Mahindra XEV 9e Named ICOTY 2026 Green Car of the Year; Kia Carens Clavis EV & BMW iX1 LWB Runners-up

The Mahindra XEV 9e has been crowned Green Car of the Year at the 2026 ICOTY awards. The Kia Carens Clavis EV and the BMW iX1 LWB rounded out the podium as the first and second runners-up for the title. Electric cars are becoming an increasingly significant part of India’s automotive landscape, and 2026 witnessed some of the most impressive e-machines hitting the market. The prestigious Green Car of the Year category saw eight cars competing for the top spot, including BYD Sealion 7, Hyundai Creta Electric, MG Cyberster, Tata Harrier EV, and Tesla Model Y. With the winner finally announced, let’s take a closer look at the details.

ICOTY 2026: Mahindra XEV 9e Named Green Car of the Year

The XEV 9e made a notable entry into India’s electric SUV segment in November 2024, and it is currently priced between Rs 22.65 lakh and Rs 31.25 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV comes with rear-wheel drive and two battery options: a 59 kWh battery with 228bhp with a claimed range of 542 kilometres, and a larger 79kWh pack with 282bhp, extending the range up to 656 kilometres.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Victoris Named Indian Car of the Year 2026; Skoda Kylaq & Mahindra XEV 9e Runners-up

ICOTY 2026: Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the ICOTY, a car must be a new model, as opposed to a refreshed version of an existing car or one with small drivetrain modifications. It must be manufactured or assembled in India, have received Indian type approval. Additionally, the car should be on sale in showrooms before November 30 of the previous year. Fully imported models via the CBU (Completely Built Unit) route are not eligible.

ICOTY 2026: Selection of the Winner

ICOTY uses a clear and structured voting system to choose its winner. Each member of the jury is allotted a total of 25 points to distribute among the contenders, with a cap of 10 points per individual car.

Also Read: ICOTY 2026: Volkswagen Golf GTI Wins Premium Car Title; Toyota Camry, BMW iX1 Finish Close Behind

To ensure balanced evaluation, every juror must allocate points to at least five of the competing models.

ICOTY 2026: Jury Members

The ICOTY 2026 winners have been chosen by a panel of 19 respected judges from leading automotive publications. The jury includes our very own, Dhruv Behl, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of autoX, and Ishan Raghava, Consulting Editor at autoX and Secretary of ICOTY 2026, whose industry insight and experience add tremendous depth to the evaluation.

-Pablo Chaterji (Chairman), Motoring World
-Aatish Mishra (Secretary), Evo India
-Dhruv Behl, autoX
-Ishan Raghava, autoX
-Yogendra Pratap, Auto Today
-Dipayan Dutta, Auto Today
-Aspi Bhathena, Car India
-Sirish Chandran, Evo India
-Kartik Ware, Motoring World
-Kranti Sambhav, Overdrive
-Rohit Paradkar, Overdrive
-Vikrant Singh, Carwale.com
-Arpit Mahendra, TOI Auto
-Kushan-Mitra, The Print
-Abhay Verma, Turbocharged
-Bob Rupani, Exploration Drives with Bob Rupani
-Sagar Bhanushali, CarWale
-Gaurav Davare, Car India
-Tushar Kamath, CarDekho Group

ICOTY 2026: Indian Car of The Year, Premium Car of the Year

Indian auto enthusiasts are well aware that the ICOTY awards, widely regarded as the benchmark for automotive excellence in India, celebrate the best vehicles across three key categories: Overall Indian Car of the Year, Green Car of the Year, and Premium Car of the Year. While the Mahindra XEV 9e claimed the Green Car of the Year crown, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris earned the title of the Indian Car of the Year, and the Volkswagen Golf GTI emerged as the Premium Car of the Year.