Goldenes Lenkrad 2026, Digi Mart USA News: Founded by publisher Axel Springer in 1976, the Goldenes Lenkrad is one of the most coveted awards in the automotive industry. For its 50th anniversary, AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG have once again searched for the best cars of the year, with a field that spans electric cars, plug-in hybrids, diesels and gasoline engines.
Readers selected 79 models, and the three most-voted candidates in nine main categories advanced to the final. The winner is determined by the most convincing overall package rather than horsepower or acceleration alone.
A 23-member jury of racing drivers, journalists, automotive experts and prominent car enthusiasts evaluated the 27 finalists at the DEKRA Lausitzring. Steering precision, braking performance and everyday usability were among 19 criteria used to determine the ranking.
In the small car category, the Corsa GSE won with 4,261 points, narrowly ahead of the Cupra Raval with 4,245 points. The Renault Twingo E-Tech followed with 4,070 points.
The Škoda Epiq took the small SUV award with 4,027 points, ahead of the Dacia Duster with 3,893 points and the Seat Arona with 3,754 points.
The Kia K4 Sportswagon won the family car wagon category with 4,278 points, ahead of the VW ID.3 Neo with 4,199 points and the Cupra Born with 4,186 points. In the compact SUV class, the electric Kia EV5 scored 4,317 points, ahead of the Audi Q3 with 4,186 points and the Cupra Formentor VZ5 with 4,105 points.
The new BMW i3 was named the best midsize car with 4,605 points, clearly ahead of the Mercedes GLC with 4,310 points and the Volvo EX60 with 4,076 points. The Genesis GV60 Magma won the upper midsize class with 4,286 points, ahead of the Volvo ES90 with 4,021 points and the Mazda CX-6e with 3,941 points.
The Mercedes S-Class won the upper and luxury class with 4,449 points, ahead of the BMW 7 Series/i7 with 4,416 points and the Audi Q7 with 4,300 points. In the sporty car category, the BMW M2 CS won with 2,364 points, narrowly ahead of the Porsche 911 Turbo S with 2,351 points.
The Audi RS 5 Avant placed third with 2,268 points.
The Škoda Peaq won the family car category with 7,113 points, ahead of the Volvo EX90 with 6,814 points and the Mercedes VLE with 6,535 points. Special awards were also presented by the AUTO BILD editorial team, and three former winners were honored on the 50th anniversary, including the Mercedes SL (R 129).
In the used car segment, the Audi A4 Avant 40 TDI S line quattro led the field, offering a 204-horsepower two-liter diesel, 400 Nm of torque and all-wheel drive. The new VW ID.
Polo starts from 24,995 euros with 116 horsepower and a range of 323 kilometers, while the Kia EV2 starts from 26,600 euros with 147 horsepower, a 42.2 kWh battery and a range of up to 317 kilometers.
The Mazda CX-5 was highlighted as a spacious SUV that does not require a large budget, offering more room in its third generation at 4.69 meters long. Ferrari received the Golden Steering Wheel for Innovation for the Luce, its first electric model, which reimagines design and operation.
