Vegan Latest: Looking for a vegan car? These are the best models for 2026

From veganfoodandliving.com

Buying a vegan car? Start your search here for the best eco-friendly models, how to ensure your interiors are leather-free, and the hidden animal products to watch out for

It used to be that choosing a vegan car meant settling for budget models just to avoid leather upholstery. Often, enduring those scratchy, basic fabric seats felt like a fruitless sacrifice, as the rest of the vehicle was still far from cruelty-free. Today, however, animal-free leathers and eco-friendly interiors are becoming the norm in high-end brands and premium models.

Despite increased use of plant-based materials, you’ll rarely see a car marketed explicitly ‘for vegans.’ Instead, brands focus on broader sustainability, such as reducing carbon emissions in production, using recycled or recyclable materials, and reducing waste at the end of the vehicle’s life. This is because, as we all should be aware, animal products and animal testing are, sadly, present in more than just the visible parts of cars.

Of course, a car isn’t exactly the most eco-friendly purchase one can make. But while walking, cycling, and public transport are ideal, they simply aren’t a reality for everyone. Even the most dedicated vegans often need their own set of wheels to navigate the world.

For those who have the means to buy new, manufacturers now offer a wealth of vegan-friendly customisations. When you build a car from scratch, you have the power to eke out almost every animal-derived material from the spec sheet.

Buying second-hand, however, is arguably the more sustainable option, but it can be much harder. Finding a pre-owned car that’s practical, affordable, and environmentally friendly isn’t always easy. And, while many argue that second-hand leather is far more ethical than buying new, sitting on animal skins can feel rather unpleasant, so you’ll also have the tricky task of finding a leather-free vehicle.

Whichever route you choose to buy your new vehicle, it’s important to know what to look for. That’s why we’ve collected everything you need to know about how to choose a vegan car, the hidden animal products lurking under the chassis, and the brands that are leading the way in the vegan car revolution.

Buying a used car is often the most environmentally-friendly option, but it's not without its challenges, especially for vegans. Photo © Stocksolutions/Adobe Stock

Can a car be fully vegan?

Let’s start with the big question: Is a truly vegan car even possible, or should we just do the best we can?

Unfortunately, no car is completely free of animal-derived components, and animal testing may also be involved in production. However, armed with the right knowledge, we can make choices that drastically reduce our impact when buying a vehicle.

We often focus on upholstery, but leather’s durability makes it a popular choice for many other interior components. Even in cars with fabric seats, you might find animal leather on the steering wheel, gear shifter, handbrake, and even on the floor mats as binding.

Vegan alternatives are becoming more widely available, but we must also be aware of the potential environmental impact of synthetic leather. Plastic-based leathers are less hard-wearing than animal leather, and can release microplastics and toxic materials as they degrade. If you want to be kinder to the planet, look for the new wave of plant-based leathers made from mushrooms, apples, or grapes, which are often developed to be as practical, durable, and comfortable as animal leather.

Many brands are developing their own, high-performance vegan leathers, like Volkswagen's AppleSkin, made using residual materials from apple juice production. Photo © Volkswagen AG

And it’s not only leather to look out for. Adhesives derived from animal collagen may be used to bond upholstery. Meanwhile, floor mats and seat covers may be made from mohair or wool blends, and in higher-end models, wool or silk may be present in seat fabrics.

Fortunately, opting for cruelty-free interior fittings has never been easier, particularly when buying new. However, elsewhere in the car, hidden animal products may be lurking. Here are the areas which could keep your car from being vegan:

Tyres: Most tyres use animal-based stearic acid (derived from tallow/animal fat) to help the rubber hold its shape and improve grip.
Paint and coatings: Lanolin (from sheep) can be found in protective waxes, gelatine in coatings, and even beeswax as a flux for certain paints.
Steel and plastics: Animal fats may be used as lubricants for steel parts and as additives (elastomers) in various plastic components.
Interior electronics: Media screens and dashboards can contain liquid crystals based on animal cholesterol.

When it comes to veganising these areas, tyres are the place to start. Some brands, like Michelin, use plant-based stearic acid in all their tyres. Meanwhile, Dunlop, Goodyear, and Continental also offer some vegan tyre options. Although you are unlikely to be able to pick your tyres before purchasing a new or used vehicle, you can select vegan tyres when they’re due for a change.

While the other animal products are extremely difficult to identify and avoid, many manufacturers are actively improving the sustainability of their vehicles’ components, such as Dacia, which uses recycled plastics to make protective components that don’t need painting.

So, unfortunately, a fully vegan car isn’t possible, and none of the models listed below will be completely devoid of animal products. However, if we look at the Vegan Society’s definition, which is about avoiding exploitation as far as possible and practicable, there is still space for car ownership within a vegan lifestyle. For many of us, reliable transport is a necessity. All we can do is make the best possible choice for us and for the animals.

The best vegan cars for 2026

Best for style: Mazda 6e (with Takumi trim)
Best for performance: Porsche Taycan (with non-leather interior option)
Best budget vegan car: Dacia Spring
Best vegan compact car: MINI Cooper Electric (with Vescin interior)
Best vegan family SUV: Kia EV9
Best large 7-seater vegan SUV: Volvo EX90
Best long-range vegan EV: Tesla Model S
Best luxury vegan sedan: Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric (2026)
Best high-end executive vegan car: BMW i7 (with Veganza upholstery)
Best vegan off-roader: Rivian R1S
Best vegan crossover: Ford Mustang Mach-E

Top vegan-friendly car manufacturers

These are the best car brands to buy for ethical, animal-friendly cars that don’t cost the Earth. (We can’t promise they won’t cost a pretty penny, however!).

Each of these manufacturers offers animal-free, vegan-friendly interior options across their entire vehicle ranges, along with a range of other eco-friendly features.

1. Vauxhall

The Corsa, Vauxhall's 'electric supermini', is one of the better value new electric cars on the market. Photo © Vauxhall

Vauxhall tops the list of vegan car manufacturers because of the sheer number of vegan-friendly car models it offers. While it’s not alone in offering animal-free interior options across its whole range of cars, it stands out as the manufacturer with the widest range of models available. Vauxhall also offers fully-electric versions of every vehicle in its line-up.

From the low-cost Mokka and Corsa models to Vauxhall’s Frontera family SUV, all vehicles in the range are fitted with imitation leather in place of animal leather. While this is a synthetic, plastic-based leather, Vauxhall is committed to increasing the use of recycled plastics in its vehicles, along with recycled metals, wood, plant fibres, and bio-sourced materials from renewable resources.

In fact, Vauxhall is improving its sustainable credentials by ensuring its vehicles are designed to be sustainable from start to finish, using recycled and recyclable materials to decrease the waste produced during production as well as at the end of the vehicle’s life. And if that’s not enough, it also aims to be carbon net zero by 2038.

2. Ford

Ford's interiors are fitted with cloth and Sensico vegan leather trims. Photo © Ford

Across its range, Ford offers animal-free options with interior options using cloth, faux leather, or a combination of the two. The brand’s Sensico vegan leather is a soft, suede-like material that aims to replicate the premium look, feel, durability and ease-of-cleaning of leather.

Ford has also utilised a sustainable, soy-based foam for its vehicles’ seats since 2008, and is working on developing composite materials from coffee bean husks to further improve the eco-friendliness of its manufacturing process.

The Mustang Mach-E, Ford’s first ‘fully vegan’ vehicle, was awarded PETA’s ‘eCow-friendly’ Award in 2019. While the brand picked up this accolade for its use of animal-free materials in the interior, it received further praise from PETA in 2023, after banning the use and funding of animal testing across all of its processes.

3. Dacia

Dacia's Sandero Stepway and Jogger models are among the cars available with fully vegan interiors and recycled exterior components. Photo © Adrien CORTESI/Cetadi Prod

Dacia produces a range of sustainable and affordable vehicles, focusing on being budget-friendly as well as planet-friendly. Key models include the Duster, Sandero Stepway, and Jogger

Basic Dacia models feature animal-free interiors with cloth seats. Upgrade to the ‘Extreme’ trim, and the cloth is combined with elements made from MicroCloud TEP, an algae-derived leather-style fabric which claims to be soft, water-resistant, and easy to clean.

Models such as the Sandero Stepway and Jogger also use sustainable solutions in protecting the wheel arches, lower body and fog lamp surrounds. Starkle®, which was used for the first time on the new Duster, is a protective material made with 20% recycled plastic. This composition gives the material a speckled look, with white particles. It’s left untreated and unpainted on Dacia’s vehicles, giving it a speckled look that better hides everyday scratches, while also reducing the material’s carbon footprint in production.

4. Mini

Mini's vegan leather seats are available in a variety of colours. Photo © BMW Group

New Mini Coopers have been available with fully vegan interiors since 2023, as part of an initiative by the BMW group to cut its vehicles’ carbon footprint.

Cars are fitted with a combination of recycled fabric and a high-quality synthetic leather called Vescin for seats and steering wheels. Available in a variety of colours, these animal-free alternatives aim for sustainability without sacrificing luxury, with under 1% of materials in new Mini vehicles containing animal-derived products.

Vescin is designed to feel like premium leather while offering high durability, wear resistance, and resistance to sweat and moisture. It’s made of recycled materials and is fully recyclable.

5. Polestar

The Polestar 3 features the MicroTech vegan interior as standard. Photo © Polestar

Polestar is an ideal brand for those shopping second-hand, as many of its older models (from 2021 onwards) feature its PVC-based Weavetech ‘leather alternative’ as standard. This water-resistant, easy-to-clean fabric is inspired by divers’ wetsuits and offers a similar texture, quite different from other faux-leather seats.

Polestar’s newer leather-style option, MicroTech, is presented as a high-end alternative to animal leather and is standard across all its current models. It is made from a combination of renewable, bio-attributed vinyl and recycled polyester. MicroTech is marketed as a soft and resilient, fully vegan material which features a modern quilt-block design. A third vegan-friendly option, available as an upgrade in the Polestar 4, is the Tailored Knit interior, which uses yarn made from 89% recycled PET waste.

While Polestar still offers animal-based (albeit ‘sustainably-produced’) leather in its ‘premium’ packages, it is on a pathway to be fully leather-free in future as part of its wider strategy to produce a truly climate-neutral car by 2030.

6. Smart

Smart’s parent company, Mercedes-Benz, has become something of a pioneer in vegan cars, boasting the world’s first vegan-certified car interior. So it’s little wonder that Smart’s entire range of modern, eco-friendly vehicles offers animal-free interior options.

Smart cars, particularly the all-electric #1 and #3 models, often feature animal-free materials and ‘duo-leather’ or artificial upholstery as standard. Smart models are recognised for having vegan-friendly interiors throughout their line-up, offering a compact, electric, and cruelty-free driving experience. Meanwhile, for second-hand purchases, older models like the 2018 ForTwo used fabric seats or synthetic leather.

7. Renault

In September 2025, Renault committed to eliminating leather in all its car interiors by the end of that year, following discussions with PETA France. It quickly followed up on its promise, shifting to cruelty-free materials, using recycled textiles, plastics, and eco-friendly fabrics in new models like the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, Symbioz, and Rafale.

Now, all new Renault vehicles are available with leather-free cloth seats (made from 100% recycled fabric using PET bottles) or carbon-fibre inspired Twill upholstery in premium models. Steering wheels have eliminated animal leather, too, using a refined, bio-sourced and recycled textile instead.

8. Tesla

From an ethical standpoint, supporting Tesla is tricky. On the one hand, it pioneers electric vehicle adoption and sustainable tech, and has offered vegan-friendly interiors in its cars since 2017. On the other hand, the brand has been subject to ongoing boycotts, largely due to its CEO’s personal actions and political involvement. Because of this, Tesla may be best left to second-hand vegan car buyers (who should perhaps consider investing in a bumper sticker that confirms their personal ethics).

Tesla’s big push on sustainable, vegan-friendly cars started in 2019, when it removed the last animal leather component – the steering wheel – from its Model 3, replacing it with a durable, polyurethane-based vegan leather version. Now, all Tesla models, including the Cybertruck, are only available with vegan interiors, with options for textile or vegan leather seats.

Other notable brands

While the following brands don’t currently offer vegan interiors across their entire vehicle ranges, they do offer standout features and noteworthy ethical options. These are the vehicle brands that are on their way to making a full fleet of cruelty-free, vegan cars:

Mercedes-Benz:
In 2025, the GLC became the world’s first car with a Vegan Society-certified interior. This partnership continues with the new electric C-Class, featuring Artico replica leather and vegan-certified trim.
BMW:
Since 2023, BMW has offered fully vegan interior options, including steering wheels, using Veganza, a sustainable material that reduces interior CO2 emissions by up to 85%. It is now standard on models like the i5.
Audi:
Known for its leather-free electric e-tron range, Audi has used sustainable textiles like Econyl (made from recycled fishing nets) and Dinamica microfibres for years. In fact, when Audi launched its electric Audi e-tron GT supercar in 2021, Sustainable fashion enthusiast Stella McCartney was among those supporting the launch.
Volvo:
Committed to a fully leather-free line-up by 2030, Volvo’s pure electric models already feature interiors trimmed with Nordico, a progressive material crafted from recycled PET bottles and bio-attributed forest materials.
Volkswagen:
Volkswagen is actively increasing its offering of vegan-friendly vehicles by reducing animal-based materials in favour of plant-based alternatives. Many models already use its Apple Skin leather alternative, and the brand is now developing hemp-based LOVR for its vehicles, a material that is leather-free, oil-free, vegan and residue-based.
Land Rover:
Luxury vegan options like Ultrafabrics and eucalyptus fibres are available on models including the Velar, Evoque, and standard Range Rover. (Note: Avoid the Kvadrat leather alternative option if you are strictly vegan, as it contains a wool blend).
Kia:
Kia uses Bio-Polyurethane (BIO PU) derived from natural materials like corn and eucalyptus for its faux leather seats, with recycled PET materials used elsewhere in the interior. Its vegan leather seats are standard on many models, including the EV6 and EV9.
Mazda:
The MX-30 and all-new Mazda6e offer animal-free cabins using Maztex artificial leather. These interiors are uniquely accented with sustainable cork and recycled fabrics.

Vegan car buyer’s checklist

Buying a car is a major commitment. Use this quick guide to ensure your next vehicle aligns with your values as much as possible.

New cars: What to ask the dealer

When customising a new vehicle, don’t stop at swapping the seats. Ask if these components can be animal-free:

Steering wheel
Gear shifter
Handbrake
Floor mats (some use wool blends or mohair, or may use leather trim)
Fabrics (non-leather seat covers may use wool or silk)
Tyres (you’ll rarely be able to choose the brand, but there may be an animal-free alternative available on some premium models)
Michelin tyres are vegan-friendly and are often fitted as standard in car models from Mercedes, Porsche, Polestar, Tesla, and others. Photo © bilanol/Adobe Stock

Used cars: What to look for

When buying second-hand, it’s best not to worry too much about hidden animal products. You’re not directly paying for these components, and they can be much harder to avoid in pre-owned cars. However, if you’d like to avoid leather in your used car, here’s what to do:

Feel the steering wheel and gear stick: If the material is cold, smooth, and has a distinct grain, it’s probably leather. If it feels more like rubber or textured plastic, you’re likely in the clear.
Check the trim: Look for leather binding on floor mats or leather inserts on door panels.
Test the ‘leather’ seats: If the seats aren’t fabric, there are ways to tell if the leather is synthetic or animal-based, particularly in older models.
To check, press your finger into the seat material. Animal leather will wrinkle, while synthetic leather will usually just show a dimple where it was depressed.
Alternatively, look for an edge or seam where you can peek at the underside of the material. For real leather, the back will look like rough, fibrous suede, while synthetic leather is likely to have a fabric or mesh backing that the top layer is glued to.
Check the VIN: If in doubt, the Vehicle Identification Number can help you to confirm what’s inside an older car. This 17-digit number is usually on the driver’s side dashboard or door frame, and can be used with a free online VIN decoder to tell you the car’s factory-set interior trims.

Tip: If a car has exactly what you want but includes a leather steering wheel, many specialist shops can re-wrap the wheel in a high-quality synthetic alternative. It doesn’t solve the ethical issues with buying a leather-trimmed car, but it does remove the ‘ick factor’ of holding onto animal skin every time you go for a drive.

Want to make your current car cruelty-free? From changing tyres to choosing cleaning products, try these vegan car tips

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/vegan-car-buyers-guide/

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