These are the best looking cars of 2026
What's the story
The Car Design Award 2026 winners have been announced during the Milan Design Week. The prestigious awards, created by Auto & Design magazine in 1984 and revived in 2016 after a long hiatus, recognize excellence in automotive design across three categories: Concept Cars, Production Cars and Brand Design. This year's winners include Audi's Concept C, Renault's new Twingo, and Jeep.
Design innovation
Concept Car category
The Audi Concept C, a roadster designed by Massimo Frascella, Audi's new head of design, won the top honor in the concept car category. The vehicle will define the styling direction for all future Audi models. Second place was taken by the controversial Genesis Magma GT, while Citroen Elo secured third place in this category.
EV evolution
Production Car category
In the production car category, the new Renault Twingo took home the award. The small French EV taps into nostalgia, a trend started by Renault 5 and continued with Renault 4. It revives mini-MPV proportions of its first-generation model. BMW iX3 and Ferrari 849 Testarossa completed the podium in this category.
Brand recognition
Brand Design Language category
In the Brand Design Language category, Jeep emerged as the most voted brand for its overall styling approach. Genesis followed closely behind, while BMW and Dacia shared third place. These awards highlight the ever-changing landscape of automotive design and how these cars and brands will influence their competitors in shaping modern vehicle aesthetics.