Mercedes-Benz CLA wins Car of the Year 2026

The Mercedes-Benz CLA has been named European Car of the Year 2026 at a ceremony at the Brussels Motor Show, with the electric model scoring 320 points from a jury of 60 automotive journalists across 23 countries to beat 34 other new vehicles and six finalists. The CLA electric variant offers a WLTP range of up to 792 km from its 200 kW powertrain, with 800V architecture enabling up to 325 km of range from 10 minutes of charging.

The model has been on sale in Europe since mid-2025 and will arrive in the United States and other markets this year. Mercedes-Benz said customer orders have exceeded expectations, with the order bank filled until the second half of 2026.

In a statement, Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, said: “The new CLA was named Car of the Year 2026—a proud moment for Mercedes-Benz. Jurors from across Europe have confirmed what our customers have been telling us: the CLA is a game-changer, delivering outstanding efficiency and effortless intelligence.”

The CLA 250+ with EQ Technology achieves combined energy consumption of 14.1-12.2 kWh/100 km. Mercedes-Benz noted the award arrives at the start of a year marking 140 years since Carl Benz invented the automobile in 1886.

Source: Mercedes-Benz