Best April Fools' Day jokes by car companies 2026

Car manufacturers rarely inject an element of comedy to their usual focus of sales targets and engineering breakthroughs. But come April 1, all that changes. A switch gets flipped, and suddenly, automotive PR departments start playing tricks on the general public. They love nothing more than trying to fool us with outlandish gags, some of which are more convincing than others.

On this day, the usual flow of press releases and adverts takes a sharp turn towards the ridiculous. We’re bombarded with news of impossible vehicles or laughable, over-the-top technology – all designed to fool the unwitting reader. The amount of resources at these brands’ disposal means they don’t hold back when crafting their jokes and AI has opened up a whole range of new possibilities.

So, without further ado, to celebrate the ridiculousness that is April Fools' Day, we’ve rounded up the best automotive pranks from 2026.

Fiat Professional 

Many of the nation’s tradespeople are up at the crack of dawn, even if they’re often associated with a different kind of crack. Fiat may have the solution, though, with its innovative ‘noshow’ workwear. These fashionable garments are designed to keep Britain’s hardest workers comfortable, dignified and without anywhere to ‘park their bike’. 

Hyundai Caaaaasper

Very similar to the electric Hyundai Inster we have over here, the Hyundai Casper is a funky but tiny city car. If you crave plenty of space, though, this zero-emission stretch limo is the car for you. Parking it will be utterly horrendous, and the DVLA might be a tad hesitant to allow it on our roads on safety grounds, but just look at it!

Leapmotor Leap Mode

Speed humps do serve a purpose and ultimately improve road safety, but let’s be honest, they can be rather annoying. Leapmotor has the solution, though, with its new Leap Mode. Fitted to the C10 SUV, this fictional function purportedly uses the car’s Cell‑to‑Chassis EV architecture and magnetic field around the rear motor to lift the car over upcoming bumps. The biggest fools are those who don’t drive safely, though, so you can only activate this at speeds of under 20mph.

Skoda Hound Hose

Skoda has become well known as one of the most dog-friendly car brands on the market. In fact, we wouldn’t entirely rule out the possibility of this humorous hose eventually becoming a genuine feature. Apparently available across the entirety of the brand’s line-up, this canine cleanser has three settings: Skoda Spritz, Matted in mud, and I love you, but you’re not getting in my brand-new Skoda when you’re this muddy.

Suzuki Pothole Protector

If there’s one 2026 April Fool’s feature that you’ll wish was real, it’ll be this. Suzuki’s Pothole Protector is designed to pre-warn you of any incoming chasms in the road surface. However, it’s worth noting that it might never shut up on UK roads!

Volkswagen Canary Assist

Back in t’olden days, canaries were used to warn of dangers in the mines, so it’s about time that this important safety feature was introduced to the motoring world, says VW. Providing you order one in the highly appropriate shade of Canary Yellow, the Volkswagen T-Roc replaces tedious warning chimes with the cheerful chirps of our feathered friends whenever someone is lurking in your blind spot. 

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