Stars of the Paris Motor Show 2026: From the All-Electric C-Class to the New ID. Tiguan (Part Two)

Join us for part two of our look at the Paris Motor Show.

Stay with us in the second part of the article looking at the Paris Auto Show.

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For Volkswagen, one of the biggest changes in Paris is not battery technology, but product naming. The company is gradually introducing old, well-known names into the ID electric family, and the latest example, the ID. It is Tiguan.

This car will actually replace ID.4 and ID.5 and will enter the market from the beginning of 2027; While Tiguan gasoline and hybrid will continue to exist.

The introduced version has a power of 220 kW, equivalent to about 299 horsepower. Volkswagen says the all-new exterior design makes the ID. Tiguan looks bigger and more expensive than its actual class.

The same policy has been followed in the cabin and the material quality has been significantly improved compared to the initial products of the ID family. For the first time in this class, a separate display for the front passenger will also be available.

This name change is also interesting for the Iranian market. Before the import restrictions, Tiguan was one of Volkswagen's relatively well-known SUVs in Iran, while ID.4 has raised the name of Volkswagen again in the Iranian market during the new wave of electric car imports.

id. The Tiguan practically bridges these two paths: ID family technology with a name that the traditional Volkswagen customer knows better.

C-Class is one of the most well-known Mercedes-Benz products in Iran, and almost all its generations have been present in the country's market.

The all-electric version of the new C-Class is now on public display in Paris, and unlike EQE or EQS, Mercedes has decided to keep the traditional name of the product this time.

The C 400 4MATIC Electric can travel up to 762 km based on the WLTP standard. The 800-volt architecture allows for very fast charging, and Mercedes-Benz says that under the right conditions, the energy required for about 325 kilometers of driving can be added to the battery in 10 minutes. The future rear differential version is even supposed to reach a range of about 800 km.

Technically, the electric C-Class is not just an economy sedan either. AIRMATIC air suspension and rear axle steering can be ordered, and the MB.OS operating system along with the new generation MBUX Hyperscreen plays an important role in the cabin.

The body design, unlike some EQ family cars, still maintains the form of a C-Class; Only with more aerodynamic proportions and details for electric vehicles.

For Mercedes-Benz, this model is part of an important change in naming strategy: an electric car doesn't necessarily have to have a different name anymore; The C-Class remains the C-Class, even if the petrol engine has been removed.

Tucson is probably one of the most familiar foreign SUVs for Iranian buyers; From the old generations of JM and LM to newer versions, this car has had a prominent presence in the Iranian market for years.

The new generation of Tucson has been unveiled before the Paris exhibition, and a version with a sporty design will also be introduced in Paris.

The new generation is made with the "Art of Steel" design language and is bigger than the previous model. The length of the car has reached 4560 mm, the width has reached 1900 mm, and the height has reached 1670 mm. That means an increase of 35, 35 and 20 mm, respectively.

Hyundai has also increased the opening angle of the doors to make entry and exit easier. Depending on the market, the driving forces include turbo, hybrid and plug-in hybrid gasoline engines.

The biggest change inside the cabin is the Pleos Connect infotainment system, which brings the new generation of Hyundai's software architecture to one of the brand's best-selling products.

The XRT and XRT Pro versions also focus on off-road looks and off-road capability. Hyundai says Tucson has sold more than 11.1 million units worldwide; Therefore, its generation change is much more important for this brand than a normal facelift.

Kia is another familiar Korean brand for the Iranian market, and Seltos has become known in the country during the new wave of imports.

The hybrid version of the second generation of this crossover has been released in Europe with a relatively different combination. The front-wheel-drive model has 154 horsepower, while the e-AWD version boosts power to 178 horsepower with the addition of an independent electric motor for the rear axle.

This is the first Kia equipped with an e-AWD four-wheel drive system, and in terms of features, it also brings some electric car features to a regular hybrid.

For example, V2L provides the possibility of supplying power to 230-volt equipment from the car's battery, and Stay Mode allows the air conditioning system and entertainment equipment to work without turning on the gasoline engine when stopped.

Kia has announced that the fuel consumption of the hybrid version is 23% lower than the gasoline model. The volume of the trunk is 536 liters, which is a good figure for a 4.43-meter crossover.

If the Iranian market welcomes new Kia models again in the coming years, Seltos Hybrid is one of those cars that will have the potential to be present in the country due to its size, consumption and brand.