mark Noble, Chairman of the MMAI, said: “The fact that over half of the eligible cars for the 2026 Irish Car of the Year awards are electric is a clear reflection of where the market is going. Just a few years ago, EVs were a niche category — today, they are leading the field. This year’s line‑up shows the breadth of choice now available to Irish motorists, from compact city cars to large SUVs, all powered by electricity. It’s a milestone moment for the awards and for the Irish car market.”
Tom Dennigan of awards sponsor, Continental Tyres, added: “Continental Tyres is proud to once again support the Irish Car of the Year awards, which shine a spotlight on the very best cars available to Irish motorists. The dominance of electric models in this year’s field underlines the pace of change in the industry. For car buyers, it means more options than ever before to choose sustainable, high performing vehicles — and for us, it’s exciting to see how far the market has come in such a short time.”
Last year’s winner of the title of 2025 Irish Car of the Year, in association with Continental Tyres, was the Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric, continuing a strong run for EVs in the competition.
Runners include Alfa Romeo Junior, Alpine A290, Audi A5/Avant A6/A6/A6etron/Q5, BMW M5/X3, BYD Dolphin Surf/Sealion 7/Seal-U, Citroen C3, Cupra Born VZ/Tavascan/Terramar, Dacia Bigster/Duster/Spring, Ford Capri, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Inster/Ioniq9, Kia EV3, Mazda CX80, MG Cyberster/HS Hybrid/S5/ZS Hybrid, Mini Aceman, Nissan Ariya Nismo, Opel Frontera/Grandland, Peugeot 5008, Porsche MacanTurbo/Taycan, Renault 5, Skoda Elroq/Elroq RS, Tesla M3 Performance/Model Y/ MY Performance, Toyota Landcruiser, Volkswagen ID3 GTX/Tayron, Volvo EX90, XPeng GS.
Pictured above: Mark Noble, Chairman of the MMAI, and Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland, get to grips with the increased number of EVs in this year’s Irish Car of the Year awards programme.
