We already know which is the Car of the Year 2026 in Portugal

The Car of the Year 2026 in Portugal has now been announced and the overall winner is the Dacia Bigster. The new SUV from the Romanian brand won the prestigious Seguro Directo Car of the Year / Volante de Cristal Trophy 2026, succeeding the Citroën C3, winner of the previous edition.

The distinction is considered the most important award in the Portuguese automotive industry and results from the evaluation of a panel of experts over several months.

An SUV that convinced the jury

The Dacia Bigster stood out among a highly competitive group of finalists. Competing for the award were also models such as the Citroën C5 Aircross, FIAT Grande Panda, Kia EV4, Renault 4 E-Tech, Škoda Elroq, and Volkswagen T-Roc.

In addition to winning the main prize, the Bigster also secured the title of Compact SUV of the Year, in the Hybrid-G 150 4×4 version. This variant combines a hybrid system with all-wheel drive, automatic transmission, and LPG technology, a solution that helped reinforce its efficiency and versatility.

The model also received the Technology and Innovation Award, highlighting the importance of the Romanian brand’s proposal in the SUV segment.

How the choice was made

The Car of the Year selection results from the work of a panel of 15 specialized journalists who represent some of the main automotive media outlets in Portugal.

Throughout the evaluation process, the models are subjected to dynamic tests and detailed analysis, taking into account several criteria, such as:

• Design and perceived quality

• Performance and road behavior

• Safety and reliability

• Price/equipment ratio

• Environmental sustainability

Only after this complete evaluation is the final winner chosen.

An edition with 92 candidates

The 2026 edition of the Seguro Directo Car of the Year included 92 entries, distributed across eight different categories. Of those models, only 28 were eligible for the overall award.

The competing categories were:

• City Car

• Design

• Sports/Leisure

• Electric

• Family

• Plug-in Hybrid

• Compact SUV

• Large SUV

Among the other winners were models such as the Fiat Grande Panda, elected City Car of the Year, the exclusive Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, distinguished with the Design award, and the Alpine A290, winner in the Sports/Leisure category.

In the electric segment, the highlight went to the Mazda 6e, while the Citroën ë-C5 Aircross won among family cars. The Leapmotor C10 was named Plug-in Hybrid of the Year, and the Xpeng G9 took the Large SUV of the Year award.

The final result clearly shows how the automotive market continues to evolve rapidly, with an increasingly diverse offering that includes electric, hybrid, and SUV models across different segments.

---

Sources: Razão Automóvel