The Munich Motor Show – which is officially known as IAA Mobility – recently took place. It’s a hybrid show demonstrating everything about mobility for the future, from the latest cars, new ways to reuse items as part of the circular economy, to important discussion forums.

But without doubt, the spotlight for me was the emergence of the new cars that are going to shape fleets in 2026 and beyond.

And, unquestionably, two really stood out: the new BMW iX3 and the new Volkswagen ID. Polo (previously the ID.2). And these are the two I’m going to start with.

BMW iX3

This is very much BMW’s brilliant play to wrest the spotlight away from the tech-and-value-laden cars from China and reassert its premium position.  It does this through a combination of styling, battery technology, sustainability and user experience. It is the first of the ‘Neue Klasse’ cars which set the tone for a further 40 models to arrive over the next two years.

First off the styling. At the front there’s a return to the smaller and upright kidney grilles that gives the car a desirable tautness and definite road presence.

Then there’s the battery technology – you won’t be requiring the recharging plug for 500 miles thanks in part to cylindrical battery packs. And when you do, the 800v architecture allows you to pummel over 230 miles of electrons into the battery pack in just 10 minutes.

Reusing materials – or secondary first as BMW puts it – is part of the circular economy that makes the BMW iX3 Neue Klasse’s carbon footprint 30 per cent lower than its predecessor over the vehicle life cycle.

And then there’s the interior which features BMW’s Panoramic iDrive – a full-width windscreen display so drivers always look ahead rather than having to glance down at a display.

It all looks very impressive. And what’s more, prices start at £58,755 OTR which is substantially below the outgoing iX3.

Volkswagen ID.Polo

It’s taken a while, but Volkswagen has remembered that it has a treasure trove of well-loved names that resonate with drivers. So, dropping the ID.2 name for ID.Polo to introduce the all electric version of its popular supermini is an excellent idea I suspect.

I can see the ID.Polo being hugely popular with fleets and salary sacrifice drivers, offering the security of the Volkswagen brand and the trust of a nameplate that has been current for 50 years.

There will be two battery options of 38kW (good for a 220 mile range) and 56kWh (up to 280 miles). As all Polos before it, it will be front-wheel drive.

Volkswagen ID.Polo GTI and ID.Cross Concept

Did someone mention buses? Not one Polo but three versions come along at once. Also unveiled at the IAA Mobility were two further editions of the ID. Polo. A hot hatch ID. Polo GTI version, said to have an electric motor with over 220hp available, which will be fun in a car that measures just slightly larger than the current petrol Polo. It’s also more powerful than the current petrol Polo GTI.

The ID. CROSS Concept is a near production-ready compact SUV concept vehicle according to Volkswagen, which means we can expect to see a production version that looks almost identical.

More suitable for families and drivers that need more space, the boot offers 450 litres of bag and baggage room and yet it’s nicely compact at 4,161 mm. Range is good for 260 miles.

So what else was worth inspecting?

Cupra Raval

Err…another Polo? Well, not quite, but it’s Cupra’s version of a compact car based on the same platform as the Polo. Except being a Cupra it has to be sporty++, so the suspension is lowered by 15mm, and the ride and handling are tuned to give the sort of driving experience you would expect from the Cupra brand. It lands next year, while the camouflage on the show car depicts the Raval district of Barcelona – just in case you were wondering…

Hyundai Concept THREE

The Concept THREE is part of Hyundai’s Ioniq sub-brand and is destined, despite the show car’s futuristic looks, to be with us next year as a hatchback to rival cars such as the Volkswagen ID. 3 hatch.

Expect to hear terms such as ‘Art of Steel’ as Hyundai’s designers play with the strength and flexibility of steel formed into  a language of sculptural beauty.

Also ‘Parametric Pixel’ – yes I’m struggling with that one too. But Hyundai says Parametric Pixel lightings are featured on both front and rear of the Concept THREE in a more expressive language to complement the ‘Art of Steel’ design language.

Expect the car, which measures just over 4m in length, to be called the Ioniq 3 when it hits fleet choice lists next year.

Leapmotor B05

Leapmotor unveiled its family sized C-segment hatchback at the show, describing it as “a sport-looking C-hatch designed for the new generations of urban trendsetters”. There’s not much detail as yet from the Stellantis-Leapmotor joint venture, except that it’s fully electric and measures 4430 mm – so slightly longer than the 4264mm of the rival VW ID.3.

A sister car to the B10 SUV model (which is pictured above on the left), the B05 is likely to have similar performance, so expect a range of around 260 miles on a charge. Look out for it from early January 2026.

Mercedes-Benz GLC

The GLC has been a standard bearer for Mercedes-Benz, it’s been the best selling car for the brand worldwide. And what we have here is an all-new electric GLC SUV model that effectively replaces the current EQC.

But what you’ll notice most about the new car is its jewel-like grille that’s set with 942 LEDs and the huge almost 100cm MBUX Hyperscreen inside, the largest screen in a Mercedes to date.

On a more operational level, there’s over 440 miles on a charge with ultra fast charging thanks to the 800v architecture on the new car. Expect to be able to lease it from early 2026.

Skoda Epiq

Here’s one to keep an eye on when it makes its production debut in mid-2026: the all-new Epiq. It’s an all-electric compact SUV measuring 4.1 metres and boasting a range of 264 miles on a charge.

It’s the first of Skoda’s cars to fully articulate the company’s new Modern Solid design language, incorporating a minimalist exterior with a practical interior – well, you wouldn’t expect anything else from Skoda.

What’s more, Skoda is promising pricing that’s similar to its petrol Kamiq counterpart – so expect it to start from around the £25,500 mark.

Skoda Vision O

To be fair, this Skoda is a concept. But an important concept. First it’s an estate car, rather than an SUV, which is refreshing. And second, it points the way to a replacement for the highly successful Octavia Estate in a sleeker, less boxy but no doubt highly practical body shape. And it’s electric. A sure fire hit in the making.

Vauxhall Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo

This might not look like a fleet car coming to your driveway anytime soon, but this tricked up show model is in all respects the new Corsa dressed up as one of its GSE sports sub-brand models.

This fully electric concept produces 800hp, 800Nm with 0-62mph acceleration of 2.0 seconds and a top speed of 199mph – so in its current state it’s not what you will be wanting on your driver choice list. Or your insurance list, come to that…

But when the new Corsa lands in 2026, it will be a solid contender on any fleet or salary sacrifice list.

And finally, I was rather taken with these Audi wafers being given away with ice cream cones. As tasty as these new fleet cars coming to the UK in 2026.