There are some really interesting and varied products heading our way in the next 12 months, with an obvious heavy skew towards electric vehicles (EVs). But there’s still plenty for the internal combustion engine (ICE) enthusiast to look forward to as well. Here are 10 to watch.
BMW X2/iX2
Now the third-generation BMW X1 is here, it’s time for an all-new X2. Its physical form is much more coupe-like than its predecessor and, furthermore, it is designed to look nothing like the X1 from any angle. This X2 has grown in every exterior dimension, too, which should be to the benefit of space in an interior that has ramped up the tech quotient considerably.
Three flavours of X2 will be offered by BMW initially, including an all-electric version called the iX2. All models are reasonably quick, while a lower-powered, longer-range variant of the iX2 is said to approach 500km to a charge.
Citroen e-C3
The striking look of the new Citroen e-C3 is inspired by the Oli concept car and has taken on more of an SUV aesthetic, complete with a raised ride height, chunky bumpers and cladding around its wheel arches and sills.
Although petrol models have been confirmed, for now we only have details on the all-electric version which will kick off the new C3 family. Called the e-C3, this promises to be a cheerful yet highly affordable electric runaround, complete with a 113hp motor, a 44kWh battery pack and the ability to go up to 320km on a single charge of its battery.
The e-C3 will also come with a spacious, high-tech cabin and a strong focus on passenger comfort. About the only fly in the ointment is that we’ll have to wait until towards the end of 2024 to try the e-C3 out for size.
Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster has always been a super-affordable SUV, but with the new third-generation model coming in 2024, the Romanian company is ramping up the rugged image of the vehicle. Its angular looks hide a body which matches the dimensions of the outgoing car, so the new Duster won’t take up any more space.
The biggest change, though, does not revolve around the looks but rather what’s under the bonnet. For the first time in its life, the Duster is getting hybrid power.
Inside, the Duster has a simple but attractive interior, with base models fitted with a cradle to hold the owner’s smartphone, which will then serve as the infotainment. Higher-grade models get a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, while practicality levels will be typically excellent thanks to a 472-litre boot and clever modular roof rails.
MINI Cooper
While petrol engines are mooted for the incoming model, the all-new MINI three-door hatchback which launches in 2024 will initially do so as a purely electric vehicle. Your choices will amount to the 184hp Cooper Electric E, with a 40.7kWh battery and a 305km driving range, or the more potent Cooper Electric SE. This ramps the output to 218hp and features a bigger 54.2kWh battery, resulting in a 402km quoted range and a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds.
Meanwhile, the interior has been sharpened up with a huge circular OLED touchscreen dominating a dashboard rendered in tasteful fabrics and recycled materials.
Peugeot 3008/E-3008
Again, like some other cars on this list, the new Peugeot 3008 will eventually get versions with engines onboard, albeit in both mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid varieties – plain petrol and diesel engines are unlikely to appear in the next-gen model. However, when the French family SUV first arrives, it will purely be as the E-3008 EV.
Peugeot will offer its crossover-SUV in three electric varieties with a longest range of 700km and as much as 326hp from the highest-performing model.
Sharp exterior looks feature a pronounced slope to the rear windscreen, but Peugeot claims the interior space is just as good as the car it replaces. The show-stopping interior includes a gigantic 21-inch curved display atop the dash, which seamlessly merges the instrument cluster and main infotainment screen together into one unit.
Polestar 3
Polestar’s roadmap as a purely EV manufacturer has taken some time to make its way from its first model, the highly likeable and talented 2 hatchback. In 2024, however, will see the launch of the Polestar 3.
It’s an analogue of the Volvo EX90, but the Polestar take on it is sportier-looking and doesn’t have the seven-seat option. What it does have is powerful drivetrain options of around 500hp and a 107kWh battery, which means the Polestar 3 should be capable of more than 600km to a charge in some specifications. Factor in the company’s sleek exterior styling and typically top-notch interior quality and ambience, and the 3 is going to be a strong contender in the luxury electric SUV market.
Renault 5
This might well be the most eagerly anticipated car of 2024. It’s a revival of Renault’s 5 hatchback from the 1970s and ‘80s, this time rendered as a pure EV. Renault’s boss has said that the target is to sell it for less than €25,000 on the continent. That figure will obviously rise here once VRT is factored in, but the Renault 5 E-Tech EV should still be one of the cheapest new electric cars on the market when it finally arrives.
With a simply huge amount of kerb appeal, thanks to its smoothed-off revisioning of the original 5’s looks, the E-Tech model will be fitted with a 52kWh battery pack that makes it good for 402km of one-shot driving range. Inside the cabin will be a high-tech digital interface including a voice-controlled avatar assistant called Reno, so the new 5 will be completely at odds with the super-simple interior of the old versions.
Skoda Superb
Skoda is almost going against the tide here, launching the new fourth-generation Superb as its internal-combustion-engined flagship. However, EV fans need not totally despair, as the big Skoda will once again have a plug-in hybrid model called the iV.
This hatchback and estate line will continue to offer regular turbocharged petrol and diesel powertrains, though, as well as a new mild-hybrid set-up based on the 1.5-litre TSI petrol.
Perhaps the most incredible news about the car, however, is the fact it has got even bigger inside. Those who know Skoda’s flagship as a cavern on wheels already will be surprised to hear the boot is more capacious on both the hatchback and Combi models than it is on the model it is replacing. The infotainment system has also been spruced up, too, with the latest tech, although Skoda isn’t reneging completely on physical switchgear.
Toyota Land Cruiser
With its wonderful retro-inspired looks, harking back to more than seven decades of lineage, the new Toyota Land Cruiser – slated to land in the latter half of 2024 – aims to poach some sales from the likes of the Land Rover Defender.
Launching with a 2.8-litre turbodiesel borrowed from the Hilux pickup, Toyota says it will add a more efficient mild-hybrid diesel powertrain to the range at some point in 2025. There’s no word yet on whether an all-electric version of the legendary Land Cruiser will be available, or even a plug-in hybrid variant.
If Toyota blends all of the 4x4’s attributes together well enough, and then gets the price right, this could be a real headache for the all-conquering Defender.
Volkswagen ID.7
The flagship Volkswagen electric car is the incoming ID.7, which will be available as a five-door fastback and also an estate called the Tourer. Available with 77- and 86kWh battery packs, the range of the VW EV is said to be anything from 616- to 701km to a single charge, making it one of the longest-range EVs of any size or price currently on the market. Performance is also strong, thanks to a high-torque, 286hp electric motor.
Inside, the ID.7’s in-car functions are mainly controlled by a huge 15-inch touchscreen display in the centre of the dash, while various ergonomic issues with current ID models – such as various buttons and sliders which aren’t backlit – have been rectified for the new car. Its availability as a Tourer also broadens the ID.7’s undoubted appeal, as it is still the case that not many manufacturers are making electric estates; most just default to an SUV body instead.
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Carzone - 14-Dec-2023