The annual car&bike awards were held in Mumbai on Friday, March 13, 2026, making it the 20th year of the oldest and most credible automotive awards since inception in 2006. Among the winners, Tata Sierra and TVS Apache RTX swooped the floor with staggering number of awards, including the car and bike of the year. The lineup of nominees highlighted an interesting pivot- more ICE Two wheelers and Electric four wheelers were in the foray with the latter becoming as mainstream as 3 in 5 top cars of the night. There was, however, no hatchback or sedan category to be found due to lack of new launches, indicating how the industry's focus is shifting.
The awards ceremony was held at Taj, The Trees, Mumbai and was a gathering of some of the most illustrious leaders of the Indian automobile industry, including Mr. Shailesh Chandra, MD & CEO, Tata Motors Passenger vehicles Ltd and Vimal Sumbly, Business Head Premium & Head premium Marketing, TVS Motor Company who collected the trophies for Car of the year and Motorcycle of the Year respectively. Rakesh Kaul, Chief Distribution Officer – Retail Business, Bajaj General Insurance also graced the event and facilitated the final trophies and expressed his pleasure being the title partner for the awards.
Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Mohammed Turra – MD & CEO, car&bike said, "Celebrating 20 years of the car&bike Awards is a proud moment for all of us. This journey would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the automotive community and our audience. Over the years, the mission has remained unchanged: to identify and honour the vehicles that push boundaries. This year's winners too represent the pinnacle of tech-forward engineering that simplifies and enhances the lives of our viewers and readers."
The awards itself were preceded by a Jury testing round, spearheaded by car&bike Editor-in-Chief Girish Karkera, where three specialist juries of eminent, experienced and multi-skilled jurors evaluated and judged the different product categories: cars, bikes, and design. The full list of the illustrious jury can be found at www.carandbike.com/awards
“car&bike Awards have always been one of the most sought after in the automotive world,” said Girish. “Each year we celebrate excellence and advise our readers on our choices amongst the best launches. It’s a democratic and scientific way of choosing the winners with the expertise of our jurors and a unique scoring method.”
The winners were selected from more than 60 nominations which were put through stringent assessments by the individual juries at the Madras International Circuit, Chennai. After a thorough and elaborate assessment, the winners’ data was validated by an independent automotive knowledge and audit firm - Divergent Insights. Viewer’s Choice awards remained a special category decided by the thousands of voters who voted for their favourite among the nominated on a poll conducted on www.carandbike.com
Here is the complete winner’s list:
Cars
● Car of the Year: Tata Sierra
● Family Car of the Year: Kia Carens Clavis EV
● Compact SUV of the Year: Tata Sierra
● Subcompact SUV of the Year: Hyundai Venue
● Urban Electric SUV of the Year: Hyundai Creta Electric
● Mid-Sized Electric SUV of the Year: Mahindra XEV 9e
● Luxury Performance Car of the Year: Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupe
● Premium Car of the Year: BMW X3
● Premium EV of the Year: BYD Sealion7
● Luxury SUV of the Year: Land Rover Defender Octa
● Performance Car of the Year: Volkswagen Golf GTI
● Luxury Upgrade of the Year: Audi RS Q8 Performance
● Upgrade of the Year: Citroen Aircross X
● Design of the Year (Car): Tata Sierra
Two-Wheelers
● Motorcycle of the Year: TVS Apache RTX
● Commuter Motorcycle of the Year: Honda CB125 Hornet
● Electric Motorcycle of the Year: Ultraviolette X47 Crossover
● Electric Scooter of the Year: Vida VX2
● Adventure Motorcycle of the Year (Up to 350 cc): TVS Apache RTX
● Adventure Motorcycle of the Year (Above 350 cc): KTM 390 Adventure
● Modern Classic Motorcycle of the Year: Royal Enfield Classic 650
● Premium Motorcycle of the Year (Under 500 cc): Aprilia Tuono 457
● Scooter of the Year: TVS NTorq 150
● Performance Motorcycle of the Year: Ducati Panigale V4
● Upgrade of the Year (Two-Wheeler): Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z
● Design of the Year (Two-Wheeler): Yezdi Roadster
Viewer’s Choice
● car&bike Viewers’ Choice Car of the Year: Tata Sierra
● car&bike Viewers’ Choice Bike of the Year: TVS Apache RTX
Special Citations
● Manufacturer of the Year: Mahindra
● Engine of the Year: 1.5 TGDi Hyperion by Tata Motors
● Innovation of the Year: Integrated CNG System – Maruti Suzuki Victoris
● Breakthrough Brand of the Year: VinFast
● Showstopper of the Year: MG CybersterAutomotive Person of the Year: Narayan Subramaniam – CEO & Co-founder, Ultraviolette Automotive
Apart from Bajaj General Insurance, car&bike Awards 2026 was also supported by mechatronics major PVNA Group. HR tech company Darwinbox and KYT Helmets. Hindustan Times and Fever FM were the Print and Radio partners for this edition of awards. More details can be found on carandbike.com/awards
About car&bike
car&bike is one of India’s most trusted auto-tech platforms, offering a comprehensive ecosystem for vehicle buyers, sellers, and enthusiasts. With a strong focus on transparency, trust, and technology-driven solutions, car&bike enables customers to discover, compare, buy, and sell vehicles seamlessly.
Beyond its digital platform, car&bike also celebrates excellence in the automotive industry through the car&bike Awards, which recognise the best cars and bikes launched each year through a rigorous process of testing, expert jury evaluation, and detailed analysis. The awards have become one of the most credible recognitions in India’s automotive landscape.
Summary:
The 2026 car&bike Viewers’ Choice Awards also go to the Tata Sierra and the TVS Apache RTX.
● ICE two-wheelers and electric 4-wheelers were in the limelight this year
● Multiple SUV categories displaced traditional hatch and sedan segments
● 20-year celebration - the first car&bike Awards was held in 2006
