5th edition of FASTER awards 2026
The Federation of Auto Scribes of the Electronic Realm (FASTER) concluded the fifth edition of the Acer FASTER Awards 2026 in Gurgaon, NCR, celebrating the best cars, motorcycles, technologies, and automotive personalities that defined India's industry in 2025. Presented in association with Title Sponsor Acer India and Associate Sponsor Spark Minda Limited, the evening recognised thirteen winners across product and non-product categories, marking five years of independent, rigorous, and uncompromising automotive evaluation.
The FASTER jury comprises the editorial leads and senior journalists from India's most widely read independent automotive digital publications, collectively reaching over 250 million readers and viewers every month across six languages. The jury includes Gaurav Yadav of Gaadiwaadi, Promeet Ghosh of Drivespark, Roshan Joseph of PilotOnWheels, Rohit Khurana of CarBlogIndia, Amit Chhangani of Motoroids and Naren Sharma of GearFliq,. Every vehicle is assessed through mandatory hands-on testing.
The Mahindra XEV 9E was named Acer FASTER Car of the Year 2026, and the TVS Apache RTX claimed Motorcycle of the Year, both earning their recognition through a mandatory hands-on jury evaluation process independently validated by Markets & Markets and Zen Technologies. In a historic first, ICE and electric vehicles were judged together under a single standard for the Car of the Year category, a decision that reflects the Indian EV segment's arrival as a mainstream competitive force.
The Mahindra XEV 9E winning Car of the Year alongside the best internal combustion vehicles in India is not just a product story. It is a statement about where Indian engineering stands today. The future of mobility is not arriving in India. It is being created here by Indian automakers. Five editions in, FASTER's commitment remains unchanged: the product, the engineering, the experience. Nothing else. Amit Chhangani, Chairman, FASTER Awards
The Mahindra XEV 9E, built on Mahindra's INGLO platform, India's first born-electric vehicle architecture developed by an Indian carmaker, delivers a claimed 656-kilometre range, 180 kW DC fast charging, a Snapdragon-powered software-defined architecture, and a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating. With over 30,000 deliveries already registered, the XEV 9E is the most commercially validated electric vehicle to win this title.
The TVS Apache RTX, TVS Motor Company's first adventure motorcycle built entirely in-house, features a 299cc liquid-cooled DOHC engine, ride-by-wire, switchable traction control, quickshifter, and 180 mm suspension travel at Rs 1.99 lakh. The jury's assessment was clear: for a first adventure motorcycle, the Apache RTX does not feel like a test. It feels like arrival.
Other significant recognitions on the night included the Tata Sierra winning Design of the Year, the Ultraviolette X47 taking Electric Two-Wheeler of the Year with the world's first production-integrated 77 GHz radar system, and the BMW X3 claiming Premium Car of the Year. The Honda Activa received the Timeless Icon award in the two-wheeler category, acknowledging over two decades of uninterrupted trust from Indian riders.
