All-new Hyundai INSTER and IONIQ 9 on top at The Car Expert Awards 2026
- All-new INSTER is crowned UK’s Best Small Car, while IONIQ 9 is named Best Large Car
- The Car Expert Awards reflect reviews from more than 30 of Britain’s top motoring titles
- INSTER is praised for its design and build quality, IONIQ 9 for its comfort and practicality
- Both cars are available with Hyundai’s Car Grant, which offers savings of up to £3,750*
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Hyundai’s leadership in electrification has been underlined again as it picked up two of the top honours in the The Car Expert Awards 2026, with the All-new INSTER named Best Small Car and the All-new IONIQ 9 recognised as the Best Large Car.
The winners of The Car Expert Awards are calculated by TheCarExpert.co.uk via the site’s unique ‘Expert Rating Index’, an algorithm which aggregates car reviews from more than 30 of the UK’s top motoring titles. This enables an overall score to be attributed to each car, which accurately reflects the consensus of the country’s leading outlets.
For the 2026 awards, only cars that have been launched over the past 12 months were considered, which saw the creation of a brand-new algorithm prioritising media review scores, but also taking into account ownership criteria such as Euro NCAP ratings and running costs.
The Hyundai INSTER is not just a practical small electric car, it’s a funky and fresh take on the whole genre. Who said small cars had to be boring? With stand-out styling, comprehensive equipment levels, top-notch build quality and plenty of battery capacity for most household needs, the INSTER continues Hyundai’s impressive run of EVs, with all the goodness of the IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6 and IONIQ 9 distilled down into a compact package. The new car market needs more small cars like this. The Hyundai IONIQ 9 is the company’s biggest EV yet, and it upscales all the clever thinking that has gone into the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6. It’s enormously practical and flexible, has a lovely cabin for both driver and passengers, comes loaded with top-notch tech, and has more than enough driving range to suit almost any household needs. It ticks pretty much every box a growing family could ever want.
The INSTER has picked up a number of high-profile awards over the past 12 months, being crowned 2026 Supermini of the Year by TopGear.com, 2025 World Electric Vehicle at the World Car Awards, and Best Small Electric Car for the City by What Car?
Hyundai’s first small EV for the European market, it blends robust but compact SUV styling with effortless urban driving and strong performance on longer drives, thanks to a potential range of up to 229 miles. The range starts with the INSTER 01 42kWh 97PS, which is priced from £23,505, while the INSTER 02 49kWh 115PS gets under way at £26,755. The more adventurous, ruggedly styled INSTER Cross starts at £28,755. All three are currently available with £3,750 off courtesy of the Hyundai Electric Grant, which has been introduced to help more people make the switch to electric mobility.
The Hyundai IONIQ 9 has also impressed since its launch, being named Best Seven Seat EV in the TopGear.com Electric Awards and Comfortable Cruiser of the Year by Carwow. The IONIQ 9 is Hyundai’s most advanced and spacious electric SUV to date, powered by a 110.3 kWh battery delivering up to an estimated 385 miles (WLTP) of range. Available in RWD, AWD and Performance AWD variants, it offers ultra-fast 800V charging, while inside there’s a choice of six- or seven-seat configurations, a completely flat floor and up to 2,419 litres of total load space. Premium comfort features include available captain’s chairs, Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seating and a 14-speaker BOSE sound system.
Technology is at the heart of the IONIQ 9, with highlights including Hyundai’s new AI Assistant for natural voice control, a panoramic widescreen cockpit, and available digital mirrors for enhanced visibility. Quietness and refinement are maximised through Active Noise Control and acoustic glazing, creating a serene electric driving experience. It is priced from £64,995, but is currently offered with a £1,500 saving, courtesy of the Hyundai Electric Grant.
The Car Expert awards of Best Small Car for the INSTER and Best Large Car for the IONIQ 9 reflect Hyundai’s determination to offer exceptional electric models throughout the entire range. With financial support available on these models, and the IONIQ 5, IONIQ 5 N, IONIQ 6 and KONA Electric, via the Hyundai grant, now is the perfect time for customers to experience the excellence of all our EVs.
For more information on all the cars in Hyundai UK’s award-winning range, visit www.hyundai.co.uk.
* Hyundai Electric Grant customer saving applicable to vehicle price at point of sale. Discounts of £3,750 for INSTER and £1,500 for IONIQ 5, IONIQ 5 N, IONIQ 6, IONIQ 9 and KONA Electric. Applicable to orders between 01/10/25 and 04/01/26, registered by 04/01/26. Retail orders only. Grant cannot be claimed retrospectively against previous orders. No cash alternative. Hyundai Motor UK has the right to extend or reduce the end date at any time.
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