Autumn News in Brief from BMW Group UK.

BMW Group UK continues its strong awards momentum in 2026, with recent accolades spanning both the BMW and MINI brands. Highlights include the BMW iX3 being named News UK’s Mid-sized SUV of the Year, three category wins at the Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year Awards, three BMW Group models placing in the top five of the What Car? Reliability Awards, two victories at the RAC New Car Awards and further recognition at the inaugural Electric Road EV Owner Poll Awards.

News UK names BMW iX3 Mid-sized SUV of the Year at the Motor Awards 2026.
The BMW iX3 has been named News UK’s Mid-sized SUV of the Year at the annual Motor Awards, with judges praising its design, next-generation navigation system and fast charging capability.

Commenting on the win, Will Dron, Digital Driving Editor at The Times and The Sunday Times, said: “[The BMW iX3] is packed with features that work with drivers rather than against them.”

Judges highlighted technology including Motorway Assistant, which enables hands-free driving with Level 2 assistance up to the permitted speed limit and allows drivers to initiate automated lane changes by looking deliberately into the relevant side mirror.

Dron added: “The iX3 is a segment leader in electric range… but importantly, it still feels like a BMW to drive”, describing the model as “a terrific package”.

BMW Group UK secures three wins at the Towcar of the Year Awards 2027.
BMW Group UK secured three category wins at the Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year Awards 2027, competing against 42 other entrants.

The annual awards recognise cars capable of towing a range of caravan weights and sizes. Entrants undergo a four-day testing programme at Millbrook Proving Ground, with models assessed on practicality, innovation, driving experience and towing capability.

The BMW iX3 won both the Electric Towcar and Caravan Weight Over 2,000kg categories. Judges described the model as “confident, concise and collected”, adding that “the iX3 inspired confidence from behind the wheel when towing”.

The MINI Countryman John Cooper Works was also victorious, taking the Caravan Weight Under 1,100kg category. Judges commented: “[The MINI Countryman John Cooper Works] is a car that is genuinely fun to drive – with precise steering, a muscular 296bhp, and an agile chassis – and it shows a towcar for a lighter caravan doesn’t have to be dull”.

Three BMW Group models rank in the top five of the What Car? Reliability Awards 2026.
Three BMW Group models placed in the top five of the What Car? Reliability Awards 2026, which use owner-reported faults alongside the time and cost of repairs to assess vehicle dependability.

The current MINI Countryman took first place with a 100 per cent reliability score and no faults reported by surveyed owners. The result is particularly impressive given that the model is available with five electric and combustion powertrains.

The BMW 4 Series placed fourth with a reliability score of 99.6 per cent, while the previous-generation MINI Cooper followed in fifth place with 99.4 per cent.

BMW takes two category wins at the inaugural RAC New Car Awards.
BMW secured two wins at the inaugural RAC New Car Awards, with the BMW iX3 named Best Large Electric Car and the BMW i7 taking the Best Luxury Car title. The awards were judged by the RAC’s in-house editorial team, with shortlisted models assessed across areas including value, performance and technology.

The BMW iX3 was praised for its outstanding electric range and charging speeds, class-leading handling and advanced and responsive technology.

Speaking on the iX3’s win, RAC Automotive Editor Lawrence Allen said: “the BMW iX3 is a game-changing electric car that's seriously impressive in lots of ways”.

The BMW i7 was named Best Luxury Car, with judges highlighting its “wonderfully premium and comfortable” interior, “vastly impressive” infotainment system and electric range.

Allen summarised the i7’s victory by concluding: “the BMW i7 continues to set the standard to beat in the luxury class… there's no better luxury car to drive or to be driven in”.

BMW and MINI recognised at the inaugural Electric Road EV Owner Poll Awards.
BMW and MINI have both been recognised at the inaugural Electric Road EV Owner Poll Awards, which celebrate electric vehicles based on feedback from their owners across areas including range, everyday usability and value for money.

The BMW i4 achieved an overall owner rating of 4.9 out of five stars, taking top honours for Comfort & Refinement and Performance & Handling. It was also the highest-rated model in the Large EV category, with owners commenting that the i4 has “all the good bits of the petrol model, but better”.

The BMW iX achieved an owner rating of 4.8 out of five stars and took the Technology category. Owners highlighted its passenger comfort, heated surfaces and pre-conditioning system.

The MINI Cooper Electric won the Small EV category, with 91.6 per cent of owners identifying Performance & Handling as a standout attribute. Owners also praised the model for retaining MINI’s characteristic go-kart feeling with an electric powertrain.

Ends


The BMW Group

With its four brands, BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2025, the BMW Group sold 2.46 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,500 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2025 was € 10.2 billion on revenues amounting to € 133,5 billion. As of 31 December 2025, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,540 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products – from the supply chain through production to the end of their useful life. 

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For further information please contact:

Sam Buckingham
Press Officer, MINI
Tel: 07815 362 262
Samuel.Buckingham@mini.co.uk

Tom Evans
Senior Press Officer, BMW
Tel: 07815 371 705
Email: Tom.Evans@bmw.co.uk

Christina Burnham-Hepe
Corporate Communications Director
Tel: 07815 371 206
Email: Christina.Burnham-Hepe@bmw.co.uk