The higher end of the new-car market is about to see some exciting models enter the mix, from automakers old and new
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Looking forward to the luxury cars due out in 2026 and beyond, it becomes clear crossovers will continue to rule this end of the price spectrum. The segment is growing and has some seriously attractive new players. Many come from the usual suspects, and will almost certainly meet the high standards these makers bring with each new model; one is a new flagship from the luxury segment’s disruptor; and there’s a trio of affordable crossovers from non-traditional purveyors. The array may just be what’s needed to trigger the move toward a more electrifying future.
2026 Audi Q3
2027 BMW iX3
2027 Genesis GV90
2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric
2026 Rivian R2 and 2028 R3
2027 Lucid Earth and Mercedes-Benz mini-G-Wagen
The third-generation Audi Q3 is new from the road up, featuring a striking new level of premium inside and out. It is sharp to the eye, with the larger front grille being flanked by piercing LED daytime running lights and LED headlights. It is a face to remember that sets the tone for the rest of the compact crossover. In base form, there’s a 2.0L turbo-four that makes 255 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The power is fired to all four wheels through a quick-shifting seven-speed twin-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel-drive.
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Beyond the base unit, there will be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option with a net system output of 268 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The electric motor contributes 114 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, which promises better low-end performance and much better fuel economy. The hybrid gets its juice from a 25.7-kWh battery that delivers an electric-only driving range of to up to 119 km in the European WLTP test cycle—it will be less when this powertrain arrives in Canada and sees NRCan testing. When plugged into a 50-kW DC fast-charger, the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in less than half-an-hour.
Slip inside, and a new panoramic display takes pride of place. The curved display combines an 11.9-inch reconfigurable digital instrument cluster with the 12.8-inch multimedia interface, or MMI. The latter now runs on the Android Automotive operating system, and allows third-party apps like YouTube to run directly from the MMI setup, without the need for a smartphone interface. Finally, the Audi assistant now uses an avatar in the infotainment screen for the first time. Space also improves, with the five-seater having up to 575L of cargo space with the rear seat upright; and 1,386L with it folded flat. Taking the toys to the cottage? The new Q3 can tow up to 2,100 kilograms.
At last, the future of BMW and the Neue Klasse is ready to roll, and the wait has been well worth it! The iX3 is the first of a generational ride that will spawn 40 new or updated models by the end of 2027. Next up is the eighth-generation 3 Series (i3) electric, followed the first all-electric M car. The key is the iX3 has the technology needed to back up its visual swagger.
It starts with an all-new platform that houses the sixth-generation eDrive powertrain and Gen6 battery technology, along with a new 800-volt architecture capable of charging at 400 kW. The two-motor powertrain brings a combined total of 463 hp and 476 lb-ft of instant-on torque. This brings a 4.9-second run to 100 km/h, which is fast for a 2,360-kg crossover.
The motors get power from a totally new 108.7-kWh Gen6 battery. The design uses round cells that deliver 20% more energy density, 30% faster charging, and 30% more driving range than the outgoing Gen5 prismatic cells. All of this means, the iX3 will deliver up to 650 km of driving range, and it can accept 372 km of driving range in just 10 minutes using a DC fast-charger.
The driving dynamics and steering feel is as good as the crossover looks and performs. Using a basic steel-spring regular-damper suspension, the iX3 danced around a race track and down some deliciously twisty back roads without missing a beat. The feel and feedback is excellent, and this aspect includes the available one-pedal drive.
Inside, the information is now split between the Panoramic Vision screen that sits between the A-pillars and runs along the base of the windshield; and the 17.9-inch iDrive infotainment touchscreen. The vast amount of information it can display makes it sound complicated, but it proved to be the model of simplicity to master.
The reveal of the Genesis Neolun concept in 2024 begged a question: is this the next Genesis flagship? A prototype of the all-new GV90 has been spied running the Nürburgring. First impressions say it has remained very close to the concept’s bold outward style. Obviously, some of the more fanciful aspects like the concept’s suicide-style rear doors and real wood floor will go away in the production version, but as a starting point, it is a good one.
The GV90 should share the EV9 and Ioniq 9 platform and mechanicals, but add things like an adaptive suspension, a tonne of luxury, and leading-edge interior tech. This means the same battery technology and likely the larger 110.3-kWh unit from the Ioniq 9, along with the two high-output electric motors delivering all-wheel-drive and close to 500 combined horsepower. It should also make use of the 350-kW DC fast-charger capability. As for range, expect it to be slightly less than the Ioniq 9 Preferred AWD+’s 500 km because of the loaded nature of a Genesis flagship.
The interior is open to speculation, but expect it to bring the next-gen instrumentation and infotainment combination. The unanswered question: could the GV60 Magma be joined by a Magma-ized GV90? While the 501-hp Kia EV9 GT was a wet squib, the GV90 promises to be a proper firecracker. I say build it!
Beyond the Mercedes-Benz GLC is the GLC with EQ Technology, a new electric version of the company’s popular crossover. It rides on its own platform and is set to launch late 2026 as a 2027 model. The GLC 400 4Matic will arrive with impressive performance—the two electric motors belt out 483 hp and 596 lb-ft of torque, enough for a 4.4-second run from zero to 96 km/h. (There is a chance the single-motor rear-drive GLC 300+ with 369 horses and 372 lb-ft will come to Canada).
The GLC 400’s electric motors also feature two-speed transmissions. This extension helps both performance (first gear) and efficiency (second gear). The electrons come from a 94-kWh battery with a peak charge rate of 330 kW—this gives it the ability to accept 300 km of driving range in 10 minutes, and it delivers, based on the European numbers, an estimated 650 km of driving range (expect closer to 500 km when it hits Canadian roads).
To improve both in-town manoeuvrability and handling stability, the electric GLC features rear-wheel steer. When the rear wheels are turned in the opposite direction to the front wheels, it shortens the turning circle; turning the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts improves the handling and will go a long way to masking the GLC’s mass.
Inside, the GLC 400 will arrive with digital instrumentation and a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. However, Benz’s 39.1-inch Hyperscreen will be optional. It transforms the dashboard into a digital experience that includes navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Likewise, a five-speaker stereo is standard, but there’s a 16-speaker Burmester setup up for grabs. The fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) uses AI-assisted voice control for the multimedia system, so the GLC learns, seamlessly interacts with the occupants, and makes real-time decisions for enhanced safety.
Rivian will launch two smaller, more affordable crossovers. First up is the compact R2, set to arrive mid-2026. It rides on a 2,935-mm wheelbase, which is just 141 mm shorter than the R1S, so it retains the bigger crossover’s swagger while being city-friendly. It’s a five-seater with three powertrain choices: a single-motor rear-wheel-drive unit, a two-motor model with all-wheel-drive, and a three-motor monster with all-wheel-drive and elevated levels of performance, taking just 3.0 seconds to warp to 96 km/h from zero.
There is no battery information, other than Rivian saying it will deliver up to 480 km of driving range and charge from 10% to 80% in under 30 minutes using a DC fast-charger. The R2 is built on Rivian’s connected-vehicle platform, which means it receives over-the-air software updates that can unlock new features and improve performance. Inside, there’s a compact digital instrument cluster, with a 15.6-inch central infotainment screen to the right. Control is through the next-gen steering wheel — the integrated scroll-wheel controls have haptic feedback, so the driver can do more without taking their eyes off the road.
The R2 will feature no fewer than 11 cameras and five radars to support the vehicle’s driver-assistance and semi-autonomous features. Elsewhere, after the flack the company got for not having a glovebox in the R1S, the R2 has dual gloveboxes, and it uses recycled birch wood trim and materials made from ocean plastic.
The second Rivian will be the subcompact R3 and the sporty R3X it will spawn. The R3 uses a smaller derivative of the R2’s connected platform, and feature a rear-drive single-motor unit and a two-motor all-wheel-drive model. The RX3 will use the R2’s tri-motor layout—it puts two motors at the rear axle and one pm the front axle. The R3 and R3X will be built at Rivian’s new Georgia assembly plant, due to open in 2028. This makes it a late arrival.
Lucid is another high-end exotic that’s introducing a new entry-level EV. As with the Rivian R2, the new Lucid Earth will tackle the Tesla Model Y head-on. It will likely arrive with single- and dual-motor powertrains, along with a driving range pushing 480 km. Little else is known, other than production is slated to start late 2026, and the Earth will come out of Lucid’s Saudi Arabia plant and be imported into North America.
The other intriguing entrant is the downsized Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen confirmed for 2026. The city-ified package is rumoured to be all-electric, and set to adopt the big G-Wagen’s old-but-macho looks. Hopefully, beneath the brightwork, it will be a proper downsized G-Class, and not follow Ford’s take on downsizing an icon—the Bronco and Bronco Sport have nothing in common other than the “Bronco” name. The downsized Bronco Sport is a gussied up Escape! If the baby-G continues with Benz’s body-on-frame chassis and brings a healthy dose of its bigger sibling’s off-road ability, it’s a home run in the making!
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