Coming soon: the new cars we're most excited about for 2024

Despite a turbulent few years for the car industry, the situation for both manufacturers and buyers is slowly returning to relative normality. Lead times on new vehicle orders are typically down to a few months (rather than over a year for some cars badly affected by pandemic related parts shortages), and restrictions on the availability of optional extras is easing.

If you’ve been putting off buying a new car, you won’t regret having waited for the bumper crop of models hitting showrooms this year, including all-new versions of popular family cars such as the Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Kodiaq – both of which include new petrol and diesel engines – and electric hatchbacks and SUVs, not least from Renault, which is readying two EV reinventions of its 5 and Scenic boot-badges.

The manufacturer race to full electric continues unabated, even with the government's decision to delay the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars until 2035. And with the EU having postponed the implementation of new tariffs on EVs traded between it and the UK until 2027, the feared jump in EV prices predicated last year is unlikely to materialise – at least for the time being.

Read on for our pick of the newest cars on sale now and in the near future.

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Small cars

Mini Cooper

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The new Mini isn’t offered with a petrol engine, though given the electric version of the outgoing model was the best one, we’re not too concerned, particularly as its limited driving range has been addressed. Even the entry-level model promises up to 190 miles from its 40.7kWh battery pack, while the 54.2kWh ‘SE’ model claims 250 miles.

Elsewhere it’s the usual Mini blend of compact dimensions and a high-quality interior, now dominated by an enormous and impressively tactile touchscreen display. A ‘go-kart’ driving mode allows drivers to individually configure aspects such as the steering response, and should ensure the trademark Mini driving experience, though with a tiny boot and cramped rear seats, it’s not the most practical proposition.

Renault 5

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Updating the iconic styling of past models can prove very popular indeed. Renault is set to follow in the trend of the Mini and last year’s Abarth 500e, by launching an all-new 5 hatchback for the zero-emissions age.

At launch – expected at the very end of the year – it will be available with a 52kWh battery allied to a 136hp motor (a cheaper 40kWh model is expected after launch), promising a claimed range of up to 248 miles.

Renault hopes the 5 will match the driver appeal of the Mini, though thrill-seekers might want to wait for the high-performance version, which will be launched later under the Alpine brand name.

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Large cars

Volkswagen ID.7

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VW would rather you consider its new flagship ID.7 EV to be more luxurious than its current Passat model, and a rival for the likes of the new BMW i5 and Mercedes EQE.

It’s certainly priced above more mainstream models such as the Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 6, but you will get a claimed range of up to 435 miles from the 82kWh model (the entry-level 77kWh model promises 382 miles) – far more than either of those cars currently manage.

Like other ID models, the 7 features a minimalist interior design, and despite its saloon styling, it’s actually a hatchback, improving access to the sizeable 500-litre boot.

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Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

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A starting price of £65,000 won’t make it the most accessible performance car, but the Ioniq 5 is the first proper attempt at a hot hatch for the EV age. Keeping the impressive passenger space and easy-to-use on-board tech of the regular Ioniq 5, the N ups performance to an eye-watering 650hp – comfortably outgunning most sports saloons.

Front bucket seats, all-wheel-drive, stronger regenerative braking and tweaked driving modes, as well as beefed-up exterior styling, complete the makeover for what is set to be one of the most exciting EVs of 2024.

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SUVs

Kia EV9

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The EV9 is Kia’s largest car ever to be offered in the UK. It’s available with either a six or seven-seat layout, the former allowing middle-seat passengers to swivel their seats 180 degrees for a ‘lounge’ configuration.

Being a Kia, expect a generous amount of standard equipment and the backup of its seven-year warranty. A healthy 210kW max charge speed should see the chunky 100kWh battery gain a 70% charge in 24 minutes in optimal conditions, not that you should need to stop all that often given its maximum claimed range of 349 miles.

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Skoda Kodiaq

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Skoda’s highly anticipated new Kodiaq will be available with a selection of four combustion engines, including two diesels. All are mated to the VW group’s slick DSG automatic transmission as standard, while all-wheel drive is available on higher-powered versions.

For the first time the Kodiaq is also available as a plug-in hybrid, with a claimed EV driving range of over 62 miles.

Otherwise, Skoda hasn’t fiddled too much with what is a successful recipe. It’s offered with up to seven seats and as we’ve come to expect from the brand, everyday ease of use takes precedence, with a cavernous claimed 2,035-litre maximum load space.

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The new car you’re unlikely to see in the UK

It’s arguably the most unique and radical car design unveiled in recent years, but despite the fanfare around Tesla’s much-hyped Cybertruck pick-up, and the model previously being open for pre-orders in the UK (now removed from the brand’s customer website), prospective British buyers are unlikely to ever get behind the wheel of one.

The reason is one of safety regulations. While under US law the Cybertruck is classed as a light-duty truck, meaning it’s exempt from numerous safety standards that apply to passenger cars, in the UK the regulations are more stringent.

Firstly, with a weight of over 3.5 tonnes, drivers will need a category ‘C1’ driving licence, typically held by light commercial vehicle drivers. This is likely to be a non-starter as far as most buyers will be concerned.

The Cybertruck’s aggressively angular design and unyielding stainless-steel skin also do it no favours when it comes to UK pedestrian protection legislation, which requires damage mitigating features such as crumple zones and deformable materials, as well as more rounded front-end styling.

Whether Tesla reworks the Cybertruck to meet UK requirements remains to be seen, though given the extensive modifications that would be required, it’s highly unlikely, particularly as the European pick-up market is a tiny fraction of the size it is across the Atlantic.

For drivers looking for a tough vehicle with cavernous load space and proper off-road ability, all is not lost. Toyota has unveiled an all-new version of its iconic Land Cruiser 4x4 – a model traditionally favoured by the likes of the UN for its dependability and ruggedness.

With a 2.8-litre diesel engine (remember them?), a towing capacity of 3.5-tonnes and a suite of off-road driving tech, it should maintain the model’s legendary reputation for mud-plugging prowess. Order books are due to open imminently.

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source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/coming-soon-the-new-cars-were-most-excited-about-for-2024-aflok6n8sbFK