Volkswagen named Which? Electric Car Brand of the Year 2026

“Volkswagen captures the award with an extensive electric vehicle line-up that covers a wide variety of car types and price points, achieving the highest average test score among shortlisted brands. The manufacturer delivers best buy or near-best buy performance across its range, while actively listening and responding to consumer feedback to improve interior technology.”

An expert panel of judges combined findings from independent tests and undercover investigations with real-world experience from thousands of consumers to decide this year’s winners. Sectors in the spotlight included high-street retailers, utility providers, travel brands, banking and home entertainment, in addition to car manufacturers.

The Electric Car Brand of the Year award acknowledges the innovation, safety and efficiency of our ID. line-up as well as our excellent reliability ratings on Which? owner surveys.

“This award is a terrific validation of everything we have been working to achieve with our electric cars over the past few years,” said Rod McLeod, Director of Volkswagen UK, after the accolade was announced. “The brand has entered an exciting era with its new family of small electric cars. Starting with the ID. Polo – and with more to come, including the first ever fully electric GTI – these EVs combine everyday usability with cutting-edge electric technology and unmistakable Volkswagen design and character. They will also open the door to electric driving for many more customers, with prices that make electric cars more accessible than ever before.”

Reliability

One of the most important aspects of this award is the owner surveys, which provides feedback based on real world experience with our electric vehicles. The excellent reliability ratings we received proves our overwhelming commitment to engineering excellence and all-around reliability. At the end of the day, when you buy an EV, you want to know it’s built to go the distance.

Efficiency and range

Judges named electrical efficiency as one of the qualities behind the award and it's easy to see why it carries so much weight. Efficiency is what determines how range plays out in your day-to-day life: charging stops, lower running costs, and more confidence on longer journeys. Our entire ID. line-up is built around efficiency, with the goal of offering impressive range across a wide variety of price points, and car types. Our consistency across the entire range, rather than one standout model, is part of what set us apart from other competitors.

Safety

Another pillar of this award is safety. From advanced driver assistance systems to rigorous crash testing across the ID. family, we treat safety as an engineering standard and not an optional extra.

Responding to customer feedback

We were also recognised for actively listening and responding to consumer feedback to improve interior technology. It shows how we truly value the feedback of our customers, and that we’ll use that feedback to make improvements, like bringing back real buttons.

ID. Polo

The ID. Polo is an all-new, all-electric compact hatchback that combines innovative technology, impressive comfort and everyday practicality in a small-car package. ID. Polo Launch Edition models are already available to order in the UK, with more trims expected in September 2026.

ID.3

The ID.3 is a smart and versatile all-electric hatchback that combines up to 371 miles of range with advanced technology and spacious practicality. The updated ID.3 Neo is already available for order.

ID.4

The ID.4 is an all-electric family SUV that combines generous space, long-range capability, advanced safety features and cutting-edge technology in a practical, comfortable package. It was named World Car of the Year in April 2021.

ID.5

The ID.5 is a sleek all-electric SUV coupé that combines space and comfort with sporty styling, advanced technology and a driving range of up to 345 miles.

ID.7

The ID.7 is our premium all-electric fastback, combining exceptional range, rapid charging, spacious comfort and intuitive technology in a refined long-distance cruiser.

ID.7 Tourer

The ID.7 Tourer is a premium all-electric estate car that blends exceptional range, generous luggage space and long-distance comfort with advanced technology and Volkswagen quality.

ID. Buzz

The ID. Buzz is an all-electric people mover that combines iconic design, versatile family-friendly space with up to seven seats, and advanced technology with a driving range of up to 301 miles.

Charging at home and on the road

Home charging is the most cost-effective way to charge, especially with a low-rate EV charging tariff from your energy provider. With home charging you just plug in your EV at the end of the day, and when you wake up in the morning it’s ready and waiting. Public chargers are often more expensive, but they can be much faster than home chargers, allowing you to go from 10% to 80% battery in as little as 23 minutes, depending on battery size, current charge, charging location, charger power, and model.

Running costs

When it comes to running costs, EVs are almost always cheaper than petrol and diesel vehicles. They don’t require the same routine maintenance as combustion vehicles because they have fewer moving parts. When it comes to fuel costs, charging at home guarantees you’ll be paying less for fuel. If you’re not able to charge at home, it’s still possible to save on fuel depending on the available chargers in your area.

The ID. Promise: up to 100 days to change your mind

With the ID. Promise, you get 100 days to get comfortable and feel good driving electric. We're sure you'll love your new car, but if it's not the right fit, you can bring it back! You can return your car between 80 to 100 days after your handover. Once it's been returned, you'll receive a refund minus reasonable costs like damage, modification repairs, depreciation, Ohme wall box charges and finance deductions.