Ooh là là. Britain has fallen for a little French charmer.
The Renault 5, reborn, recharged and radiating more charisma than a Parisian café at golden hour, has today been crowned UK Car of the Year 2026.
In January, some of the UK’s most experienced road testers gathered at GRIDSERVE’s Stevenage Electric Forecourt to put a shortlist of category winners that we’ve detailed below through their paces. Interestingly, six of the eight finalists were fully electric, proving the point: electric isn’t just a category anymore, it is the category.
After plenty of test routes, superfast charging sessions and copious Costa coffees, the panel reached a clear consensus: 22 of the 33 judges placed the Renault 5 top of the pile.
“With its retro styling, the new Renault 5 tugs at the heart strings of those who remember the original,” said John Challen, co-chairman of the UK Car of the Year Awards and editor of UK Driver magazine. “By combining nostalgia with a fun, entertaining drive, affordability and sheer desirability, this French favourite pulled off a resounding victory.”
At GRIDSERVE, where EVs are our daily bread, the Renault 5’s triumph feels more like an inevitability than a surprise. It’s a car that gets the brief: make electric ownership desirable, accessible and genuinely enjoyable.
Both 40kWh and 52kWh versions feature a single front-wheel-drive motor, sporty handling and a plush interior, with Google Maps baked in for easy route planning and charging – including to our award-winning Electric Forecourts.
For those who remember the original R5, this version is both a respectful nod to the past while being a brilliant electric car with upto 252-miles of range and a maximum 100kW charging rate. Think of it as a cult 1970s film that’s been rebooted by a director who truly loved the original. The references are all there, but the script’s tighter and the visual effects are now far more satisfying.
Motoring journalist Alex Goy added: “In a world of egg-shaped drabness, it’s genuinely exciting to see something different. The R5 mixes pleasingly updated retro styling, a fun drive and a keen price point. And when was the last time a car looked so good in yellow?”
C’est vrai. Here is a full breakdown of the 2026 UK Car of the Year category winners.
- Small Car: Renault 5 E-Tech
- Family Car: Kia EV4
- Small Crossover: Citroën C3/e-C3 Aircross
- Medium Crossover: Škoda Elroq
- Large Crossover: Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Executive Car: Audi A6
- Estate Car: Audi A6 Avant
- Performance Car: Alpine A290
