The Geneva Motor Show has returned once again to its traditional home this week after a five-year hiatus.
The famous European new car showcase is taking place at the Palexpo from February 26 to March 3 but has far fewer car manufacturers displaying their wares than previously.
The show was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic – with no show running for three years – before organisers moved the event to Qatar in 2023.
However, it’s now back once again, albeit in a far smaller guise. Here we take a look at the four major car manufacturer brands who have taken space at the event.
BYD
BYD launched in the UK in 2023 and already has three cars in its line-up. In Geneva it is pulling the wraps off its first non-EV, the plug-in hybrid Seal U. The firm will also use the Swiss show to showcase its luxury sub-brand Yangwang in Europe with the U8 electric SUV.
The Seal U is a five-seat plug-in-hybrid SUV set to take on cars like the Hyundai Tucson and Ford Kuga. Power comes from a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol that is mated to a 194bhp electric motor. The Seal U’s electric-only range hasn’t been revealed just yet.
The Yangwang U8 is the firm’s answer to the Land Rover Defender and will be a plug-in hybrid that makes 1,184 bhp. It will come with two ground-breaking technologies; one that Yangwang call their e4 platform, which is the world’s first mass-produced independent drive technology platform, and another is the DiSus-P intelligent Hydraulic Body Control System, which helps with driver ability and capability. The U8 will be priced at around £123,000 and will have a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine alongside an electric motor to extend the range to 621 miles.
Dacia
Dacia hopes to revolutionise the world of EVs with its affordable new Spring city car, a rival for the similar-sized Fiat 500e. The Spring promises to bring 130 miles of range to buyers for around £16,000 when it arrives here later this year.
The electric vehicle market has been crying out for an affordable model for the masses and Dacia will be hoping this is it.
Renault
The reborn Renault 5 will finally be revealed after what feels like an eternity. The much-anticipated electric supermini shares the same platform with the next-generation Nissan Micra and Leaf as well as a reborn forthcoming Renault 4 too.
Retro-styling alongside modern technology and an EV platform that should give an impressive range of around 250 miles make this electric supermini a tempting package.
MG
The latest offering from budget-brand MG will be in Geneva too with the new MG3 arriving as the Chinese firm’s newest hybrid. While most car manufacturers are focusing on EVs, the MG is taking a different route with petrol-powered variants as well as a hybrid called ‘hybrid plus’ to take on rivals like the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris hybrid offerings.
The new MG3 gets an MG4-inspired look as well as a new interior.
Lucid
Lucid does not currently sell cars in the UK, however, you can buy them in mainland Europe. While Lucid only offers one EV at present, Geneva will see the launch of its second model called the Gravity.
It’s a seven-seat electric SUV with a claimed range of 400 miles and a 120kWh battery. We’re still yet to hear of any UK debut, but the motor show will give us a first glimpse of this Tesla Model X rival.
Silence
Tiny car fans already have the Citroen Ami but will soon be able to lust after the Silence S04. This new quadricycle is available to buy in the UK from £15,995 and has a 92-mile range.
The S04 is Silence’s take on the nano car segment, with ex-JLR managing director John Edwards being a founding partner of the EV brand.