The Volkswagen T-Roc has been named the best small SUV in the UK at the What Car? Awards 2026, narrowly edging out the Kia EV3 and Lexus LBX in one of the most competitive classes on sale.
The award was handed out at the annual What Car? Awards in London, often referred to as the UK’s “Motoring Oscars.” The second-generation T-Roc had only been available to order in the UK for a fortnight when it picked up the gong, and it is priced from £31,620 on-the-road.
What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said: “Inside, the new Volkswagen T-Roc feels much classier than its predecessor, thanks to a higher standard of assembly, sharp onscreen graphics and the widespread use of fabric and soft-touch plastics. But, at the same time, the T-Roc continues to offer the relaxed driving manners that have always been its forte. Indeed, its low noise levels and plush ride are now on a level that no other small SUV can match.”
The T-Roc beat a strong field. The Kia EV3 — which has also been named the 2025 World Car of the Year — took second place, praised by What Car? for being “powerful, has a longer range than most rivals, and offers more space for your family and their luggage.” In third was the Lexus LBX, a former overall What Car? Car of the Year, which What Car? described as having an interior with “materials and finishes you’d normally expect to find on a far more expensive car.”
The current T-Roc lineup offers three mild hybrid petrol engines, with a 1.5-litre 114bhp version as the entry point and a more powerful 148bhp eTSI variant that What Car? rates as the pick of the range. A full hybrid powertrain is also planned for the future. The T-Roc carries a five-star Euro NCAP rating awarded in December 2025.
For drivers in the trade looking at a small SUV — whether as a daily runabout or for private hire work — there’s now a clear pecking order at the top of this hugely competitive class.
Worth noting that the EV3 also topped the latest What Car? Reliability Survey for small SUVs, scoring a perfect 100 per cent. The previous-generation T-Roc and the Hyundai Kona also performed well, while the 2019-present Nissan Juke was rated the least reliable in the class.
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Sources:
- What Car? — Car of the Year Awards 2026: Small SUV of the Year
- What Car? — Best small SUVs 2026 and the one to avoid
- Conceptcarz — New Volkswagen T-Roc is Best Small SUV at 2026 What Car? Awards
- Kia UK — Kia EV3 Wins 2025 World Car of the Year
- Lexus UK Magazine — Lexus awards 2026: our roll of honours
