Hyundai What Car Awards 2026: IONIQ 6 N Leads Three Wins

Hyundai has picked up three titles at the Hyundai What Car Awards 2026, with the IONIQ 6 N leading the way by winning Best Electric Performance Car. The Tucson Plug-in Hybrid and the previous-generation Santa Fe also took home category wins.

The awards were presented in the UK by What Car?, a well-established independent testing publication, and cover both new and used-car categories.

Here's a closer look at all three winning cars, why they won, and what these awards mean if you're shopping for an EV or hybrid.

Hyundai Wins Three Titles at What Car Awards 2026

Three separate wins across three very different vehicles — a high-performance EV, a plug-in hybrid family SUV, and a used seven-seat hybrid — is a broad spread for one manufacturer at a single awards event. It reflects a lineup that's competitive across multiple categories rather than excelling in just one niche.

Hyundai IONIQ 6 N Wins Best Electric Performance Car

IONIQ 6 N Performance and Power

The IONIQ 6 N produces 650 PS and 770 Nm of torque, with a claimed 0–62 mph time of 3.2 seconds — genuinely serious numbers that justify the "performance" half of its Best Electric Performance Car win.

IONIQ 6 N Battery and Range

Behind that performance sits an 84 kWh battery, offering up to 486 km (302 miles) WLTP range. Worth noting: that's a WLTP-tested figure, and like any laboratory-standard range claim, real-world results — especially under the kind of hard driving this car is built for — will typically come in lower.

What Makes the IONIQ 6 N Different?

What separates a genuine performance EV from a fast EV is sustained capability — being able to repeat strong lap times or hard acceleration runs without the car falling off due to heat buildup. The IONIQ 6 N's specific engineering around this, rather than the headline power figure alone, is likely a meaningful part of why What Car?'s testing team singled it out.

Hyundai Tucson PHEV Named Best Used Hybrid Family SUV

The current Tucson 1.6 T-GDi Plug-in Hybrid won Best Used Hybrid Family SUV, backed by a 13.8 kWh battery, 288 PS combined output, and up to 43.5 miles of electric-only range — enough to cover a meaningful share of daily driving on electric power alone before the petrol engine needs to contribute.

For Pakistani Tucson owners, practical protection and comfort upgrades can also be explored through Hyundai Tucson accessories, including custom-fit mats, sun shades and dashboard protection.

Previous-Generation Santa Fe Wins Best Used Hybrid Seven-Seat MPV

The previous-generation Santa Fe, sold in the UK from 2018–2024, took the Best Used Hybrid Seven-Seat MPV title. It's a reminder that award recognition isn't limited to brand-new models — a well-regarded used hybrid with strong seven-seat practicality clearly still holds up against current alternatives on the used market.

Santa Fe owners can also find model-specific accessories such as sun shades, floor protection and dashboard covers through our Hyundai Santa Fe accessories page.

What These Hyundai Awards Mean for EV and Hybrid Buyers

Independent testing recognition like this is a useful signal, but it's worth treating as one input among several rather than a final verdict. What Car?'s testing team evaluates vehicles against direct competitors in their specific category and market — a genuinely useful reference point for narrowing down a shortlist, though it doesn't replace your own test drive and research against your specific needs.

Hyundai's Growing Electric and Hybrid Lineup

Winning across a performance EV, a plug-in hybrid SUV and a used hybrid MPV in the same year suggests Hyundai's electrification strategy is reasonably broad rather than concentrated in one segment — spanning from genuine performance halo models down to practical family transport, with both new and proven used options represented.

What It Means for Pakistani Car Buyers

It's worth being clear that these awards were presented in the UK, evaluated against the UK market and UK-spec vehicles. That doesn't automatically translate to Pakistan availability, pricing or even identical specifications for any of these models here.

That said, the Tucson and Santa Fe nameplates are both familiar to Hyundai buyers in Pakistan, even if the exact award-winning variants differ from what's sold locally. If you're already running either model, our car accessories in Pakistan range covers exact-fit protection and interior upgrades across the Hyundai lineup and more.

Final Thoughts

Hyundai What Car Awards 2026 FAQs