The best new cars for 2026 – are they worth the wait?
Electric models are set to dominate the market next year, including a flood of budget Chinese brands. But which ones will spark your interest?
Electric models are set to dominate the market next year, including a flood of budget Chinese brands. But which ones will spark your interest?
The British car industry is facing its biggest challenge in decades. Dozens of cheap models from China are heading to the UK, with consumers pondering a raft of unknown brands from the People’s Republic.
While car production here plummeted almost 12% in 2024, the industry bounced back this year. Buyers finally found confidence in electric vehicles, with nearly a quarter of new cars being powered by battery.
SUVs, hatchbacks, saloons – 2026 also promises to be a bumper year on the forecourt.
Here’s our pick of the bunch for the next 12 months.
If you thought the Panda was an endangered species, think again. Fiat is breathing new life into its lovable city runabout, with the Fiat Grande Panda, a practical, low-cost supermini.
The aptly-named Grande is a four-door hatchback and likely to be the cheapest electric car on sale.
Best of all, this futuristic car looks like nothing else on the market, with pixel-style headlights and a funky interior. A petrol-electric powertrain will also be an option.
The Leaf was arguably the first mainstream electric car. The original blossomed in 2010 and promised so much – yet Nissan failed to capitalise on its EV ambitions.
The third-generation Nissan Leaf promises to be big and spacious, with a real-world range approaching 300 miles in some versions.
Distinctive styling is also of note, while a high-tech interior featuring recycled materials looks worthy of cars costing double the price.
Remember the original Renault 4 of yesteryear – that famous dashboard gearstick and a suspension so soft that the car often leaned into a corner?
After a break of 30 years, Renault has decided to bring back one of its greatest numbers, this time as a charismatic EV.
A tad more practical than the recently launched R5, the new Renault 4 is a four-door hatchback for small families and is utterly charming to behold.
The boxy-styling cues of the old 4 are easy to spot, but this new millennium version is packed with technology and is a joy to drive.
Polestar only had one model for years – now the Swedish brand has a trio of electric cars to drool over.
Next up will be the effortlessly cool Polestar 5, a luxury GT with a proper turn of speed.
Sleek and minimalist in true Scandi hygge fashion, this spacious saloon is powered by motors producing a supercar-like 884hp, driving the 5 from 0-62mph in just 3.1 seconds.
The all-American marque has yet to release official imagery of the first Wrangler EV, but expect a fresh take on the car pictured here.
The current model is available as a hybrid, but the battery version is set to be the most radical development in the brand’s history.
A cool alternative to the Land Rover Defender EV, not due until 2027.
Xpeng, Omoda, Denza, Chery – if you don’t recognise these Chinese brands yet, you soon will as they are all set to launch models in the UK in 2026.
Another is Leapmotor, whose sporty, compact hatchback the B05 looks like fantastic value compared to European rivals.
It boasts LED headlights, a frameless door and around 220 miles between charges.
Another blast from the past, the new Prelude is a two-door that has been reborn as a 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid.
Unlike the current trend for high-rise SUVs, Honda’s next model is a sexy coupe that’s handsome from every angle.
Refreshingly, the Prelude has a dashboard lined with physical buttons, rather than touchscreen menus.
(Hero image credit: Getty Images)
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