Best new cars in 2024

As we enter 2024, we have already had a good look at what cars we can expect and, with a broad variety ranging from affordable superminis to the latest generation performance cars, the list certainly looks to promise a very exciting year ahead.

Alfa Romeo Tonale

• Price: £30,000

• On sale: 2022

The Alfa Romeo Tonale is set to arrive next year as part of a new model offensive from the brand that’ll include another small SUV. The Tonale is the Stelvio’s smaller sibling, taking on rivals such as the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, and our spy shot shows it’s likely to get the same kind of shape as the Stelvio.

Looks have always been an Alfa strong point, but another attraction for the Tonale is that it’s likely to be powered by a range of engines, including a plug-in hybrid option.

BMW iX1

• Price: £45,000

• On sale: 2022

The BMW X1 is due for an update soon car, and as part of that BMW will offer an iX1 model with electric power, designed to rival the Mercedes EQA and the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge.

As with other i variants, the electric version of the X1 is likely to look very similar to the regular versions, but with the addition of some key electric-car elements, including a blanked-off grille. The iX1 could use tech from the iX3, offering up to 282bhp and a range of more than 200 miles.

In the iX3, a full charge using a home wallbox takes about seven and a half hours, which is likely to be similar in the smaller model, while a 150kW rapid charge to 80 per cent capacity is likely to take around half an hour.

Aston Martin DBX Coupé

• Price: £170,000

• On sale: 2022

New Aston Martin boss Tobias Moers set out a plan for the brand recently that includes a new coupé version of the DBX SUV, potentially with plug-in hybrid power, and even a long-wheelbase variant. We don’t know much about the DBX Coupé right now, but it’s a fairly standard industry trend: take a look at the Porsche Cayenne and Cayenne Coupé to get an idea of how it’s likely to shape up. The interior and driving experience are likely to be very similar, but you’ll get a slightly more stylish body and a differently shaped boot. It’s likely to appeal to customers who want a more sporty-looking model, but still need the practicality of an SUV. Longer-wheelbase models are popular in places like China and allow more rear legroom. Aston Martin Vanquish Concept

Audi Q6 e-tron

• Price: £60,000

• (est) On sale: 2022

A new all-electric SUV is on the way from Audi, and it’s called the Q6 e-tron. It’s been spied in testing and seems to share some styling elements with the brand’s e-tron GT, mixed with design cues from the Q4 e-tron. It’s set to use the VW Group’s new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture.

This platform means it should be able to offer 350kW charging and a range of more than 300 miles on a single charge. It’s likely to be very powerful, too, and we expect some versions to have around 470bhp, with later RS models packing more than 600bhp, plus four-wheel drive.

Citroen C5X

• Price: £27,000 (est)

• On sale: 2022

The X in the new, upmarket Citroen C5 X is significant, because it hints at the firm’s ambition for the car, which is to blend attributes from several sectors, including hatchbacks and SUVs.

Sure enough, the styling seems to reflect that, with elements of each in the design. It’s based on the same tech as the C5 Aircross SUV but it’s a more grown-up offering, with petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains and an all-new 12-inch HD infotainment touchscreen inside.

The C5 X is also designed to offer a standard of luxury you might not expect given the relatively affordable price.

Rivals to the forthcoming big Citroen include the Peugeot 508 and Volkswagen Passat, although the C5 X might also tempt buyers from SUVs such as the Peugeot 3008 when it arrives in 2022.

Dacia Bigster

• Price: £20,000 (est)

• On sale: 2022

The Dacia Duster will soon be joined by a larger sibling in the form of the Bigster. This larger SUV model will offer more space; it's about the size of a VW Tiguan but will cost around £20,000. It’s likely to be one of the biggest SUVs at that price when it arrives in 2022. It will use the same CMF-B underpinnings as the impressive new Sandero, meaning engine options such as the 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 1.3-litre four cylinder petrol with 128bhp. The Bigster will also feature Dacia’s new branding and styling cues, which will be rolled out in an effort to make the maker seem more appealing, but the value-for-money aspect should remain intact even with this larger model joining the range.

BMW iX

EVs are having more than just a moment, and the segment shows no signs of stopping any time soon. While availability of the 2022 BMW iX is still a few months off, this electric crossover is already making headlines with its stunning design and remarkable performance. Expect an all-electric driving range of around 300 miles, as well as DC fast charging that can restore about 75 miles of range after just 10 minutes.

Audi e-Tron GT

Audi is no stranger to head-turning vehicles, and their latest electric vehicle continues that tradition. The 2022 Audi e-Tron GT may look like a sporty coupe, but it’s actually a four-door sedan that shares much of its underpinning with the Porsche Taycan. Want to turn the excitement up to 11? Keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming RS model, which is expected to go from zero to 60 in a blistering 3.1 seconds.

Lucid Air

Where the Rivian is about to transform one end of the motoring landscape, the Lucid Air is about to transform the other. This Tesla Model S rival takes the same foundations of being a large, luxury all-electric saloon but puts a new spin on things, with a stunning design and groundbreaking range.

This next generation of electric vehicles has rivals from Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW well in hand, and while the new Plaid might have the numbers and a funny steering wheel, the Lucid Air really is another step forward for EVs – doing things in its own fashion, but not to the detriment of the driving experience.

Unfortunately, Lucid is also focused on covering its US-based build up of orders, but we expect Europe’s EV-friendly legislation to be a big draw for the Air to be brought over sooner rather than later.

lucidmotors.com

Mercedes-Benz SL

So we’ve tackled two new and pretty fascinating EVs, but if the thought of a V8 roadster is more your style, Mercedes-Benz will have the answer come next year. While we’re still waiting to see the new SL Roadster without its disguise, we know for a fact that this all-new state-of-the-art 2+2 has been properly executed, with the best of Mercedes-Benz’s vast engineering capability crammed into its compact package.

Unlike previous SLs, this one runs on a bespoke AMG-developed platform and will be available with both pure combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains with as much as 830hp combined. The latter figure will be derived from the V8 we all know and love, augmented with an electric motor and small battery pack joining the party to make up that huge power output.

Best of all, this new SL promises to be the best-looking Mercedes model in years, a true throwback to the most glamorous period in open-top motoring arguably defined by its predecessors.

mercedes-benz.com

Range Rover

The perennial Range Rover is another new car we can’t wait to see when it’s revealed later this year. It’ll be a total reinvigoration of a motoring icon with more electrification, more interior tech and even more glamour, yet will almost certainly retain the regality we know and love. The aluminium-intensive chassis is expected to remain, but we’ll see more plug-in hybrid powertrains come on-stream, as well as a new range-topping twin-turbo V8 engine.

The biggest changes will be inside, though, with an all-new interior with even more luxury finishes and features. Yet the imperious driving position and focus on ultimate comfort won’t lose any of their importance with the new generation either.

We all love a Range Rover, and even though they sometimes seem as common on UK roads as a Ford Fiesta, there’s still a special place for the high-end SUV in our affections. This is unlikely to change next time around.

landrover.co.uk

Porsche Taycan

The Taycan represents Porsche's impressive start to the electric era. It's impeccably built, drives incredibly well and has a first-rate interior. The electric technology is as advanced as you'd expect, giving the Taycan not only a competitive range but also ultra-rapid charging capability.