See all Motoring NewsWe might only be a few months into it, but already 2025 has served up some great new car launches. Here are some of our favourites which have hit the market since New Year’s Day…
BMW M235 Gran Coupe
The 1 Series hatchback has already been through a substantial change for 2024, and now the related 2 Series Gran Coupe undergoes the same process in ’25. The peak model is the M235 xDrive, which drops the ‘i’ badge suffix which used to denote petrol power in a BMW, but fear not: it still has 300hp and 400Nm, enough to punt this sleek-looking four-door from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h. In its home country only of course, but it’s quite the performance machine.
Citroen C3/e-C3 Aircross
Compact crossovers normally aren’t known for having more than five seats onboard, but there’s been a change of plan in recent months and the new Citroen C3 Aircross is a great example of the new breed. Despite being super-affordable to buy, this French machine can be optioned up with seven seats if you need them, which is handy for larger families on a budget. That it also looks great and rides comfortably is a bonus, but that’s not the end of the C3 Aircross’s talent – there’s even an all-electric version under the name of e-C3 Aircross, although bear in mind that zero-emission version is a five-seater only. Incidentally, if you want broadly the same machine but with a different badge and exterior styling, check out the Opel Frontera for size.
Fiat Grande Panda
Retro styling is back in, with cars harking back to classic models finding favour. And few have such an emotional impact as the new Fiat Grande Panda. It shamelessly – but brilliantly – references the boxy 1980s original, while also throwing in a cheeky interior design that’s brim-full of character and yet supremely practical too. Petrol and hybrid models will be available, but it makes the most sense as an EV, with a useful 320km range and a super-affordable price tag to go with it.
MINI Cooper Convertible
This open-top four-seater isn’t massively different from the car it replaced, but MINI has wisely rationalised that if something isn’t broken, there’s no point trying to fix it. Taking inspiration from the latest Cooper hatch, Countryman and Aceman models, the new Cooper Convertible comes with a round 9.4-inch infotainment display in one of the best passenger compartments in the business at this price point, while punchy petrol engines give it decent performance too. Although the back seats are small, few obvious rivals are sold these days, so there’s no more affordable way of getting into a stylish convertible than the MINI.
Porsche 911 GT3
It’s not a cheap car, but the latest Porsche 911 GT3 is arguably one of the greatest-ever machines to hit the road, of any type. This is the eighth iteration of GT3 spread across four generations, all of them defined by having a high-revving, normally aspirated petrol engine that puts the emphasis firmly on driving enjoyment. What’s most amazing about the new ‘992.2’ GT3, as it is known in Porsche-speak, is that it manages to meet the latest stringent emissions regulations without sacrificing any of the car’s immense dynamic character or capability. In other words, despite some truly stellar ancestors, when it comes to the 2025 911 GT3, Porsche has gone and saved the best until last.
Renault 5 E-Tech electric
Like the Panda mentioned above, this is one for nostalgia fans. The original Renault 5 launched way back in the 1970s and lasted until the 1990s, but what the French firm has done here is taken that old car’s look, modernised it without losing its core DNA, and then installed an electric drivetrain. What makes the 5 E-Tech so spectacular, beyond its looks, is that it drives beautifully and it doesn’t even cost the Earth to buy one, proving that EVs can be both incredibly desirable and remarkably good value if manufacturers put their minds to it.
Volkswagen e-Caravelle
If you want to move lots of people around in supreme comfort, you want an MPV based upon a van. And if you want to further ramp up the rolling refinement levels, then it would be best if said van-derived MPV were powered by an electric motor. Better still if it came from a premium manufacturer to boot. Great news, then, because Volkswagen has just released the e-Caravelle. This big German bus will seat eight people inside and they don’t all have to be short of stature to fit in there, either, while a range of up to 348km is possible courtesy of a 63.8kWh battery pack. Plush, comfortable and easy on the wallet when it comes to running costs, the e-Caravelle is the ultimate answer for those who need more than five seats in their personal transportation.