The best cars at the Brussels Motor Show

The Brussels Motor Show is the first event in the automotive calendar of 2026, and is one of the most important car exhibitions in Europe.

With the show in full swing until January 18, car makers from across the globe have set up stands in the halls of the Brussels Expo Exhibition Centre, Belgium, unveiling several world exclusive debuts.

We went along to see what it was like last week and have rounded up some of the most exciting and important cars to be showcased at the event.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Luna Rossa

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Luna Rossa will be limited to just 10 examples worldwide and has been built to celebrate the Italian firm’s sponsorship with the Luna Rossa sailing team.

The car features a bespoke hand-painted exterior finish, unique interior upholstery with Sparco bucket seats, carbon fibre exterior trim, a larger rear spoiler with two central pylons and 19-inch red-shaded alloy wheels.

The car utilises the same 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 engine as the standard car, which pumps out 513bhp and can manage a top speed of 186mph.

Alfa Romeo has not revealed the cost of the limited-run Giulia, although all 10 examples have already sold.

Hyundai Staria Electric

Hyundai has used the Brussels Motor Show to unveil its next entry into the EV market with the Staria Electric MPV.

Built to rival the Kia PV5, it will be available with a choice of seven and nine-seater configurations and provide a boot capacity of up to 435 litres of space.

Underneath, the Staria Electric is equipped with an 84kWh battery pack, which has been teamed with an electric motor to produce a total of 214bhp and travel a claimed 248 miles between trips to the plug.

The Staria Electric will go on sale in Korea and Europe in the first quarter of this year, although it’s unclear at this stage whether the car will come to the UK.

Leapmotor B05

The Stellantis-owned Chinese firm, Leapmotor, is entering the growing sector of electric family hatchbacks with the B05.

The B05 gets a 67kWh battery pack with an electric motor, which should provide a claimed range of up to 260 miles between charges.

Underneath, the B05 is likely to use the same ‘Leapmotor 3.5 architecture’ found on the firm’s B10 electric SUV, while the car features frameless window surrounds, 19-inch alloy wheels and flush door handles.

Kia EV2

One of the most important cars to be revealed at the show is Kia’s new baby EV2 B-segment electric SUV.

The EV2 is the brand’s most compact electric car to date, and it will be coming to the UK in the spring.

The EV2 will be available with a ‘Standard Range’ 42.2kWh battery pack and a ‘Long Range’ 61kWh setup, which will provide claimed ranges of 197 miles and 278 miles, respectively.

Its exterior uses Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design language, while the interior has been inspired with a ‘Picnic Box’ concept, to make it feel more homely and comforting for occupants.

Prices and specifications for the UK market will be revealed soon, while it’s anticipated that the car will start around the £25,000 mark.

Mazda CX-6e

Mazda surprised us with the global unveiling of its next chapter in electric vehicles with the CX-6e.

The CX-6e will rival cars such as the Tesla Model Y and comes equipped with a 78kWh battery pack with a single rear-mounted electric motor to produce 254bhp and 290Nm of torque.

Mazda claims this SUV can travel up to 300 miles between top ups and all models will be compatible with 195kW DC rapid-charging, allowing for a 10 to 80 per cent charge to take 24 minutes.

Inside, the car’s cabin has done away with physical buttons, and instead there is a 26-inch screen which dominates the dashboard, along with screens for the camera door mirrors.

The CX-6e is expected to arrive in UK showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year, with order books to open in the summer.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Mitsubishi is returning to the UK market and it will kick things off with a new generation of the Outlander PHEV.

It will feature a 2.4-litre petrol engine mated to front and rear electric motors to produce a power output of more than 300bhp and four-wheel drive.

The car’s interior features lots of plush-feeling materials and has a more upmarket feel compared to the outgoing car.

Porsche Cayenne Electric

Porsche took to the stage with its Cayenne Electric, which will sit above the smaller Macan Electric and Taycan in the firm’s electric model line-up.

The Cayenne Electric features a 113kWh battery pack, and will be available in standard guise and a performance-focused ‘Turbo’ model.

The standard car produces up to 442bhp, while the hot Turbo model pumps out a colossal 1,140bhp and can hit 60mph in under 2.5 seconds.

The Cayenne Electric will be one of the first production EVs to be available with inductive charging. This allows drivers to park their car over a ‘floor plate’ which wirelessly charges the car at speeds of up to 11kW.

Renault 5 Turbo 3E

Those who love hot hatches will be delighted to see that Renault has brought along the 5 Turbo 3E, which is one of most hotly anticipated cars of the moment.

Renault’s ‘mini supercar’ for the road will be limited to just 1,980 units and is a hark back to the original 5 Turbo from the 1980s.

It features a 70kWh battery pack with dual rear electric motors to make rear-wheel drive and 548bhp.

Renault claims the car will manage up to 248 miles on a single charge and the car’s distinctive exterior design incorporates massively flared wheel arches, a bespoke three-door body style, deep front bumpers, large air intakes down the side profile to help cool the brakes, and a massive rear diffuser.

Prices start at £135,000, with deliveries expected to commence at the beginning of next year.

Renault Twingo

The star of the show has to go to Renault’s cutesy little Twingo, which features lots of design elements from the original car of the early 1990s.

The latest model will feature an 80bhp electric motor and a claimed range of up to 163 miles. It will be compatible with 80kW DC rapid-charging too, enabling a 10 to 80 per cent top up to be completed in 30 minutes.

The exterior has a ‘bubble’ design, with pronounced front headlights and air vents on the top of the bonnet, while the interior has a playful theme with lots of shapes along with colour-coded door cards and dashboard trim.

There is also a 360-litre boot capacity and a standard five-door body style, to make it a practical proposition.

Renault has not revealed prices at this stage, though it’s anticipated to start at under £20,000, making it one of the cheapest EVs on the market.

Vauxhall Astra

One of Vauxhall’s most popular models, the Astra, has just received a midlife makeover to keep it looking fresh.

The new model features Vauxhall’s ‘Vizor’ front grille with an illuminated logo, fresh alloy wheel designs and redesigned front headlights.

There is a choice of petrol, plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains, with the EV model now receiving a larger 58kWh battery pack with an electric motor to deliver a claimed 282 miles of range.

Volkswagen T-Roc

The new second-generation T-Roc continues the success of the original car after eight years since its launch.

The T-Roc is one of Volkswagen’s most popular models, having sold more than two millions units since 2017.

This new car is bigger and has more tech than before, though it retains the same coupe-esque body style and ‘hockey stick’ C-pillars.

There will be a choice of turbocharged mild-hybrid petrol engines and two new hybrid powertrains on offer, with further details to follow in due course.