The spotlight shone brightly on automotive excellence as the 24th edition of the Autocar Awards 2026 culminated in a spectacular evening at the iconic Taj Lands End, Bandra. The ceremony once again reinforced its reputation as India’s most respected and influential automotive awards platform, bringing together the industry’s leading minds, trailblazers, and innovators for a night that celebrated the very best in mobility and engineering brilliance. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and TVS Motor Company bagged top honours as the curtain fell on yet another celebration of the Indian automotive industry’s continued growth.
With an expanded lineup of award categories and an impressive gathering of distinguished guests, this year’s event highlighted the strength, ingenuity, and progressive outlook of the Indian automotive sector. The Autocar Awards 2026 was presented by IndusInd General Insurance (Formerly Reliance General Insurance), along with Premium PPF Partner Cosmo PPF, fuelled by Speed – High Performance Petrol from Bharat Petroleum, and Performance Tyre Partner Pirelli. Other esteemed partners included Orbitsys (DMS Technology Partner), Havells MotrON (EV Charger Partner), Times Network (Telecast Partner), and Laqshya Media Group (Outdoor Media Partner), whose valuable support helped shape an exceptional celebration.
The night’s most coveted honours were awarded to the finest of the industry:
Car of the Year: Tata Sierra
Bike of the Year: TVS Apache RTX
Person of the Year: Sudarshan Venu, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Motor Company
Manufacturer of the Year: Mahindra Auto
Other noteworthy categories and their winners included:
- Viewers’ Choice Car of the Year – Tata Sierra
- Viewers’ Choice Bike of the Year – Aprilia Tuono 457
- Best Design and Styling – Tata Sierra
- 4-wheeler Variant / Update of the Year – Citroen Aircross X & Basalt X
- Value for Money Car of the Year – VinFast VF 6
- Scooter of the Year – TVS Ntorq 150
- 2-wheeler Variant / Update of the Year – Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z
- Electric Two-wheeler of the Year – Ultraviolette X-47
- Import Bike of the Year – Honda CB1000 Hornet SP
- Performance Bike of the Year – Ducati Panigale V4 S
- Performance Car of the Year – Skoda Octavia RS
- Sportscar of the Year – Porsche 911 Turbo S
- Luxury Sedan of the Year – Toyota Camry
- Performance EV of the Year – MG Cyberster
- Luxury EV of the Year – BMW iX1 LWB
- Premium EV of the Year – Mahindra XEV 9e
- Midsize EV of the Year – Kia Carens Clavis EV
- Performance SUV of the Year – Defender Octa
- Executive SUV of the Year – Skoda Kodiaq
- Midsize SUV of the Year – Tata Sierra
- Compact SUV of the Year – Hyundai Venue
Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor of Autocar India, had this to say, “This year’s awards perfectly capture where the Indian automotive industry stands today: confident, ambitious, and unafraid to innovate. From cutting-edge EVs to incredibly capable ICE vehicles and a renewed push toward luxury, the breadth and depth of products we evaluated is truly remarkable. It wasn’t an easy year for the jury, but a hugely rewarding one. Every winner tonight has genuinely earned their place on the podium.”
More than an awards ceremony, the Autocar Awards 2025 served as a powerful testament to the passion, resilience, and innovation driving the Indian automotive industry forward. As the sector continues to evolve amid rapid technological transformation, the Autocar Awards remain committed to honouring excellence and inspiring future breakthroughs in mobility.
