- Top 5 cars displayed at Brussels Motor Show
- Belgium expo first major automotive event of 2026
- From the Kia EV2 to the radical Citroen ELO concept
- Mercedes-Benz CLA named European Car of the Year
The first major international motor show of 2026 took place in Belgium last week - and here's our pick of the Top 5 cars in attendance.
With the decline of the once pivotal Geneva Motor Show, Brussels has taken on greater significance and it also now hosts the announcement of the European Car of the Year winner, too.
More than 300,000 people attended last year’s event, and 2026 promises to be even more popular, with exhibits from more than 60 brands and, for the first time, in excess of 20 motorcycle manufacturers.
Here’s a quick guide to the cars gaining the most attention.
Kia EV2
Kia was out in force with the much anticipated unveiling of its smallest electric car to date – the EV2. This B-segment model will be sold with a choice of two batteries 42.2kWh and 61.0kWh with driving ranges between charges of 197 and 278 miles.
Customers will be able to specify four or five seats and all models are packed with the latest technology and infotainment set-ups as standard.
Compact cars still need to cover practicality bases well and this model does just that. At just four metres in length, it boasts a boot capacity of 403 litres, plus a 15-litre frunk beneath the bonnet. Additionally, the rear leg room impresses for such a cute little car with seats that can slide and also recline.
Soohang Chang, President and CEO of Kia Europe, said: “The Kia EV2 represents a significant step in making electric mobility accessible to a broader audience. It blends bold design with cutting-edge advancements in charging, connectivity and safety.”
Although prices and full details are yet to be announced, expect a price that’s well below £30k and it will likely be eligible for the Electric Car Grant too. This is our ‘One to Watch’ model from Brussels.
Kia also unveiled three new sporty GT versions (above) of the EV3, EV4 and EV5. With dynamic styling and added fire-power to match, these all-wheel drive models certainly add a spicy edge to the Kia EV line-up.
Toyota Hilux
Elsewhere, the ninth-generation Toyota Hilux made its first appearance. This legendary pick-up will be sold with a choice of two powertrains – a 2.8-litre diesel supported by a 48V battery or a fully electric variant.
The pick-up boasts a robust new look that gives it an invincible, go-anywhere appearance and it retains all its practical capabilities such as towing a caravan weighing up to 3.5 tonnes, carrying a one-tonne payload, wading through water up to 700mm deep and conquering sand, rock climbs and anything else Mother Nature throws in its path.
The new Hilux will be introduced in the UK from June.
Mazda CX-6e
Mazda unveiled its all-new CX-6e electric vehicle at the show with bold styling and a driving range of around 300 miles between charges.
It’s certainly a head-turner with a strong road presence and it can complete the 0-62mh sprint in a very respectable 7.9 seconds.
Like the Mazda 6e, this is a joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Changan. We drove a prototype 6e at the back end of last year and it had a few issues, particularly the lack of interior physical controls. This looks similar, but I would imagine it’s a lot slicker by now.
Citroen ELO
Some of the concept cars on show were huge attention-grabbers. And few concepts got as many admiring glances as Citroen’s ELO - a stunning MPV with a configurable seating layout that gives it the flexibility to transforms into a mobile office or sleeping area for two.
And no, ELO is not short for Electric Light Orchestra, but instead takes the second letter from the words ‘rest’, ‘play’ and ‘work’.
Speaking of concepts, the DS Taylor Made No 4 concept (above) was a nod to DS signing Taylor Barnard to its Formula E race team and looked awesome.
NIO Firefly
Chinese brand NIO is readying to launch in the UK, expected to arrive on these shores later this year.
And it's the Firefly - a compact electric hatchback - that's anticipated to burst onto the scene first.
At the risk of sounding like an Anchorman meme, NIO is kind of a big deal. It's a consumer tech company, rather than a traditional carmaker, with big ambitions for Europe.
Not only is it pioneering battery-swap infrastructure (rather than you having to wait for a battery to charge) it's also testing the water with subscription-based models and Tesla-esque levels of automation.
The Firefly is a youthful and energetic little hatch that'll be a rival to the Renault 5 E-Tech and the incoming Volkswagen ID.2.
It's been on sale in its native China since the middle of last year and is slated to get a range of around 205 miles between charges when it debuts here.
Other cars that caught our eye
The Mercedes-Benz GLB (above) is another vehicle with plenty of kerb appeal and the German carmaker was spot on with its dimming of the arena lights so that onlookers could fully appreciate the grille and light clusters in their full glory.
This futuristic model was just one of the many cars Mercedes brought to the show.
Hyundai’s continued pursuit of hydrogen power was backed up with the arrival of the all-new Nexo, alongside a first glance at the Ioniq 6 N and N-Line, plus the Staria EV with its seven or nine-seat versatility and 248-mile driving range. Yet another big hitter from Korea.
Stellantis was out in force with Peugeot unveiling the all-new 408 saloon. It looks sleek, stylish and very elegant amongst some of the wilder offerings, including the ultra-sporty 208 GTI.
And the award goes to...
Possibly the biggest crowd of the day gathered for the announcement of the European Car of the Year with the list of shortlisted models comprising the Citroen C5 Aircross, Dacia Bigster, Fiat Grande Panda, Kia EV4, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Renault 4 and Skoda Elroq.
It was the 63rd year of the award and, after the votes from each country was announced, similarly to the Eurovision Song Contest, it was the CLA that claimed the prestigious and coveted title.
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