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

The Maruti Suzuki Victoris has claimed the title of Indian Car of the Year 2026, surpassing eight strong contenders. While the Skoda Kylaq finished as the first runner-up, the Mahindra XEV 9e, which also won the Green Car of the Year award, clinched the second spot on the podium. This year’s lineup of contenders was packed with some of the best machines currently on sale, including the Hyundai Creta Electric, Kia Syros, and the Tata Harrier EV. However, Maruti Suzuki's Flagship Arena SUV, the Victoris, emerged as the winner, adding another feather to its cap.

As we know, the ICOTY awards honour the best vehicles in India each year, across Overall, Green, and Premium categories. While the Victoris and the XEV 9e claimed the Overall and Green Car of the Year titles, respectively, the Volkswagen Golf GTI took the Premium Car of the Year crown.

ICOTY 2026: Maruti Suzuki Victoris Named Indian Car of the Year

Maruti Suzuki launched the Arena-badged Victoris in India this September. The SUV is currently priced between Rs 10.50 lakh and Rs 19.99 lakh (ex-showroom). It is available in six variants: LXi, VXi, ZXi, ZXi(O), ZXi+, and ZXi+(O). The premium SUV in Maruti Suzuki’s Arena lineup is visually distinct from its Nexa sibling, but it shares the same powertrain options. These include a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine featuring mild-hybrid technology with 102bhp and 137Nm, and a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox, and a CNG variant with an underbody-mounted tank, offered exclusively with a 5-speed manual, as well as a 1.5-litre strong-hybrid setup 114.4bhp and 141Nm, mated to an e-CVT. 

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

Features-wise, the Victoris comes with a segment-first smart powered tailgate with gesture control, Alexa Auto integration, a Dolby Atmos sound system, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and six airbags as standard. Notably, the Maruti Suzuki SUV has earned 5-star ratings from both Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP.

ICOTY 2026: The Selection Criteria

To qualify for the ICOTY, a car must be a completely new model rather than a facelifted version of an existing vehicle or one featuring minor drivetrain changes. Every eligible entry must be manufactured or assembled in India and have obtained Indian type approval through the standard homologation process. Vehicles imported as Completely Built Units (CBUs) are strictly ineligible for nomination.

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

Moreover, the model must have been available in showrooms for public sale before November 30 of the preceding year.

ICOTY 2026: How the Winner is Decided?

The ICOTY winner is selected through a simple yet rigorous voting system. Every jury member is given 25 points, with a maximum of 10 points for one car. Every juror must distribute points among a minimum of five contenders to ensure fair evaluation.

ICOTY 2026: Jury Members

A distinguished panel of 19 judges from leading automotive publications has meticulously chosen the ICOTY 2026 winners. Among the jury are our very own, Dhruv Behl, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of autoX, and Ishan Raghava, Consulting Editor at autoX and also Secretary of ICOTY 2026, whose extensive industry knowledge and experience add significant depth to the evaluation process.

-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