The 7 finalists for Car of the Year 2026 are now known

The seven finalists for the Seguro Directo Car of the Year / Volante de Cristal Trophy 2026 have now been announced. After an extended period of testing and evaluation, the jury selected the models moving on to the final voting phase and competing for the oldest and most prestigious title in the Portuguese automotive industry.

Out of 28 initial candidates, only seven reached the decisive round. The overall winner will succeed the Citroën C3, the model that claimed the trophy in the previous edition.

The 7 finalists of 2026

In alphabetical order, these are the models competing for the Car of the Year title in Portugal:

• Citroën C5 Aircross

• Dacia Bigster

• Fiat Grande Panda

• Kia EV4

• Renault 4 E-Tech

• Skoda Elroq

• Volkswagen T-Roc

The permanent jury is composed of 16 jurors from the country’s leading media outlets, including Razão Automóvel, which is part of this panel of specialists.

Eight categories and two additional awards

In addition to the main distinction, awards will also be presented in eight categories:

• City Car

• Design

• Sports/Leisure

• Electric

• Family

• Plug-in Hybrid

• Compact SUV (including crossovers)

• Large SUV

A total of 92 entries were registered, a record number in the history of the award, distributed across these categories.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 10. On that occasion, the Executive Committee will also present the Career Award and the Technology and Innovation Award.

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Source: Razão Automóvel