Monday, December 22, 2025
By Kamal Swami
Maruti Suzuki Victoris Crowned Indian Car of the Year 2026
Finally, the long battle to win the Indian Car Of The Year 2026 trophy came to an end with Maruti Suzuki Victoris winning the crown. The prestigious award was decided after rigorous testing, discussions, and scoring by a panel of India’s most experienced automotive journalists. Presented by JK Tyre, the committee for the ICOTY awards consists of senior editors and reviewers from leading automotive publications and digital platforms to identify the most outstanding vehicles launched in the country over the past year. The 2026 edition saw intense competition between the cars under all segments, with the Victoris ultimately emerging as the overall winner due to its strong balance of design, features, performance, and all-around appeal.
The car brands shortlist for ICOTY 2026 included Hyundai Creta Electric, Hyundai Venue, Kia Carens Clavis EV, Kia Syros, Mahindra XEV 9e, Skoda Kylaq, and the Tata Harrier.ev. After intensive assessment, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris succeeded in securing the top spot with 144 points, followed by the Skoda Kylaq in second place with 90 points, while the Mahindra XEV 9e finished third with 71 points.
Mahindra XEV 9e Wins Green Car Award 2026
In the Green Car Award 2026 category, the Mahindra XEV 9e was honoured with the crown. This award indicates Mahindra’s increasing dominance in India’s electric mobility space. The major contenders to compete in this category included some tough contenders like the BMW iX1 LWB, BYD Sealion 7, Hyundai Creta Electric, Kia Carens Clavis EV, MG Cyberster, Tata Harrier.ev, and the Tesla Model Y. The Mahindra XEV 9e topped the category with 135 points, ahead of the Kia Carens Clavis EV, which scored 90 points, while the BMW iX1 LWB finished third with 78 points.
Volkswagen Golf GTI Bags Premium Car Award 2026
The Premium Car Award 2026 was won by the Volkswagen Golf GTI, proving that the iconic hot hatch continues to deliver an engaging, driver-focused experience. The strong lineup of finalists included the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, MG Cyberster, Skoda Kodiaq, Skoda Octavia RS, and the Toyota Camry.
With 123 points, the Golf GTI finished ahead of the Toyota Camry, which scored 94 points, while the BMW iX1 LWB secured third place with 58 points.
The Process of Deciding the Winner
Vehicles listed under different categories for the ICOTY award are judged on multiple parameters such as price, fuel efficiency, styling, comfort, safety, performance, practicality, technological innovation, value for money, and suitability for Indian driving conditions. During the last two decades, the ICOTY awards have built a strong reputation for transparency and credibility, with consistent support from Dr Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director of JK Tyre and Industries Ltd, and the JK Tyre brand itself.
The ICOTY 2026 jury was constituted by prominent automotive journalists including Aspi Bhathena and Gaurav Davare (Car India), Dhruv Behl and Ishan Raghava (autoX), Yogendra Pratap and Dipayan Dutta (Auto Today), Sirish Chandran and Aatish Mishra (Evo India), Pablo Chaterji and Kartik Ware (Motoring World), Kranti Sambhav and Rohit Paradkar (Overdrive), Vikrant Singh and Sagar Bhanishali (CarWale), Arpit Mahendra (Times Auto), Tushar Kamath (CarDekho.com/ZigWheels), Kushan Mitra (The Print), Abhay Verma (Turbocharged), and Bob Rupani (Exploration Drives with Bob Rupani).
