Alfa Romeo Giulia and Tonale Lead Best Cars 2026 Import Rankings

Alfa Romeo Giulia and Tonale top the import categories at Best Cars 2026, as reported by auto motor und sport. See full results and market context.

Alfa Romeo secured a double victory at one of Germany’s most established automotive reader polls, as the Giulia and Tonale were named winners in their respective import categories at the BEST CARS 2026 awards organized by auto motor und sport.

In the “Mittelklasse” segment, the Alfa Romeo Giulia received 22.7 percent of the readers’ votes, finishing first among imported models. This marks the ninth win for the Giulia in its import category, underlining a rare level of consistency in a class traditionally dominated by German manufacturers. In the overall ranking of the segment, the BMW 3 Series (12.4%), Audi A5 (9.2%) and Volkswagen Passat (9.2%) led the field, while the Giulia once again topped the import standings.

The Alfa Romeo Tonale, competing in the “Kompakte SUV/Geländewagen” category, secured 8.4 percent of the vote to become the leading imported compact SUV. In the overall classification, the Audi Q3 (8.6%) took first place, followed by the Volkswagen Tiguan (7.7%) and BMW X1 (7.2%). For Tonale, this represents its third consecutive victory in the import ranking of its segment.

The Stelvio also delivered a strong result, finishing second among imported models in the “Große SUV/Geländewagen” class with 9.9 percent, behind the Skoda Kodiaq (10.2%) and ahead of the Land Rover Defender (7.4%). Meanwhile, the Alfa Romeo Junior placed fourth among imported small SUVs, narrowly missing a podium position.

The BEST CARS awards have been held since 1976 and marked their 50th edition in 2026. A total of 94,911 readers participated in the latest vote, choosing their favorites from 480 models across 13 categories. The results were published in auto motor und sport issue 6/2026, with the official award ceremony scheduled to take place in Stuttgart in June.

The recognition comes against a broader commercial backdrop. According to Germany’s KBA authority, 7,346 new Alfa Romeo vehicles were registered in the country in 2025. In the first half of that year alone, registrations reached 3,952 units, described by the brand as its strongest half-year performance in recent years. Within this context, the repeated success in a large-scale reader poll appears aligned with the brand’s current market momentum in Germany.

The Tonale, produced at Stellantis’ Giambattista Vico plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy, starts in Germany at 41,400 euros for the Ibrida version. The plug-in hybrid variant delivers 280 hp (206 kW) and features all-wheel drive, positioning the model competitively in the compact SUV segment not only in terms of design and image, but also technical credentials.

The BEST CARS 2026 results suggest that Alfa Romeo continues to balance its traditional sporting identity with the demands of today’s SUV-driven market. The sustained success of the Giulia and the consecutive wins of the Tonale point to consistent support from German readers rather than a one-off achievement.