26 NEW CARS FOR 2026

Hot hatches, family SUVs, city cars and everything in between

- ELLIS HYDE, News reporter

AS we embark on the new year, it's time to get ready for the most exciting, potentially game-changing new cars due over the next 12 months. And petrolheads should rejoice, because they're not all EVs!

Better still, we're not just talking about frugal four-cylinder motors, such as the one that'll go in the new Dacia C-Neo family wagon. Mighty V8s will be providing the brute force for the bonkers Bentley Supersports and the showstopping Toyota GR GT.

Some important EVs will also finally be arriving in 2026, from the Renault Twingo to Ferrari's first EV. We're also going to find out if the idea of electric sports cars has legs, with the Alpine A110 and Porsche Boxster/Cayman hopefully offering real thrills with zero tailpipe emissions.

One of the most important new cars is Jaguar's four-door GT, and it's set to be this summer's blockbuster reveal.

In other words, there'll be something for everyone to look forward to in 2026.

1. DACIA C-NEO

TO BE REVEALED EARLY 2026

DACIA'S plans to conquer the highly important C-segment of the new-car market continue. The company hopes it can build on the success of its Bigster midsize SUV with a brand-new family estate car that'll be looking to pick a fight with the Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf.

We've known about this car for about two years now, yet we still don't know what it will officially be called; all we know is its codename: C-Neo. However, prototypes have been spotted testing and our exclusive image (below) shows what we think the rugged and robust wagon could look like.

The long rear overhang should provide plenty of boot space – potentially as much as 600 litres – and given that this is a Dacia, the C-Neo will offer excellent value for money. It'll be based on the same CMF-B platform as the Bigster, so will feature the brand's latest, most efficient hybrid tech.