The Federation of Auto Scribes of the Electronic Realm (FASTER) concluded the fifth edition of the Acer FASTER Awards 2026 in Gurgaon, NCR, recognising the best cars, motorcycles, technologies and automotive personalities that shaped India’s industry in 2025.
Presented in association with title sponsor Acer India and associate sponsor Spark Minda Limited, the awards honoured thirteen winners across product and non-product categories. The platform completed five years of independent automotive evaluation built around mandatory hands-on jury testing.
The FASTER jury comprises senior editors and journalists from leading independent digital automotive publications, collectively reaching over 250 million readers and viewers each month across six languages. Jury members include representatives from Gaadiwaadi, Drivespark, PilotOnWheels, CarBlogIndia, Motoroids and GearFliq. Every vehicle competing for an award undergoes physical evaluation by the jury.
Top Honours
The Mahindra XEV 9E was named Acer FASTER Car of the Year 2026, while the TVS Apache RTX won Motorcycle of the Year. Both winners were selected following hands-on assessments independently validated by Markets & Markets and Zen Technologies.
In a first for the awards, internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles were judged under a single standard in the Car of the Year category, reflecting the growing competitiveness of India’s electric vehicle segment.
The XEV 9E, built on Mahindra’s INGLO platform, offers a claimed range of 656 kilometres, 180 kW DC fast charging capability and a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating. The model has recorded over 30,000 deliveries to date.
The Apache RTX, TVS Motor Company’s first fully in-house adventure motorcycle, features a 299cc liquid-cooled DOHC engine, ride-by-wire technology, switchable traction control, a quickshifter and 180 mm suspension travel.
Other Key Winners
Among other recognitions:
- The Tata Sierra won Design of the Year.
- The Ultraviolette X47 secured Electric Two-Wheeler of the Year for introducing a production-integrated 77 GHz radar system.
- The BMW X3 was named Premium Car of the Year.
- The Honda Activa received the Timeless Icon award in the two-wheeler category.
Award of Honour
The ceremony also featured a posthumous Award of Honour for Sanjay Sharma, former Head of Motorsport and Corporate Communications at JK Tyre, who passed away on February 11, 2026. Sharma was credited with launching India’s National Racing Championship in 1997 and mentoring several Indian racing drivers.
Marking its fifth anniversary, FASTER reiterated its founding principle that every competing product must undergo hands-on evaluation, maintaining a process the organisation says remains independent and uncompromised.
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