By Michael Golson
Copyright thesun
A HOST of exciting new motors are coming to roads near you in the very near future – as several car brands gear up to make their debut in the UK over the coming year.
This year has already seen brands like Jaecoo, Leapmotor and Omoda make their mark.
In 2026, we’ll likely get a good few more – many offering next-gen electrification, snazzy features and new realms of luxury.
Here’s just some of the ones we’re particuarly keen on.
Two of the biggest brand names in Japan are joining forces to release a stylish, high-tech set of wheels that, like many manufacturers say, will challenge Tesla.
In 2022, tech giants Sony and Honda formed a joint venture called Sony Honda Mobility, which later announced the Afeela brand.
The Afeela 1 will be their first model, featuring a minimalist exterior with hidden handles and a flush front end.
It will also come with a unique “Media Bar” on the front bumper, which can display messages, charge status, weather updates, traffic information and even sports results.
Inside, it has a panoramic dashboard screen, Sony’s surround sound and noise-cancelling tech, as well as an AI personal assistant for apparent natural conversations.
It’s been described as a “mobility space”, akin to a living room, offering entertainment like music, video and gaming.
Two trims will be available: Origin, starting at $89,900, which is around £73,000, and Signature, coming in at a mighty $102,900, or £84,000.
The Signature trim includes additional features like larger wheels, extra rear-seat screens and more cameras.
The Afeela 1 will boast a range of over 300 miles and focus heavily on autonomous driving capabilities.
Pre-orders for the stylish motor are open in California, with deliveries expected to start in mid-2026.
We’re bending the rules slightly here, as it’s uncertain whether a UK release is in the pipeline – but we’re hopeful as we’d absolutely love a built-in PS5 for those standstill moments on the M25.
Chinese brand GAC will be coming to the UK in the coming months with the Aion UT, an all-electric hatchback that’s aiming to rival the iconic MINI in the UK market – they even look somewhat alike.
A major car manufacturer in its homeland, boasting an impressive partnership with both Honda and Toyota, it’s positioning the Aion UT as “China’s version of the Mini” – although it’s actually closer in size to the Volkswagen ID.3.
Designed for city driving with a focus on comfort and interior space, early reports claim it will have a price point of around £20,000 – making it cheaper than competitors like the VW ID.3 and more comparable to the MG 4 EV and Renault 5.
It will have all the usual gizmos inside: a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and an 8.8-inch digital instrument panel, although perhaps most notably, its front seats will be able to fold completely flat into a bed-like arrangement.
Mechanically, it will have a 267-mile range powered by a 134bhp electric motor.
Alongside the Aion UT, GAC plans to introduce the Aion V – a mid-size SUV, targeting competitors like the Tesla Model Y – with its UK launch coming courtesy of a distribution agreement with Jameel Motors.
Hongqi, another Chinese car manufacturer, plans to enter the UK market in 2026 with two luxury EVs – the EH7 saloon and the EHS7 SUV.
Both designed to rival premium models like the BMW 5 Series, they offer dual-motor powertrains, impressive acceleration, long ranges – up to 360 miles – fast-charging, air suspension, spacious interiors and even rear-wheel steering.
Personalisation and bespoke options will be central to their appeal as Hongqi, China’s oldest car brand, is perhaps best known for making cars fit for Chinese presidents and dignitaries.
They started their overseas expansion in 2018, currently selling EVs in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and now aims to establish a stronger presence in Europe.
12 new vehicles are being prepared for release within the next five years or so, including some hybrids.
No petrol-only models are planned for the UK.
Another premium offering from China, Exeed is a high-end offering from Chery – who also owns Omoda and Jaecoo.
Already selling cars in places like Chile and Kazakhstan, the brand offers four combustion-engine SUVs, the RX, LX, TXL, and VX, which will also soon feature plug-in hybrid powertrains.
It has also introduced two EVs, the Exlantix E03, a saloon comparable to the BMW i5, and the Exlantix E0Y, an SUV akin to the Audi Q8 E-tron.
Peter Martin, Exeed’s chief engineer, who’s formerly of Jaguar Land Rover, has claimed they plan to enter nine European markets, including the UK, within 24 months.
The UK line-up has yet to be finalised, although Exeed is expected to offer a range of powertrain options, including internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles.
They’ll be aiming to compete with the likes of Mercedes, BMW, Tesla and Lexus, with the Merc EQS considered their benchmark.
A new Italian car brand is hoping to take the market by storm in 2026, called Aehra.
Starting out with an eye-catching electric SUV called the Impeto and a luxury saloon, the Estasi, Aehra is holding itself up as the first pure EV brand from Italy.
Aiming to redefine “luxury sustainable mobility”, the Impeto will boast a hefty price of approximately £157,000.
It comes with a range of unique and unorthodox features though, including four top-hinged doors with touch-sensitive panels instead of traditional handles, and a portrait-oriented touchscreen inside, replacing the full-width dashboard display.
In terms of comfort, the SUV has a wheelbase of 3,025mm and a flat floor, providing plenty of leg-room inside for five tall adults.
The Impeto will also feature a beefy 120kWh battery, one of the largest in production electric cars, powering three electric motors – one at the front and two at the rear – producing up to 805bhp.
That gives it a 0 to 62mph time of under three seconds.
Charging is expected to be rapid too, with 925V architecture allowing a 10% to 80% recharge in just 15 minutes, and its estimated range is 497 miles.
It’s also built to be remarkably lightweight, using a carbon-fibre monocoque body for agility.
You may only see a handful of them on the road though, as Aehra aims to produce 20,000 to 25,000 units of both the Impeto and Estasi annually.
Lucid Motors is a US-based EV brand, much like Tesla, which has announced plans to enter the UK market late next year, with a mid-size SUV designed to compete with Tesla’s Model Y (a claim we’ve heard a few times before, haven’t we?).
They may also pair it with the larger luxury Gravity SUV – recently showcased at the 2025 Munich Motor Show.
At the event, Lucid’s CEO, Marc Winterhof, confirmed the company’s intentions to launch a mid-size platform in the UK – scheduled for release in December 2026 with a possible starting price of $50,000, or £36,900.
However, details of this particular model at this stage are sparse, at best.
On the Gravity SUV, Winterhof said that developing right-hand drive versions will require additional investment.
Pricing for the Gravity starts at the rough equivalent of £101,300, which means it undercuts the predicted £150,000 starting price of the upcoming Range Rover Electric.
Sadly, there’s no word on whether the Lucid Air, one of the most stunning EVs on the current market in this writer’s opinion, will be coming to the UK alongside the Model Y-challenger and the Gravity.
