Preview: what’s new for 2025

Wednesday 20th November 2024 10:43 AM

For the moment, the transition to all-electric for manufacturers selling in Europe is planned for 2035. If there is agitation behind the scenes for the European Commission to delay this deadline or to agree to adjust it, unless there is a change, in 2035 all manufacturers wanting to market new cars in Europe will have to equip them with 100% electric engines.

This is why in this file on the new features of 2025 you will find many electric vehiclesbut not only that. Because some manufacturers cannot do without thermal vehicles to maintain their production and their profits. Because sales of electric vehicles do not currently achieve the same sales objectives as the thermal vehicles that they are responsible for replacing.

In order to give thermal vehicles every chance and not spend too much, some manufacturers are taking it upon themselves to profoundly restyle the current generations and pass them off as new generations, as BMW did with the 1 Series.

The “thermal” resists, but becomes electrified

There are therefore still and always “thermal novelties” in this file, even if the thermal engines of these new cars can be slightly or strongly electrified (mild hybrid, self-charging or plug-in hybrid on the sector). We can also see thermal vehicles which benefit from numerous restylings in order to stay in the race, this is the case of the Mercedes GLE and Mercedes GLS which will receive a second restyling next year, while the BMW 1 Series which is already there, while retaining the same platform, the same volumes, the same wheelbase, changes generation, even though it is an in-depth restyling.

With the new European rules, the Renault Clio was on borrowed time. This is why Renault will profoundly restyle it (we see here the prototype which is used for development on the road) generation 5 to allow it to continue its career for several years.

New generation or extensive restyling?

This desire to extend the life of thermal cars for as long as possible will also be used by Renault for its Renault Clio. which will change generation (the sixth), but it will undoubtedly be a very big restyling rather than a complete change since the platform should remain identical to that of the current generation. This will undoubtedly be the case a little later for the Renault Captur SUV which should benefit from a nice redesign, while in addition, Renault has just launched its new Renault 5 E -Tech Electric and will launch its Renault 4 E -Tech Electric next year, a city SUV on which the diamond brand has high hopes.

By taking the name Renault 4, the diamond brand has integrated some styling elements from the old R4 into its city SUV. But it is indeed a modern vehicle which shares its underside, its engines and its batteries with the new Renault 5 E -Tech Electric.

The craze for SUVs does not weaken

Whether city, compact or family, there are many SUVs in our file. It must be said that motorists’ enthusiasm for these “high-wheeled” cars is not waning. Manufacturers cannot miss a growing sector and even the small Alpine brand gives in to temptation. Thus the Alpine β -390 concept car presented at the last Paris Motor Show foreshadows the production electric SUV that the Dieppe brand will unveil next year.

The French sports brand Alpine is following the example of Porsche with its electric Macan by creating an Alpine A390 electric SUV which will be the first high-wheeled vehicle from the Dieppe brand. In order not to disturb the “mountaineers” too much, the A390 displays an elegant fastback crossover profile.

New generations and new models

Among the SUVs that will be talked about next year, there will be many French models like the Peugeot 5008 which has just been unveiled and marketed, but whose “long range” electric versions and 320 hp four-wheel drive will only arrive next year. The new version of the Citroën C5 Aircross seen as a concept car at the Mondial will also be launched in 2025. It won’t just be French brands to drive the SUV category since we have just discovered the new Dacia Bigster while the Nissan Leaf will abandon its compact sedan guise for that of a crossover.

The Mini Cabriolet is back with thermal engines. So we find a Cooper C with a 163 hp engine. Then we find the Cooper S with 204 hp and the sportiest of all is called John Cooper Works and displays 231 hp.

Don’t forget the sedans, coupes and convertibles

SUVs are not the only ones in the spotlight in our file and we will find sedans, coupes and even convertibles and also the Citroën Ami quadricycle, the restyling of which has just been unveiled at the Mondial. Among the nice little sedans, the sporty “HF” version of the Lancia Ypsilon should make an impact, as will the Alpine A290, the first deliveries of which are scheduled for early 2025. In the coupe category we will discover beautiful beasts including the new generation of the Honda Prelude which becomes hybrid, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé which will reach dealerships at the beginning of 2025, the Mercedes CLA, its competitor, will also arrive in 2025 in thermal, hybrid and electric versions. Finally among the convertibles we will note the arrival of the new Mini Cabriolet which can only be combined with thermal engines or even the new generation of Porsche Boxster which converts to electricity. Now is the time to introduce you, as exhaustively as possible, to the new features for 2025. These new products, whether electric or electrified thermal, new generations or new models, in 2025 we will have the choice!