Carwow announced the winners of its Carwow Car of the Year Awards 2026, with Chery taking home the prestigious title of Car of the Year for its Tiggo 8 hybrid.
The Brand of the Year accolade went to Jaecoo, recognised for its consumer popularity and rapid growth in the UK. Jaguar’s Type 00 earned the title of 2026’s Most Talked About Car.
Mat Watson, Chief Content Officer at Carwow, said: “We’ve seen a wave of innovation, particularly in electrification and smart design, that makes the car market more exciting than ever.
“Our award winners prove that you don’t need to compromise between head and heart when choosing your next car.”
Watson commented on the standout award categories.
He said: “Chery’s debut to the UK market couldn’t have impressed me more. The Tiggo 8 is one of those cars that seems almost too good to be true; it’s a premium-feeling SUV with loads of space for seven occupants, a cutting-edge hybrid system, all the luxury kit you could want… yet it costs about the same as a European hatchback.
“If a Chinese car was ever going to conquer the market, it should be this one. It’s unbeatable value and feels like so much more than a budget family bus.”
Watson praised Jaecoo for “taking the market by storm” and praised Jaguar’s rebrand.
He said: “Jaecoo feels like it’s been selling cars in the UK for no more than five minutes, yet it’s taken the market by storm. It’s already nipping at the heels of the best-sellers and the Jaecoo 7 SUV has topped enquiries charts on the Carwow platform this year. No wonder; Jaecoo cars look cool, pack loads of standard equipment and yet cost far less than alternatives from European, Japanese or Korean brands.”
“Jaguar’s rebrand late last year accomplished the impossible: it got people really talking about Jaguar for the first time in years. In fact, it was one of the most-read news stories on Carwow for the whole of 2025. And no wonder; out went the traditional image and same-same styling, for a concept model that was truly avant-garde and forward-thinking.”
