ASEAN's Finest: 2026 Bangkok International Motor Show

Our favorites from the 47th Bangkok International Motor Show

The 2026 Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) opens for its doors for the 47th edition, aiming to once again set the high bar for automotive shows in Southeast Asia when it comes to brands, attendees, and overall organization. 

Thirty-seven global automotive brands and eight motorcycle brands are participating in the 2026 BIMS, and together are poised to welcome about 1.6 million visitors for the two-week duration of the event which includes the press and VIP preview days. While the year’s theme of Iconic Synchronicity aims to boost connections among automotive marques, tech partners, and the many markets that Thailand exports to, there is no question that the entire auto industry worldwide will be challenged with the geopolitical situation that is seriously hampering logistics and the economy worldwide.

As expected, the main highlight of the show will be the progress of Thailand’s transition toward electric vehicles and advanced automotive technologies. The timing couldn't be better given with the current global fuel crisis from the conflict in the Middle East. Many of the new cars launched and displayed at this year’s event are electrified models which are definitely fit for the road ahead.

Chinese OEMs remain bullish with their international market expansion; this year sees one more brand join BIMS, thereby bringing the total to 17. BYD, Denza, Changan's Avatr and Deepal, FireFly, Forthing, GAC, Geely, Geely Riddara (Radar), GWM, Maxus, MG, Zeekr, Chery, Lepas, Omoda & Jaecoo, and Xpeng are the brands present this year. These OEMs are eager to show what they can offer and change the perception of how Chinese autos are perceived and received outside of the maintalnd relative to the legacy automobile marques, of which many were also present at the Bangkok International Motor Show. 

So with the seemingly endless variety of vehicles from the many brands at BIMS, how do we pick our 10 favorites? Let’s see what we liked, and list down below in no particular order.

The Ford Ranger Super Duty comes to Southeast Asia after its debut last year for Australia and New Zealand. It also gets the same 3.0-liter V6 Power Stroke turbodiesel powertrain, reinforced chassis and driveline components. It’s a truck meant for hauling and towing that is more serious than most would expect.

Thais love their pickups and even race them, and the Isuzu Challenge Thailand Racing Pickup Truck is a serious manifestation of this. The 2.2-liter MaxForce received a healthy tune to 285 horsepower and 507 Nm of torque. It also gets a significant carbon fiber diet along with aero modifications. The wheels are forged 18-inchers from Lenso wrapped in grippy Toyo Tires. The suspension has been re-tuned, BRD racing clutch, it gets a limited-slip differential, and stopping is aided by NEOTech 6-pot front calipers and 4-pot rears with floating discs on all fours. It looks angry and ready to race.

The Mazda 6e was the highlight launch that became the signal for the Japanese brand’s intent to go electrified. Both vehicles are jointly developed with its Chinese partner Changan. More than mere badge engineered cars, these come with Kodo styling inside and out, as well as “Jinba Ittai” dynamics as the suspension and many other components were tuned by Mazda engineers. Mazda CX-6e was also previewed at the show but it was a left-hand-drive China spec model, so we didn’t get to go inside to have a closer look.

Neue Klasse in production form – the 2026 BMW iX3 makes its ASEAN debut at the Bangkok International Motor Show boasting a maximum range of 805 kilometers. The xDrive50 version delivers 469 PS and 645 Nm of torque. We dig the Neue Klasse look inside and out, definitely a breath of fresh air from that obnoxious grille of recent.

Nissan has lifted the covers off the all-new 2026 Kicks e-Power. Despite being based on the same platform and powertrain, it gets a fresh new front and rear along with interior. Nissan also decided to give its new Kicks ProPILOT ADAS to give drivers and occupants a safer journey.

BYD’s premium brand Denza decided to preview the B3 midsize electric SUV. The all-wheel-drive SUV features rugged styling and off-road capabilities while giving it more compact dimensions compared to its larger B5 and B8 siblings. We liked how it looks and feels, we think this will also make a good addition to our local Denza lineup if they price it right.

GWM unwrapped the Ora 5 compact crossover this year, which includes a HEV version that boasts of a range of up to 1,000 kilometers with its 55-liter tank. Powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine mated to an electric motor in front, it delivers 223 PS and 479 Nm of torque. This will be a potentially good looking challenger for our market if GWM Philippines decides to also bring this in.

The 2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric is one of our favorites because it looks pretty sick and it has got serious power and performance to boot. It packs 1,156 PS of power, 1,500 Nm of torque on “overboost” and can go from 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds. You can even drive for up to 669 kilometers with a full charge of its 133 kWh battery.

Making its official ASEAN motor show debut is the 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ. The IMV-based entry grade Land Cruiser badge will presently be powered by a 2.7-liter 2TR-FE engine which also powers the gas-fed Fortuner, albeit it will be part time 4x4 in the FJ. Toyota decided to show off 5 build concepts based on its new FJ to showcase its customization potential.

The 2026 Tesla Model Y L 6-seater makes its first official appearance outside of China, where it made its debut early this year. It’s basically a stretched Model Y with a 179mm longer body and 150mm longer wheelbase. The second row seats are now power-folding so third row occupants can easily get in and out of the vehicle. We expect this to arrive in the Philippines as well.

There are many honorable mentions, but we will probably pick MG IM5 which looked really neat. It’s a sleek looking BEV that can go for up to 806-kilometers (NEDC) on a single charge from its 100 kWh battery. MG claims its single motor rear-wheel-drive propulsion can deliver up to 407 PS and 500 Nm of torque. This car only made its appearance after we compiled our video and list. Talk about a last-minute surprise.

Those are our favorites this year, but there’s definitely a lot more to see at the show if you’re incidentally in town or planning a trip soon.

And last but not least, a motor show in the Land of Smiles will never be complete without the lovely smiles of the brand presenters that complement the cars.