GaadiWaadi –
FASTER Awards 2026 saw India’s most credible automotive jury come together to celebrates excellence across cars, bikes and breakthrough technologies for the fifth year running
The fifth edition of the Acer FASTER Awards 2026 concluded in Gurgaon, NCR, bringing together the country’s most respected automotive voices to honour the standout vehicles, technologies and personalities that shaped India’s mobility landscape in 2025. Organised by the Federation of Auto Scribes of the Electronic Realm (FASTER), the awards were presented in association with Title Sponsor Acer India and Associate Sponsor Spark Minda Limited.
13 winners were recognised across product and non-product categories in a grand event. The headline accolades went to the Mahindra XEV 9E, named Acer FASTER Car of the Year 2026, and the TVS Apache RTX which secured Motorcycle of the Year. In a significant move, internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles were judged together under a unified framework for the Car of the Year title.
The evaluation process was independently validated by Markets & Markets and Zen Technologies. The jury comprises senior editors and journalists from India’s leading independent automotive digital platforms – collectively reaching over 250 million readers and viewers each month across six languages. Members include Gaurav Yadav (Gaadiwaadi), Promeet Ghosh (Drivespark), Roshan Joseph (PilotOnWheels), Rohit Khurana (CarBlogIndia), Amit Chhangani (Motoroids) and Naren Sharma (GearFliq).
Every nominated vehicle must undergo mandatory hands-on assessment to qualify. The Mahindra XEV 9E, built on the INGLO platform, delivers a claimed 656 km range and supports 180 kW DC fast charging and features a Snapdragon-powered software-defined architecture alongside a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating. The TVS Apache RTX, TVS Motor Company’s first in-house adventure motorcycle, is powered by a 299 cc liquid-cooled DOHC engine and features ride-by-wire, switchable traction control, a quickshifter and 180 mm suspension travel, priced at Rs 1.99 lakh.
A deeply emotional moment saw the evening with a posthumous Award of Honor presented to Sanjay ‘Hardy’ Sharma, former Head of Motorsport and Corporate Communications at JK Tyre – recognising his pivotal role in establishing India’s National Racing Championship and nurturing talent such as Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok and Jehan Daruvala. Kush Maini was named Motorsports Personality of the Year following his historic Formula 2 victory at Monaco in 2025.
Full List of Winners: Acer FASTER Awards 2026
Non-Product Categories
Auto Campaign of the Year: Skoda India – Octavia RS (Chanakya Campaign)
CSR Initiatives Award: Honda India Foundation
Award of Honor: Sanjay ‘Hardy’ Sharma (Posthumous)
Motorsports Personality of the Year: Kush Maini
PR Personality of the Year: Srinivas Krishnan, SVP, Adfactors PR
Communications Personality of the Year: Anand V, VinFast India
PR Team of the Year: PR Pundit Havas Red – Auto Division
Communications Team of the Year: VinFast India
Industry Personality of the Year: Tarun Garg, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India
Technology of the Year: Mahindra INGLO Platform
New Entrant of the Year: VinFast India
Product Categories
Update of the Year – Two-Wheeler: Harley-Davidson X440 T
Update of the Year – Four-Wheeler: Kia Carens Clavis
Design of the Year: Tata Sierra
Electric Two-Wheeler of the Year: Ultraviolette X47
Electric Car of the Year: Mahindra XEV 9E
Premium Motorcycle of the Year: Ducati Multistrada V4
Premium Car of the Year: BMW X3
Timeless Icon – Two-Wheeler: Honda Activa
Timeless Icon – Four-Wheeler (Viewers’ Choice): Toyota Innova
Viewers’ Choice Award: Maruti Suzuki Victoris
Scooter of the Year: Suzuki Access
Motorcycle of the Year: TVS Apache RTX
Car of the Year: Mahindra XEV 9E
The post FASTER Awards 2026 Conclude Landmark 5th Edition; XEV 9E & Apache RTX Take Top Honours appeared first on Gaadiwaadi.com – Latest Car & Bike News by Surendhar M.