15 October 2020
21 Mins read

Top 10 Cars Arriving in 2021

As we reach the end of 2020, which has been an odd year for all of us to say the least, we can start to look ahead at what is to come in 2021 in the hope that things will return to normal. Here we will be taking a look at our top ten list of cars that are due to be released in 2021.

1. Nissan Ariya

Nissan has announced the Ariya, which is due to be released in late 2021 and brings us an all-electric counterpart to their incredibly popular Qashqai. With a choice between two-wheel or all-wheel drive and 67kWh and 83kWh batteries offering a range of up to 310 and 233 miles respectively, there is very little holding you back with the Nissan Ariya.

With its dual motors the all-wheel drive model delivering up to 100% power to the wheels you can experience instant acceleration alongside all-climate traction as well as comfort and controlled cornering. Built for comfort the Ariya feels incredibly open, with the option to move the centre console back to gain a few more inches of space. It also features a flat floor to add to the spacious feel.

In addition to this the Ariya offers a host of driver-assist technologies to assist you with motorway driving or navigating tight spaces to give you the best driving experience possible. Also boasting large dual displays and controls with haptic feedback to make it easy to access the various controls and features. It also has Amazon Alex Auto built-in so if you want to play music, find the nearest coffee shop or petrol station, or even control smart devices in your home you only have to ask!

2. Hyundai i20 N

Following on from the release of the i20 earlier this year, the i20 N has been announced, inspired by the i30 N and their incredibly successful World Rally Championship winning cars. The i20 N brings with it a host of sporty features for those that felt the i20 didn’t have enough kick to it. With a choice of six body colours, with most of those also having the option for a black roof, there are plenty of styles to choose from with the i20 N.

With a lip spoiler below the bumper and a big spoiler above the rear window on the i20 N helping to press the car into the road at higher speeds it offers great stability.

Powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine it can produce 204hp and 270Nm of torque, which allows it to accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.7s and a top speed of 143mph. All of this means that it offers performance similar to that of the Fiesta ST and Polo GTi.

Thanks to its lowered and stiffened suspension it sites 10mm closer to the road than the standard i20 model and also boasts five driving modes with features to help with grip when cornering, provide stability control and tweak the engine settings. There is also the option for a custom mode to allow you to program your own mode to suit your driving.

3. Fiat 500

The previous Fiat 500 has been on sale for 13 years and is more popular than ever. Now the new Fiat 500 model, which is expected to be released in early 2021, will bring drivers an all-electric vehicle, whilst still maintaining the iconic style that we’ve become accustomed to.


With a 42kWh battery mounted under the floor, it offers a range of just under 200 miles when fully charged. It also offers DC rapid-charging as standard, which will allow you to fully charge it in just under 35 minutes when hooked up to an 85kW DC charger.


This new 500 has grown slightly from the previous model. With it’s length increasing by 61mm (22mm of which is from an increased wheelbase), an increase in width by 56mm, and a 29mm increase in height. It also has a wider rear and larger alloy wheels at 17in, which gives the new 500 a more ground-hugging stance.



With an excellent turning circle and quick direction changing, light steering, and good all-round visibility, this new Fiat 500 is a great option as a city car. It is also likely to become a lot of people’s first electric car given the popularity of the previous 500 models, meaning that this model is also likely to be popular, with the fact it is an electric car being a coincidence for many that choose to drive it.

4. Dacia Spring

Due to be released in the Spring of 2021 the Dacia Spring is on track to become the cheapest electric car available in Europe with an asking price of under £20,000. Whilst intended as a city car it does offer some SUV styling with above-average ground clearance and roof rails, yet still maintaining proportions suited to urban driving.


Despite being slightly more compact it still claims to have plenty of space inside with rear seats that can accommodate two adults, in addition to 23.1 litres of storage in the front between the glovebox, door pockets and a central storage box. It also provides 300 litres of boot storage, which is significantly more than most city cars.


Under the hood, you will find a 43bhp electric motor with 125Nm of torque. Whilst no acceleration figures have been released it is said to have a top speed of 78mph. With it’s 26.8kWh battery it has a range of 140 miles on a single charge, although with the city driving that is intended for this car that could be increased to 183 miles.


As a city car, one of the most important aspects is its manoeuvrability and with a turning radius of 4.8m it is perfectly suited to navigating an urban environment and shouldn’t have any issues with parking.

5. Tesla Cybertruck

Perhaps the most controversial car on the list, the Cybertruck from Tesla is due to go on sale at the end of 2021. Unfortunately, it is looking unlikely that the Cybertruck will be released outside of the United States due to vehicle regulations, but there has been talk of a smaller version being developed for release outside of the United States.

6. Alfa Romeo Tonale

This small SUV is set to be released in 2021 with curved bodywork accentuated by the Alfa Romeo’s signature sharp-nosed face. It is also expected to continue Alfa’s tradition of driving enjoyment, as well as offering high seating height and an all-wheel-drive option.


Whilst the full details are yet to be released it is anticipated that the production version will be based on a front-wheel-drive platform instead of the usual rear-wheel-drive platform used for most Alfa Romeos, although there is likely to be an all-wheel-drive made available too.



The plug-in hybrid model will come with a rear-mounted electric motor that will assist the internal combustion engine, which is likely to be a turbocharged four-cylinder. The full details on this haven’t yet been released so there isn’t any information on the potential fuel economy it will offer. However, if the rumours around the plug-in hybrid version are to be believed then it could provide drivers with an electric-only range of around 31 miles.


It is yet to be announced what driver-assistance equipment will be offered, but we expect there to be a host of modern features such as automated emergency braking and adaptive cruise control to be included.

7. BMW i4

With a release date anticipated in 2021 the BMW i4 will provide an all-electric version of the 4 Series and will provide competition for the Tesla Model 3 and Citroen’s anticipated all-electric saloon.


Whilst there has only been a concept car design released at this time its styling will be broadly similar to the new Series 4 as well as the upcoming 4 Series Gran Couple, with a recognisable sloping roofline, bonnet profile and kidney grills.


It is expected that the differences between this and the combustion engine Series 4 will be minimal, but it will have thicker side skirts to help conceal the underfloor battery back the car will have.


Looking at the interior the i4 will have a curved infotainment system that will control the majority of the car’s functions, including infotainment, navigation, and heating and ventilation. The concept has a cabin that is trimmed with sustainable materials, making use of microfiber fabric and natural leather. It will also feature BMW’s trademark iDrive rotary control dial.



It will also feature a 523 bhp electric motor that BMW says will accelerate from 0-62mph in four seconds and offer a top speed of 124mph. It is also claimed that the 80kWh battery pack will provide a maximum range of 373 miles.

8. Nissan Qashqai

2021 is also set to see the release of the next Nissan Qashqai, which has already been spotted undergoing tests. With the Nissan Qashqai being one of the best selling cars in Britain it is likely that this new model will continue this trend.


Whilst the test car spotted has been camouflaged the new Qashqai is expected to have a very similar appearance to the previous model given its popularity. With the release of the Nissan Ariya it is likely that instead of a full-electric model we will see some form of hybrid option alongside the usual petrol and diesel versions.


It is expected that we will see both manual and automatic gearboxes available for this as well as Nissan’s ProPilot safety kit on high-spec cars. This will provide drivers with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and automatic emergency braking. Given the 360-degree parking camera is now a staple of the Nissan range we would expect that to feature as well.


This new Qashqai will come with a fully digital dial display so that it can keep up to date with its rivals as this is available on almost all SUVs in 2020. We also expect it to have a newly designed cabin to make it look more modern than before as well as a large touchscreen display to minimise the clutter on the dashboard.

9. Mazda MX-30

This new all-electric option from Mazda is their first foray into the world of all-electric cars. It is intended to appeal to drivers that don’t want to compromise the pleasure of driving as can be the case when buying an electric vehicle, as it has shunned some of the typical characteristics seen with many electric vehicles such as one-pedal driving and silent motoring.



It will deliver 141 bhp from a motor powered by a 35.5kWh battery that will give it a range of 130 miles. Whilst this is far less than many of its rivals, such as the 279-mile range of the Hyundai Kona Electric, Mazda has stated that this does still exceed the 31-mile average daily drive of its European customers. This is in part due to the choice of battery that is smaller than others, as it provides better emissions throughout the entire life cycle of the car, with research suggesting that a battery of this size produces fewer emissions than a petrol-powered Mazda 3 or other Electric Vehicles using a 95kWh battery, such as the Audi E-tron.


The MX-30 will be capable of both 6.6kW domestic charging as well as 50kW rapid charging through a CCS connection. The latter will provide 80% charge in approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

10. Toyota Yaris Cross

As suggested by its name this car will be closely related to the fourth-generation Yaris hatchback. Continuing their hybrid power approach, the only engine option for Toyota Yaris Cross will be a 1.5 litre petrol engine that will work in conjunction with an electric motor that will produce a combined 114bhp.



One exception to what we see with most small SUVs is that the Yaris Cross will be available with four-wheel drive in addition to the front-wheel-drive versions. In official WLTOP tests it emits less than 135g/km and 120g/km of CO2 respectively.



Whilst the Yaris Cross may be closely related to the Yaris hatchback it has still been given a variety of internal and external design features to differentiate it from the hatchback.



So there you have it, our list of the top ten cars due for release in 2021. It certainly looks like it’s shaping up to be an exciting year for new cars, let’s hope that there is more of a return to normality in 2021.