Many Asian Cars Coming Soon
In 2026, new cars will hit the market again. AutoWeek lists the most important and relevant models. This part covers, among other things, an electric Ferrari and two new Mazda SUVs.
Ferrari Elettrica: Electric Thoroughbred
Anyone who said ten years ago that Ferrari would release an SUV would surely have been laughing at. Ferrari now has the Purosangue in the showroom. And it’s even coming with an EV! We can’t show you that yet, but we do know that the Ferrari Elettrica will weigh 2,300 kilos, have over 1,000 hp, and accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds. The 122-kWh battery should provide a range of over 530 kilometers. We’ll know more in the spring of 2026.
Honda 0 SUV and 0 Saloon: Two Times 0
Honda is now also pressing the accelerator on electrification. In 2026, we expect the production versions of the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV, two strikingly designed newcomers. The SUV will closely resemble the concept, while the sedan will likely have a much more conventional design than the study model. Level 3 autonomous driving will be included, as will all-wheel drive for the SUV and rear-wheel drive for the sedan. Expect a range of about 500 km. A derivative of the small Honda N-One:e is also coming.
Honda Prelude: Hybrid Comeback
The Honda Prelude is returning! And no, Honda isn’t just slapping that name on a crossover; it’s genuinely putting it back on a coupe with Civic technology. Under the hood is a 141 hp and 182 Nm strong 2.0 four-cylinder petrol engine, supported by 184 hp and 315 Nm of electric power. Shifting is done with a CVT, allowing you to shift through artificial gears as desired. The new Prelude will arrive in our country at the beginning of 2026.
Hyundai Ioniq 3: The 3 is Number 4
After the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Ioniq 9, it’s almost time for number four: the Hyundai Ioniq 3. Like its siblings, it will be a striking appearance. The car will feature a remarkably high rear with a split rear window, a sharply cut roofline, and a strongly rising shoulder line. Expect battery packs of roughly 60 or approximately 80 kWh, 204 hp electric motors, and an electric range of between (approximately) 440 to over 500 kilometers.
Hyundai Tucson and Nexo: Extremes
The Hyundai Tucson has been a success for generations, and the current model is still selling well. It is quite extravagant, but the new one will take it up a notch. It’s possible that the Tucson will soon be available not only with combustion and hybrid power, but also with a fully electric powertrain for the first time. Much less successful, but also brand new, is the Hyundai Nexo. With a full hydrogen tank, it drives 700 km fully electric.
Jaguar Type 00: Hard Reset
Jaguar is preparing for a remarkable comeback in the automotive industry, which entails a completely new direction. Only fully electric models will be introduced, starting with a particularly minimalist four-door GT. No more impressive V8 roar, but convincing EV performance. For example, there’s up to 770 km of range, and you should be able to recharge 321 km of range in fifteen minutes. We don’t have more details at the time of writing.
Kia K4: Turnaround
The Ceed was never a particularly outspokenly designed Kia, but its successor certainly is. The K4 follows the same extravagant design language as various other (electric) Kias. It is not electric, as there is the EV4 for that. The K4 will be launched as a mild-hybrid and later also as a hybrid. A manual gearbox will even be available for the former, for those who want it. The Kia K4 will come as a hatchback, and a station wagon is also in the pipeline.
Kia EV2: Little Brother for a Success Story
The Kia EV3 is flying off the shelves, and now there’s also a compact, high-riding electric Kia coming that will be even cheaper. It’s called the EV2, and thanks to the Concept EV2, we already have some idea of what it will look like. The roughly four-meter-long EV2 will get the same batteries as the EV3, which should enable a range of over 600 km. Truly impressive in this segment. Will this also be such a sales hit?
Land Rover Defender Sport: Shrunk in the Wash
Family expansion for the (Land Rover) Defender: a little brother is coming. The small Defender, presumably called Defender Sport, appears to be even a bit more angular than the regular Defender. A bigger difference is the powertrain. It is a fully electric model, although it cannot be ruled out that combustion power will also be added at a later stage. Much is still uncertain, for example, whether the British will have it ready by 2026.
Lancia Gamma: The Second
Lancia is completely back in action with the Ypsilon, and more is coming. The next newcomer is the Gamma. Yes, Lancia is dusting off a name that has been dormant for over forty years. Don’t expect an instantly retro-designed model; it will probably be a crossover with a sloping roofline. Expect electric powertrains and a range of around 700 km, but mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid power sources are almost certainly also included.
Leapmotor B05: Chinese ID.3
The Chinese Leapmotor is targeting, among others, the Volkswagen ID.3, with a model somewhat reminiscent of it: the B05. It will likely do so with 179 hp and 218 hp electric motors and with LFO batteries of 56.2 kWh and 67.1 kWh. A sporty top version is almost certainly coming, which may receive two electric motors totaling 585 hp. Then, for example, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N will have to watch out a bit…
Mazda CX-6e: Repeated Recipe
Mazda recently brought the Chinese-engineered Mazda 6e to our country, and the Japanese are repeating that trick. Another electric Mazda based on Changan is coming: the CX-6e. In China, that model is already available as the EZ-60. The 4.85-meter-long SUV is rear-wheel drive and should be able to travel about 600 km on a full battery. A version with a range-extender also appears to be on the way, which should make a range of over 1,000 km possible.
Mazda CX-5: Distinctive Continuation
The ever-successful Mazda CX-5 embarks on a new generation with fresh courage. It starts its adventure just before the new year, with a mild-hybrid 2.5 four-cylinder of 141 hp. There’s also good news about the price, as the CX-5 is no more expensive than the previous one. In fact: a bit cheaper! It starts at €45,990. Incidentally, a full-hybrid CX-5 will also be launched later.