Here's why the Brussels Motor Show is so important this year
The Brussels Motor Show is shaping up to be bigger than ever before in 2025 with a host of significant car reveals. Here’s what you can expect to see…
In recent years the Brussels Motor Show hasn’t been packed with new metal, but 2025 promises to be different. This year we’ll be treated to new production and concept cars, giving us a look at what will be on the road later this year, and a hint at what might be rolling down the high street in a few years.
The cars on display this year aren’t hewn from rare earth metals, nor are they the sort of things that’ll break the bank. While seeing a shiny new Ferrari is a treat, Brussels 2025 will mostly feature new cars from the likes of Jeep, DS, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Vauxhall, and more besides. The cars on show offer a mix of practicality, luxury, style, ruggedness and smartness. They’ll also showcase a range of powertrains; while battery-electric vehicles are very much the order of the day, Brussels 2025 will show there’s still some life in fossil fuels yet - admittedly hybridized.
From 10 until 19 January, the show will feature five world premieres, 14 European premieres, seven concept cars, two Formula 1 cars, and 45 'exclusive dream cars and sports cars.’ If you’re into cars, the Brussels Motor Show is looking like the place to be. Here are some of the cars to look out for.
Citroen C5 Aircross Concept
Following its debut at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, the Citroen C5 Aircross Concept is back. You may be used to the Citroen C5 being a saloon, but the Aircross previews a far more SUV-like affair. Tall, angular, and rather stylish, the new C5, Citroen hopes, will appeal to a wider audience than its more traditional forebears. The concept gives a good impression of what the next production Citroen C5 will look like - ‘winged’ rear lights included - and while it’s a departure from what’s come before, it’s certainly more in line with the French brand’s current design direction. The finished car will be based on Stellantis’ medium car platform, which also underpins the Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland. Not only does that mean we know what it’ll be directly competing against, but also what’ll power it - that platform has space for ICE, hybrid, and full EV powertrains.
DS No 8
Citroen’s better dressed sibling, DS, is bringing its new take on EV luxury to Brussels. The No 8 (‘No’ as in number, not the opposite of ‘yes’) is a flagship for the great and the good. Boasting a uniquely French design inside and out, this is a car you won’t miss when it hits the roads later this year. Its interior, boasting a 16-inch touchscreen, features an abundance of shapes, angles, materials and tech, which should keep aesthetes happy. Outside, special attention has been paid not only to its distinctive look, but also to aerodynamics. The DS No 8 is based on the same platform as the Peugeot e-3008, yet can go 466 miles on a charge (with the right spec) - over 30 miles more than the Peugeot. It’ll be available with front or all-wheel drive, with the choice of either a 74 or 97.2kWh battery.
Vauxhall Mokka facelift
A small SUV for the masses, the Vauxhall Mokka has been given a nip, a tuck, and a trip out to the Brussels Motor Show. When it hits the market later this year, its base price will rise a touch thanks to Vauxhall killing the entry-level version, but EV and hybrid cars have been given a price cut. The fresh car gets a new infotainment system, and new tech, including a 180-degree rear-view camera. With this tech comes new ways to interact with it, which means fewer real buttons and a heavier reliance on touchscreens. Externally the new Mokka has been given a new line here and there, and a new LED light signature. The SUV is Vauxhall’s second biggest seller in the UK after the Corsa, and the current model has seen a drop off in sales. This new one, Vauxhall hopes, should redress the balance.
Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF
Those of a certain age (or who spend a lot of time watching old rally videos on YouTube) will go all misty-eyed at the mere mention of Lancia. The brand is famed for prowess in rallying, and its new junior rally car, the Ypsilon Rally4 HF, is based on the same platform as the Peugeot 208. It comes with a 209hp 1.2-litre turbocharged motor, a five-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential, and a price tag just shy of 75,000 Euros (about £62k). It’s not going to tackle the top flight of the rally scene, but it looks like it’ll come with a decent turn of pace. Hitting the rally stages means Lancia needs some sort of homologation (or tie-in) car to mark the occasion - in this case that means the 280hp Ypsilon HF EV capable of dashing off the 0-62mph sprint in 5.8 seconds.
Jeep Renegade and Compass North Star Editions
When things are going well, there’s no shame in giving yourself a little treat - which is exactly what the North Star edition of the Jeep Renegade and Compass is. Celebrating over a million sales of Jeep’s Renegade and Compass models in Europe, the North Star editions come with a raft of upgrades to honour the milestone. Available with either a 48V mild-hybrid system, or as a PHEV, both come linked to a 1.3-litre petrol engine that can kick out up to 237bhp (if you go for the plug-in hybrid). North Star cars come with ‘high resistance’ seat upholstery - good for adventurers who wear pointy trousers - and a two-tone green and black exterior treatment. They come with special North Star badges, a dual-pane sunroof, roof rails, LED foglights, tinted windows and 18-inch wheels on the Compass - or 17-inchers on the Renegade. Prices kick off £32,699 for the smaller Renegade, rising to £36,605 for the Compass.
Jeep Avenger North Face Edition and Avenger 4xe
If you’re the type who enjoys being at one with nature, chances are you’ll have a jacket from The North Face somewhere in your wardrobe. Jeep, purveyors of rugged cars, has teamed up with the adventure clothing brand to create a ‘The North Face’ edition of its new Avenger 4xe. In this model, 4xe doesn’t mean plug-in hybrid as it does elsewhere in Jeep’s range, rather a hybrid system hooked up to a small lithium-ion battery pack. The car comes with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine and two electric motors (one on each axle), and the combination sends 134hp to the front wheels via six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Only 4,806 The North Face edition cars will be built, one for each metre that Mont Blanc is tall, which is a fun fact to tell your friends in the pub. They’ll come with The North Face logo on the bonnet, ‘Summit Gold’ details, topographic lines on the dash, a silhouette of Mont Blanc, and exclusive floor mats.
Which model are you most excited to see at this year's Brussels Motor Show? Let us know in the comments section below...
