Hyundai Wins Three 2026 What Car? Awards, Led by the IONIQ 6 N

Hyundai just walked away from the 2026 What Car? Electric Car Awards with three titles, and the headline win is a big one for anyone who still thinks electric cars are appliances: the IONIQ 6 N was named Best Electric Performance Car. Hyundai also took Best Used Hybrid Family SUV for the current TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid and Best Used Hybrid Seven-Seat MPV for the previous-generation SANTA FE.

The What Car? awards are decided annually by the UK publication's panel of expert testers, and they cover both new and used electrified vehicles — everything from outright performance to used-car value. Landing three in one year, across three very different categories, says something about how broad Hyundai's electrified lineup has gotten.

What Hyundai won

• Best Electric Performance Car: IONIQ 6 N
• Best Used Hybrid Family SUV: current TUCSON 1.6 T-GDi Plug-in Hybrid
• Best Used Hybrid Seven-Seat MPV: previous-generation SANTA FE (sold in the UK 2018–2024)

"The Hyundai Motor UK range is defined both by its breadth and its depth. A great amount of thought goes into the usability and longevity of every single model… The decisions aren't just made to last a few years but for the long-term, resulting in cars that are just as desirable after ten years as they are brand new." — Ashley Andrew, President of Hyundai & Genesis UK

Why the IONIQ 6 N topped the performance class

The spec sheet is not subtle. The IONIQ 6 N's dual-motor powertrain produces up to 650 PS (roughly 641 hp) and 770 Nm of torque (about 568 lb-ft), good for 0–62 mph in 3.2 seconds with N Launch Control engaged and a top speed of 160 mph. An 84 kWh battery delivers up to 302 miles of WLTP range.

A quick calibration note for US readers: WLTP is the European test cycle and it reads more optimistically than the EPA numbers Americans are used to. Don't line 302 WLTP miles up against an EPA figure and assume they're measuring the same thing.

What actually won the category, though, wasn't the acceleration number. It was the driving experience layered on top — Hyundai's N e-Shift virtual gearbox and N Active Sound+ system, which together simulate the shifts and soundtrack of a combustion performance car.

"While plenty of electric cars are fast, IONIQ 6 N stands out because it combines its monstrous pace with a level of agility and driving fun that no rival can match… And Hyundai's N eShift virtual gearbox brilliantly mimics the real thing, adding to the engagement and sense of control." — Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car?

That's the interesting part. Straight-line speed stopped being a differentiator in EVs years ago — nearly every dual-motor performance EV is quick. The cars that stand out now are the ones that make the speed feel like something. Hyundai's N division has bet heavily on that idea, and the judges rewarded it.

The used-car wins are the practical story

The TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid pairs a 1.6-liter T-GDi Smartstream engine with a 13.8 kWh battery for a combined 288 PS (about 284 hp) and 379 Nm (roughly 280 lb-ft), plus up to 43.5 miles of electric-only range. What Car? specifically called out that the PHEV "delivers a good real-world electric range" and that used examples are well priced while most are still covered by the original factory warranty.

The previous-generation SANTA FE took the seven-seat honors on a similar value argument. It was offered with a 1.6-liter T-GDi hybrid powertrain making 261 bhp alongside a plug-in hybrid option, and cars up to five years old remain covered by Hyundai's five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.

That combination — a big, practical family hauler with a genuinely useful electric range and warranty coverage still on the clock — is exactly the used-market sweet spot a lot of shoppers are hunting for right now.

Not a one-off

This year's haul builds on a run. The current-generation SANTA FE was named What Car?'s Seven-Seat SUV of the Year for 2026, having claimed the same title in 2025. And the IONIQ 6 N's win follows the IONIQ 5 N, which took What Car?'s Technology Award and Best Electric Hot Hatch title in 2025.

What this means for your garage

Awards are fun, but the practical takeaway for EV owners is the same whether you're in an IONIQ 6 N, a Model 3, or a Model Y: the specs only matter if your daily routine supports them.

• A 302-mile pack only helps if you wake up full. Public fast charging is for road trips; the other 90% of your charging happens at home. A properly sized Level 2 home charger is the single upgrade that changes an EV from a logistics problem into a car you just drive. Our 48A NEMA 14-50 wall-mounted Level 2 charger is a solid starting point for most single-family setups.
• Performance EVs are hard on tires. Anything making 650 PS will chew through rubber and drift out of spec faster than a commuter EV. Keep a compact inflator in the trunk and check pressures monthly — underinflated tires quietly cost you range, too.
• Adapters keep you flexible. With NACS and CCS both live across the US charging network, the right charging adapter in the frunk is the difference between a working stop and a wasted detour. This matters most for non-Tesla EVs plugging into Tesla infrastructure.
• PHEV owners: plug in every night. A 43.5-mile electric range only pays off if the battery starts full. A basic Level 2 setup turns a plug-in hybrid into a mostly-electric car for daily driving.

The bottom line

Hyundai's three-award sweep spans a 641-hp electric sedan, a used family SUV, and a seven-seat hauler that left showrooms two years ago — which is a fair summary of where electrification is in 2026. It's no longer one flagship carrying a brand. It's a whole lineup, at every price point, including the used lot.

For shoppers, that's good news: more electrified options, more competition, and more of them landing on the used market with warranty left. Just budget for the home charging setup alongside the car. That's the part that makes any of these numbers real.