Nine of the best new cars launched this year

Nine brilliant new cars that made us go ‘ooh, that’s nice’

2025 has been a genuinely excellent year for new car launches, and we’re not just saying that because we love talking about cars (although we absolutely do).

From pocket-sized electric vehicles (EVs) that make city driving a pleasure, to spacious family SUVs that won’t bankrupt you, there’s been something for pretty much everyone hitting our roads.

What’s particularly encouraging is how many of these new arrivals have nailed the sweet spot between practicality and enjoyability. Gone are the days when you had to choose between a sensible car and a fun one – these nine standouts prove you can have your cake and eat it.

Whether you’re looking for your first electric car, need something that can handle the school run without breaking a sweat, or simply want a reliable daily driver, this year’s crop has delivered in spades.

Here are nine absolute gems that have genuinely impressed us.

Not just with their flashy features or bold claims, but with that rare combination of real-world usability and the kind of thoughtful design that makes every day driving better.

And yes, they’re all available to lease right now.

Alpine A290

The Alpine A290 proves that EVs don’t have to be sensible and boring.

This genuinely entertaining electric hot hatch takes the Renault 5’s charming retro-futuristic design and adds the kind of performance touches that actually matter.

It’s got wider wheel arches, bespoke tyres, and handling that turns your daily commute into something quite fun.

With 226-236 miles of range (WLTP Comb) from its 52kWh battery, the A290 proves that you can go green without losing the hot hatch excitement.

The interior’s properly sporty with actual physical buttons for the air con, and while the back seats are a bit cosy for tall adults, the 326-litre boot will fit the weekly shop with ease.

Standard kit includes 19-inch alloys, heated seats, and adaptive cruise control. If you want an EV that puts the electrifying performance into electrification, this is it.

Browse our new Alpine A290 lease deals

Dacia Bigster

The Dacia Bigster takes a refreshingly straightforward approach to naming – it’s called the Bigster because it’s genuinely big.

Job done.

This family SUV delivers the practicality you need while keeping costs refreshingly sensible, making it an appealing alternative to pricier rivals. The interior is impressively spacious, with a boot capacity of up to 667 litres.

That’s enough room for substantial weekly shops, sports equipment, and all the family paraphernalia that somehow multiplies when you’re not looking.

Every Bigster gets rear parking sensors and four cameras to help with the parking situation, while the interior is surprisingly posh for a Dacia and you get physical climate controls.

Shouldn’t be surprising, but somehow always is.

And even the entry-level Expression trim comes loaded with kit, plus Dacia’s excellent seven-year warranty. It’s the automotive equivalent of getting a three-course meal for the price of a sandwich.

Browse our new Dacia Bigster lease deals

Renault 4

The original Renault 4 was France’s answer to ‘what if you made a car, and then made it cheap?’

This 2025 version keeps the name, but swaps rural workhorse duties for small electric SUV practicality, and does it rather well.

With 241-247 miles of range (WLTP Comb) and a 0-62mph time that won’t win any traffic light grand prix but gets the job done, the new Renault 4 is all about making electric motoring accessible.

The 10.1-inch infotainment screen is angled helpfully towards the driver, while there are once again physical buttons for the air con.

The 375-litre boot is generous for the class, with an opening wide enough to fit in a small fridge and low enough that you won’t need a crane to load it. Plus, there’s a secret 36-litre storage compartment under the floor – perfect for hiding charging cables or emergency chocolate.

Browse our new Renault 4 lease deals

BYD ATTO 2

Named after the attosecond (apparently one of the smallest measurements of time), the BYD ATTO 2 has nothing small about its ambitions. This compact electric SUV majors on space, kit, and having one of the cleverest infotainment systems in its class.

The 12.8-inch screen can rotate between portrait and landscape modes, which sounds like a gimmick, but is rather brilliant. The interior’s surprisingly roomy – two six-footers easily fit up front with space to spare, and the panoramic roof makes it feel light and airy.

With 214 miles of range (WLTP Comb) from the entry-level Boost model, it’s got enough juice for most people’s daily adventures.

Plus, it comes with vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, so you can power your laptop or kettle from the car. Because nothing says ‘living in the future’ like making tea from your boot whilst binging the latest Netflix series.

Browse our new BYD ATTO 2 lease deals

Hyundai Inster

The Hyundai Inster is basically what happens when you put a normal-sized electric car in the tumble dryer.

At just 3.8 metres long, it’s barely bigger than a Volkswagen up!, but somehow Hyundai has managed to squeeze proper functionality into this pocket rocket.

Despite being one of the cheapest cars you can buy, the Inster doesn’t feel cheap.

Two versions are available – Standard Range with 203 miles and Long Range with 229 miles (WLTP Comb) – which will both get you further than most people drive in a week.

The interior space is almost TARDIS-like (bigger on the inside), while the boot ranges from 238-351 litres depending on how far back you slide the rear seats, which is perfect for daily life.

Browse our new Hyundai Inster lease deals

Geely EX5

Geely might sound like a dessert, but they’re actually the owners of Polestar and Volvo.

So they know a thing or two about cars.

The EX5 is their first car to wear the Geely badge in the UK, and it’s a properly comfortable family SUV that doesn’t cost the earth.

The 15.4-inch touchscreen is so big you could probably watch Netflix on it (when parked up, of course), and the rotary dial on the centre console can be programmed to control whatever you use most.

In need of a nap after a long journey?

The front seats fold completely flat to create a bed. Combined with the car’s ability to power external devices, it’s basically a camping setup that also happens to drive you places.

Browse our new Geely EX5 lease deals

Chery Tiggo 7

The Chery Tiggo 7 is proof that ‘cheap and cheerful’ doesn’t have to mean ‘cheap and crummy’.

This family SUV undercuts most rivals on price while still feeling properly posh inside, with soft-touch materials everywhere and a driving position that makes you feel like you’re commanding a small ship.

Available as a petrol or plug-in hybrid (the latter managing up to 56 miles of WLTP Comb range on electric power alone), the Tiggo 7 comes with more standard kit than a Swiss Army knife.

Even the entry-level Aspire gets 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, and parking sensors, while Summit adds heated and ventilated seats.

The 426-litre boot isn’t going to win any awards for Best in Class, but there’s a spare wheel underneath – increasingly rare these days and handy when you hit that pothole that popped up from seemingly nowhere.

Browse our new Chery Tiggo 7 lease deals

JAECOO 5

The JAECOO 5 has styling that’s clearly been inspired by more expensive machinery. The massive grille is a bit Marmite-y (you either love it or hate it), but the rest looks like it’s straight from the Land Rover design book.

Which, let’s be honest, isn’t the worst thing that could happen to your daily driver.

The 480-litre boot makes it one of the most practical small SUVs around. Bigger than many family cars and spacious enough for all life’s bits and pieces.

Inside, the 12.3-inch touchscreen controls most of the features, and there’s wireless charging for your phone.

Two trim levels are available: Pure comes well-equipped as standard, while Luxury adds heated and ventilated seats, plus a panoramic roof to keep it feeling light and airy.

Browse our new JAECOO 5 lease deals

XPENG G6

The XPENG G6 calls itself a ‘smart EV’ which is automotive speak for ‘we’ve crammed more tech into this than a NASA space shuttle’.

There’s even an AI assistant, Xiao P, which appears as a little robot on screen and is actually helpful. It can even tell if it’s the passenger or driver speaking, and faces towards your direction.

Interior space is impressive – even tall people can sit in the back without their knees touching their chin, and the 571-litre bot will swallow pretty much anything you can throw at it.

With ranges of 270 or 354 miles (WLTP Comb) depending on which battery you choose, plus 10-80% charging in under 20 minutes at a rapid charger, the G6 makes electric motoring feel effortless.

Browse our new XPENG G6 lease deals

What strikes us most about this year’s new arrivals is how they’ve managed to solve real problems, rather than just adding more screens and fun new tech features.

Whether it’s the Alpine A290 proving electric cars can be genuine fun, the Dacia Bigster offering family space without the premium price tag, or the Hyundai Inster showing that small doesn’t have to mean compromised, these cars feel like they’ve been designed by people who enjoy driving.

The shift towards electric is happening whether we like it or not (though we really like it), and cars like the Renault 4 and XPENG G6 make it feel less like a chore and more like a step forward.

Meanwhile, options like the Chery Tiggo 7 prove that petrol and hybrid powertrains still have plenty to offer, especially when wrapped in packages that offer this much value.

What’s particularly encouraging is the focus on practical details – physical climate controls, decent boot space, comfortable seating, and sensible pricing.

These might not be the flashiest features to shout about, but they’re the things that make the most difference.

If you’re in the market for a new lease, 2025 has served up some genuinely compelling options.

The only difficult bit now is choosing which one.