Cars coming soon: the new cars worth waiting for
Don't buy a car until you've read this – our ultimate guide to the new models going on sale in the rest of 2024 and beyond...
Planning to buy a new car? Think you know what you want? Well, before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you read our round-up of the models coming soon, because there's an awful lot of new metal that could be worth waiting for, whether you're after something small, spacious, sporty or stylish.
Here are the hottest new arrivals coming in 2024 and early in 2025. Keep this page bookmarked, because we'll be keeping it up to date with all the most exciting new releases as soon as we know about them.
Late Summer 2024
Aston Martin Valhalla
The Aston Martin Valhalla will be the firm's first plug-in hybrid model, but the primary reason for electrifying it is to boost performance rather than fuel economy. The looks are pure concept car, while learnings from the Aston Martin F1 team are said to have inspired the aerodynamics.
Aiways U5
Our first drive of the Aiways U5 suggested that this electric SUV from China is competent and cable in most respects, and highly impressive when it comes to space and tech. It should cost around £40,000 in fully loaded form, which is the sort of money you'll pay for the entry-level versions of better-known rivals such as the Nissan Ariya or Skoda Enyaq.
Alfa Romeo Junior
Alfa Romeo’s first fully electric car is a small SUV based on the same underpinnings as the Jeep Avenger. That means a 154bhp motor and a 51kWh (usable) battery that delivers an official range of 255 miles – beating the Avenger by seven miles. As with the Avenger, the Alfa Romeo Junior also be offered with mild hybrid petrol power. The Junior was going to be named Milano, but Italian authorities objected to the name being given to anything produced in other countries; the Junior is built in Poland.
Audi Q6 e-tron
A sister car to the electric Porsche Macan, the Audi Q6 e-tron will (as its name suggests) sit between the Audi Q4 e-tron and the Q8 e-tron in the brand's electric SUV line-up. Like the Audi E-tron GT, the Q6 e-tron will feature 800-volt charging functionality, allowing it to take on electricity at speeds of up to 270kW. That’s fast enough to get the battery from 10-80% in around 20 minutes (if you can find a suitably powerful charging point, of course).
BYD Seal U
Just as the Tesla Model Y is essentially a jacked up, SUV version of the Model 3 saloon, the BYD Seal U is the SUV sister to the BYD Seal executive car. Mind you, the two cars only share similar styling, because the Seal U is actually a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) rather than a fully electric car. Prices will start from £33,205, which is slightly more than a Mazda MX-30 R-EV and MG HS PHEV.
Chery Jaecoo 7
Chery is likely to be the biggest car brand you've never heard of. In fact, the brand's Jaecoo 7 is already well established in its native China, and the seven-seat SUV is set to land in the UK very soon, rivalling the Hyundai Tucson. Electric power will be offered with a range of plug-in hybrid and petrol engines, with four-wheel drive offered.
Chery Omoda 5
The Jaecoo 7 mentioned above will share showroom floorspace with the sleeker, coupé-style five-seat Omoda 5. Pure electric and combustion-powered versions will be offered, the latter arriving first. In the UK, we'll be getting a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol version and a mild hybrid.
Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster has proven extremely popular among those who want interior space and versatility and the road presence that only a family SUV can provide. This all-new version shares underpinnings with the latest Renault Clio small car and is better to drive as a result. There's also now a hybrid engine option, and – as before – the option of four-wheel drive with the tCE 140 engine, which turns the Duster into a pretty formidable off-roader.
Dacia Spring
The idea of a 'people's car' is nothing new, but cheap electric cars have been a long time coming. The Dacia Spring, though, is intended to put zero-emissions motoring within the reach of more people than ever before. To do so, it uses small motors (44bhp or 66bhp), and a compact battery; both versions offer an official range of 140 miles.
Fiat Topolino
The Fiat Topolino – Italian for "little mouse" – is much smaller than any Minnie (or indeed, Mini). In fact, it's not technically a car, but a quadricycle, and that means you can drive one if you're 16 or older and hold an AM (50CC moped) license. If its proportions seem familiar, that's because it's closely related to the Citroën Ami and will share that car's 8bhp electric motor and 5.5kWh battery. Top speed is 28mph, and a range of around 46 miles is expected.
Ford Explorer
With Ford having dipped its toe in the electric car water with the Ford Mustang Mach-e, the Ford Explorer is its smaller stablemate. Two versions will be available from launch: a single motor rear-wheel drive version with a 77kWh (usable) battery and an official 374-mile range, and a dual motor four-wheel drive version with a 79kWh (usable) battery that can officially travel 352 miles.
Ford Mustang
Not to be confused with the fully electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, this new, seventh-generation version of the classic Ford Mustang muscle car will be sold with the familiar 5.0-litre V8 engine, albeit tweaked to improve performance and fuel efficiency.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Bearing hints of the retro-futuristic styling theme already seen on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car, the fifth-generatoon Hyundai Santa Fe flagship SUV is all-new. It's bigger than the outgoing car, with the promise of more interior space f0r up to seven occupants. Expect electrified engines, including the same 1.6-litre T-GDi hybrid with 226bhp, as well as the 261bhp plug-in hybrid version. Front and four-wheel-drive versions will be offered.
Lotus Emeya
Complementing the Lotus Electre SUV as the second prong of Lotus's assault on the luxury electric car market, the Emeya is a four-door Porsche Taycan rival. In its most powerful form it packs 905bhp and four-wheel drive, with tech from Lotus's sister company, Polestar.
Mazda CX-80
Mazda has been out of the seven-seater game for quite a while now, which is why it's launching the CX-80 as a new range-topper. As you can probably tell from its looks, it's essentially a seven-seat version of the Mazda CX-60, which means it's powered by the same engines, including a 251bhp 3.3-litre mild hybrid diesel unit and a 323bhp plug-in hybrid system. When it arrives later in the summer, prices will start from £51,455, which is similar to its closest rival – the new Hyundai Santa Fe.
Mini Aceman
Slipping into the Mini range between the Cooper small car and the Mini Countryman family SUV, the Aceman is a small electric SUV to take on such rivals as the Jeep Avenger Electric and Smart #1. The entry-level Aceman E is powered by a 181bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels for a 0-62mph sprint of 7.9sec, using a 42.5kWh battery for an official range of up to 193 miles. The Aceman SE brings a power boost to 215bhp, cutting the 0-62mph sprint time to 7.1sec. Official range is up to 253 miles between charges, thanks to a larger, 54.2kWh battery.
Porsche 911 Hybrid
The Porsche 911 has entered the electric age with the new 911 Hybrid. Now, even though Porsche calls it a hybrid, it's technically a mild hybrid, because it can't run on electric power alone – even for short distances. Instead, an electric motor helps to bring the turbocharger for the car’s 3.6-litre petrol engine up to speed, allowing for faster responses, while a second electric motor incorporated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox adds power to the tune of 54bhp. In total, the new set-up develops 534bhp, which means the car can sprint from 0-62mph in just 3.0sec.
Porsche Macan EV
Porsche has a tendency to lean towards evolution rather than revolution, but the new Porsche Macan EV suggests otherwise. It's the firm's first ever electric SUV, which means it will rival the closely related Audi Q6 e-tron, as well as the BMW iX and Mercedes EQE SUV. Four versions will be offered from launch, including a rear-wheel drive Macan, as well as three four-wheel drive versions: 4, 4S and Turbo. Prices will start from £67,200 for the rear-wheel drive car.
Renault Symbioz
With a name that means Symbiosis; (in other words, living together), the Renault Symbioz is a new small SUV that will co-exist with the smaller Renault Captur and the Renault Austral family SUV in Renault’s line-up. It shares underpinnings with the Captur and offers the same hybrid E-Tech engine, with 143bhp. A plug-in hybrid version is likely, too, and a fully electric model could follow later. Prices start from £29,250.
Volkswagen ID 7 Tourer
Electric estate cars are slowly but surely hitting the new car market, and the VW ID 7 Tourer is one of the latest contenders. As its name suggests, it's based on the VW ID 7 saloon, which means it's powered by the same motor and battery options. Significantly, the largest battery version can travel up to 427 miles officially, which will give it one of the longest ranges of any new electric car. Meanwhile, in the boot, you get 545 litres of space, which is similar to what the BMW i5 Touring offers.
Late 2024
Audi A5
The Audi A4 is dead, long live the A5? Well, sort of, because the Audi A5 you see here is a new combustion-powered model that will replace both the A5 Coupé and A4 saloon. Confused? Let us explain very briefly; going forward, Audi's new combustion-powered models will have odd numbers (A3, A5, etc.) and its electric cars even numbers (A4, A6, etc.). So, with that in mind, the new A5 will be offered in both hatchback and estate forms with a range of petrol and diesel engines. There'll also be a fiery 362bhp V6 petrol S5 if you want it.
Audi A6 e-tron
Set to become Audi's first fully electric estate car, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron is capable of travelling for up to 466 miles between charges officially, and can replenish its batteries in less than 25 minutes – if you can find a charging point capable of providing enough juice. Available in both estate and hatchback forms, a 543bhp S6 version will also be offered.
BMW 1 Series
BMW's smallest car has been given a hefty update, with revisions to the styling, interior tech and engine line-up. In the outgoing car, a wide range of petrol options are available. Now, though, the 1 Series will only be offered with two. The 120 is the entry-level option; it uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with 168bhp and mild hybrid technology to help reduce your fuel bills. But if you want a bit more excitement, the M135 offers 296bhp from a 2.0-litre engine and can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.9sec.
BMW M5
The BMW M5 has always had some impressive power figures to boast about, and that's no exception with this latest version. It's powered a 4.4-litre V8 engine and an electric motor that combine to produce 717bhp and 738lb/ft of torque, while a 18.6kWh (usable) battery delivers an official electric-only range of 43 miles. Indeed, this new version is a plug-in hybrid, but not the sort that's designed for efficiency. Instead, it's geared towards performance, which is why 0-62mph takes just 3.5sec.
BMW X3
The new BMW X3 isn't a radical departure from today's car, but to alter such a proven formula would be reckless on the part of BMW. Expect 2.0-litre mild hybrid petrol and diesel engines, a performance-oriented M40i variant, and an xDrive 30e plug-in hybrid with 53 miles of official electric-only range. A new all-electric BMW iX3 is expected to follow in due course.
Citroën C3 Aircross
The new Citroën C3 Aircross is quite different to its predecessor, because it's grown in size so it can accommodate up to seven seats with the petrol and mild hybrid versions, which places it directly in line with the Dacia Jogger. Like the smaller C3 (both cars share the same underpinnings), an e-C3 Aircross will also join the line-up. It's powered by a single 111bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels. And thanks to a 44kWh (total) battery, it can travel up to 186 miles officially.
Cupra Tavascan
It already offers the Cupra Born, but Cupra is planning a second electric car: the Tavascan coupé SUV. An expected starting price of around £60,000 would see the Cupra Tavascan undercut premium-badged rivals such as the Jaguar I-Pace, while a predicted range of 353 miles in range-topping VZ form is competitive.
Fiat Grande Panda
While the current Fiat Panda has too many compromises for us to recommend it, its successor should be right on the pace. The new car, called the Grande Panda, echos the same boxy style, and it shares the same tech as the Citroën C3. This means it will be powered by electric and mild hybrid power, with a starting price of around £20,000 for the latter.
Ford Capri
It may have a classic name and some retro detailing, but the new Ford Capri is a very different beast to its coupé forefathers. Indeed, it now takes the form of a coupé electric SUV, which means it has a high driving position that many new car buyers crave. Beneath the surface, it’s based on the same underpinnings as a VW ID 5, which means it gets a 77kWh (usable) battery that delivers an official range of up to 389 miles for the Extended Range RWD version.
Hyundai Ioniq 7
Following the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and – you guessed it – the Ioniq 6, comes this flagship SUV. Similar in size and proportions to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, the Ioniq 7 has yet to be revealed as a production car (the image above depicts the concept).
Land Rover Defender Octa
A new range-topping version of the Land Rover Defender will arrive very soon. Called the Octa, it's a 626bhp super 4x4 that's designed to go just as fast on the road as off it, thanks to a 4.4-litre V8 engine, clever adaptive suspension, chunky off-road tyres and a raised ride height. Sound tempting? Well, unfortunately it will cost you, because the Octa has a starting price of £145,300.
Nio EL6
A name you may not be familiar with, premium Chinese brand Nio is set to make its UK debut with a rival to the Tesla Model Y. The Nio EL6 is a rival to the Audi Q4 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC. Expect twin electric motors, four-wheel drive and a total of 483bhp, and one interesting feature that those two had never thought of: swappable batteries. You simply visit a battery swap station when your battery is out of charge and swap it for a fully-topped up one. There's no word yet on how many such stations there will be in the UK, though.
Nio ET5
Also expected from Nio is a rival to the Tesla Model 3 and other electric exec rivals, including the BMW i4 and Polestar 2. As with the EL6, the ET5 is powered by two electric motors; 201bhp at the front and 282bhp at the rear, giving it four-wheel drive. Expect it to offer the same battery-swap technology as the EL6, too.
Polestar 4
Filling the gap between the Polestar 2 hatchback and Polestar 3 SUV, the Polestar 4 is a coupé SUV to rival the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. It offers a choice of rear or four-wheel drive, with as much as 536bhp in its most potent form. An official range of up to 385 miles is offered with the rear-wheel drive version, too.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The Toyota Land Cruiser is legendary in off-roading circles; it's the car you choose if you want to not only conquer unforgiving outback landscapes, but also to get home safely afterwards. This latest version promises to be just as unstoppable off the beaten track, maintaining a decades-old rivalry with the Land Rover Defender. Like that model, the Land Cruiser will stick with diesel power.
Vauxhall Frontera
Another name from the past will soon be back with us. The previous Vauxhall Frontera will be remembered as a rough-and-ready family SUV, with a strong reputation for off-road prowess (if a poor one for quality). This time around, though, it's smaller and much more biased towards life on the Tarmac. It is Vauxhall's counterpart to the Citroën C3 and Fiat Grande Panda from Vauxhall's sister brands within the Stellantis group. That means the Frontera will share underpinnings with those models, including fully electric and mild hybrid options.
Volvo EX90
The Volvo EX90 is an upcoming fully electric seven-seater. From launch, two versions will be available: a 402bhp Twin Motor and a 510bhp Twin Motor Performance. Both will be powered by the same 107kWh (usable) battery that's used in the closely-related Polestar 3. Unsurprisingly, both cars will have similar official ranges: 364 miles for the Twin Motor and 360 miles for the Twin Motor Performance.
Early 2025
Alpine A290
Previewing the electric Renault 5 that replaces today's Renault Zoe, the Alpine A290 will be an electric hot hatch with more than 200hp, using an electric motor related to that of the Renault Megane E-Tech. A battery similar in capacity to the Zoe's 52kWh unit is expected, as is a similar range of around 240 miles.
Cupra Terramar
This will be Cupra’s final non-electric car, offering a range of mild hybrid petrol and plug-in hybrid options. The latter will be capable of around 60 miles of zero-emissions motoring, a range that’s comparable with the best-performing rivals on sale today. The Terramar is about the same size as the Audi Q3, and indeed will be built in the same factory as that model.
Ford Gen-E
The all-electric version of the sharp handling Ford Puma small SUV will have a name all of its own. It'll take on the Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka Electric; sharing its 134bhp motor with the Ford E-Transit Courier electric van, it should manage 0-62mph in around 9.0sec. That’s competitive with the Peugeot e-2008, and the same is likely to be true of the Ford Gen-E’s range; a 55kWh battery is expected, taking it around 230 miles on a full charge.
Hyundai Inster
The Hyundai Inster is a new electric SUV, albeit a very small one. In terms of its size, it's taller than a Hyundai i20 small car, but slightly shorter horizontally. Pricing is also expected to be small, particularly for an electric car, with figures starting from around £22,500. While a Dacia Spring is even cheaper, it has an official range of just 137 miles. The Inster, by comparison, can travel up to 221 miles officially.
Kia EV3
Understudy to the EV6 and EV9 SUVs in Kia’s electric line-up is the new EV3. Replacing today's Kia Soul EV, it will be priced from £32,995 when it goes on sale. In terms of styling, the EV3 blends the looks of the seven-seat EV9 and EV6, but wrapped in a more compact SUV body. Single and twin-motor versions will be offered, with front and rear-wheel drive.
Renault 5
Of all the new cars due to go on sale during 2024, What Car? readers voted the Renault 5 as the one they were the most excited by, during our 2023 Electric Car awards. Seen only in concept form thus far, the new 5 takes visual clues from the petrol-engined car of the same name, which was sold in the UK from 1972 until 1996. Expect a 134bhp electric motor and a 40kWh battery on entry-level models, and an official range of around 200 miles. Renault is aiming for an official range of 249 miles with the optional, larger 52kWh battery. Possibly the most exciting thing about the 5 is its price; the entry-level model could cost as little as £22,000.
Renault 4
Slotting above the 5 in Renault's electric car line-up is the Renault 4. It follows a similarly retro theme to the 5, but is considerably taller than its sibling, with higher seating and greater ground clearance, which means it will be an electric SUV rather than a small electric car. Despite that, it's expected to be offered with front-wheel drive motors only to cater it towards urban environments.
Skoda Elroq
It's no coincidence the Skoda Elroq combines the first two letters of 'electric' with the last three of Karoq: this is an electric SUV that's a similar size to the Skoda Karoq (although the two don't share any parts). As such, it will slot below the Enyaq in Skoda's electric car range, and rival the Smart #1 and the Volvo EX30. We've already driven a late prototype and found it impressive, particularly in terms of performance, range and practicality.
Tesla Cybertruck
At 5.87 metres long, Tesla's first foray into the pick-up truck market is around the same length as conventional rivals in the US, but slightly longer than the models we currently get in the UK. It features a radical wedge-shaped design that's a major departure from the styling of other Teslas – and indeed pretty much everything else on the road. Plus, buyers will be able to spec it with one, two or three electric motors.
Toyota bZ3X
The bZ range of electric cars will expand with a smaller sister to the Toyota bZ4X, and under its more streamlined bodywork it’s expected to share that model’s 71.4kWh battery. That means it’s likely to match or beat its sibling’s official range of 317 miles, putting it slightly ahead of its Volvo C40 rival. Among innovations are a yoke-style steering wheel shared with the Lexus RZ.
Vauxhall Insignia
The next Vauxhall Insignia is in line for some big changes, gaining chunkier styling and a beefier look as it transitions to become a halfway house between an executive car and an SUV. It's essentially a Vauxhall version of the Citroën C5 X and Peugeot 408, with at least one plug-in hybrid variant set to be available from launch. Expect a dramatically overhauled interior, too.
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