2018 Toyota CH-R
Toyota’s set to enter the white-hot subcompact SUV market with the introduction of the 2018 CH-R. A concept of the vehicle has been making the rounds for the last year as the Scion CH-R, but with the demise of that brand, the car will come out badged as a Toyota.
The name stands for “Compact - High Rider,” and you can expect the production 2018 CH-R to mirror the concept’s radical shape and edgy exterior accents. It’s smaller than Toyota’s RAV4 compact SUV, but larger than the edgy Nissan Juke, which it should compete directly against.
Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen has already shown the 2018 Atlas 3-row SUV to the automotive press, but it will make its public debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The Atlas will be built in Chattanooga, Tennessee and arrive in dealers next spring. Pricing has not been announced.
The base engine will a turbocharged four-cylinder, and a V6 will be available. Front-wheel drive will be standard, with all-wheel drive optional. It will seat up to seven, and an array of advanced safety and driver assistance features will be offered.
Lexus LS
The 2016 Lexus LS features a cloud-like ride and an interior with outstanding materials. However, with several newer models in the super luxury car class, such as the 2016 BMW 7 Series and the 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, to compete with, it’s time that the LS gets an update.
While nothing has been formally announced, there’s a good possibility that this year’s auto show season will bring a new LS. Lexus has hinted at a powerful design for a new flagship sedan with their LF-FC and LF-LC concept cars.
Lincoln Navigator
At last year’s New York International Auto Show, Lincoln made a huge splash when they showed the Lincoln Navigator Concept. With massive gullwing doors and a wild, wood-paneled staircase, the concept was as much a flight of fancy as it was a prelude to the production model.
When the real vehicle debuts, you can expect radical changes from the outdated 2016 Lincoln Navigator that it will replace. Like the Ford F-150 with which it shares an assembly line, the new Navigator is expected have extensive amounts of aluminum and high-strength steel in its construction. That should lighten its weigh substantially and allow improved efficiency.
Don’t expect the gullwing doors or stairs to stay; they will likely be replaced with four traditional doors and electrically deploying running boards.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV
Alfa Romeo is quickly filling its resurrected showrooms in the United States. First it was the 4C and 4C Spider, and recently the Giulia sedan was added to the lineup. Arriving at the Los Angeles International Auto Show is the latest and largest addition to the family – an SUV.
From spy shots, it’s apparent that you won’t mistake the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio for anything other than an Alfa. It’s designed to compete against luxury compact SUVs such as the BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace, and Audi Q5. Depending on what performance variants they bring to the U.S., it may also compete with our top-ranked luxury compact SUV, the Porsche Macan.
Smart ForTwo Electric Drive
The electrified version of the Smart ForTwo is set to arrive in the U.S. next year, following last year’s introduction of the gasoline-powered version. Smart first showed the 2018 ForTwo Electric Drive at the Paris Motor Show. It is expected to go on sale in the spring.
A cabrio version is expected, making the diminutive Smart the only electrically powered convertible available in the U.S. Range numbers for the U.S. models have yet to be announced, but they’re not expected to be significantly higher than the current model’s 68 miles on a single charge. Smart targets the ForTwo as a city car that’s not meant for long-distance travel.
Honda Civic Si
Building on the recent introduction of the Honda Civic hatchback, Honda’s already announced that we will soon see a higher-performance variant taking on the Civic Si badge. Expect a 2.0-liter turbo and an array of body enhancements to give the car a go-fast motif.
While an UK-built Civic Si coupe is a sure thing, it may be joined by a sedan or hatchback variant. Following the introduction of the Si will be the even-hotter Civic Type R. Timing for the Type R is unknown.
The 2016 Honda Civic is tied with the 2016 Mazda3 for the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s compact car rankings and is the winner of our 2016 Best Compact Car for the Money award.
Jeep Compass/Patriot Replacement
The current Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot are the two lowest-ranked vehicles in our rankings of compact vehicles, but there’s a replacement for both vehicles expected during this year’s auto show season. The Patriot nameplate is expected to go away, while the Compass is replaced with a redesigned crossover SUV.
We’ll nickname the new vehicle the “Baby Grand,” as spy shots from South America show that it looks like a downsized version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s expected to ride on a modified version of the platform that underpins the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X. It’s unclear what powertrains will be available, and whether there will be a trail-rated version of the four-wheel model.
Mazda CX-5
Look for evolutionary changes when Mazda introduces their refreshed CX-5 compact SUV in the coming weeks. The 2016 Mazda CX-5 is already one of the most efficient compact SUVs in our rankings, where it currently is tied with the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage for the No. 3 spot.
The refreshed CX-5 is expected to gain exterior elements from the company’s latest Kodo design language – meaning that it should pick up some cues from the CX-9 and the recently introduced 2017 Mazda3 and Mazda6 models. It can be expected to gain the latest in technology as well, including such features as a head-up display.
Honda Odyssey
Following the introduction of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, the Honda Odyssey slipped to the No. 2 spot in our rankings of minivans. Expect it to try to leapfrog the Pacifica and regain the top spot when a redesigned model is introduced early in 2017.
For cues as to what we can expect on the new Odyssey, we can look at the Honda Pilot SUV and Honda Ridgeline pickup, which the Odyssey is expected to share a platform with. We can anticipate a plethora of newly available advanced safety and driver assistance technologies, similar to or more advanced than the systems available on the Pilot.
One of the current Odyssey’s weaknesses is a hard-to-use dual-screen infotainment system. We don’t know what the system in the new Odyssey will look like, but we can probably assume that Honda will address the shortcoming in the new van. Given that the Odyssey’s competition now includes a built-in vacuum, it’s likely that we will see the HondaVac carried over into the next Odyssey.
Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier is ancient compared to its competition in the compact pickup truck segment. It’s due for replacement, and the update may come in the form of the Navara truck sold in overseas markets. Unknown is how much a U.S. market Frontier might differ from the Navara’s sleek design.
The compact pickup truck segment has new life, with redesigned models including the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and our top-ranked Honda Ridgeline arriving in the last couple of years. Also sharing the Navara’s underpinnings is the Mercedes-Benz X-Class concept. A production version of the Mercedes truck is expected to be sold foreign markets, and may soon be seen on the roads of America.
Jeep Wrangler
There’s been a ton of speculation about what the replacement for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler will look like, what will be under the hood, and whether there will be a pickup. We’ll probably find the answers at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January.
The current Wrangler holds the No. 15 spot out of 18 vehicles in our rankings of compact SUVs. In order to get exceptional off-road driving performance, it sacrifices much of a sense of refinement and efficiency. There’s speculation that the latter will be addressed with an optional diesel engine at some point in the redesigned Wrangler’s product cycle.
Don’t expect the new Wrangler to be revolutionary. One of the challenges that Jeep designers and engineers grapple with is how to update the iconic vehicle without messing it up. They’ve done that once, and that’s why you’ll never see a Wrangler with rectangular headlights again. We hope.
More Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Whenever you decide to buy, you can see how your dream car stacks up against its competition by checking out our new car rankings. Each year we select our Best Cars for the Money, with which you can find great cars that are also great values, and Best Cars for Families, which rewards cars that families will love.
The expert journalists and researchers of U.S. News & World Report will be on the ground at this year’s auto shows, and you can see the latest news, features, and car buying tips on our Best Cars blog. Stay up to date with what we’re talking about by following us on Twitter and Facebook.
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Automakers Preview the Future at Auto Shows
The auto show season is upon us. Major auto shows are where carmakers roll out their latest and greatest, from all-new models to redesigns of existing vehicles. It starts with the Los Angeles International Auto Show, and continues in January with the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
That’s followed by the Chicago Auto Show and the New York International Auto Show. The season will preview models set to arrive in 2017 and beyond. Some cars will be showroom ready, and some will be in concept form, showcasing features that may or may not make it into production vehicles.
For car buyers, paying attention what’s new can help you decide to buy or lease now, or wait for the new model to arrive. When there is a new car on the horizon, there are often some great new car financing deals and lease deals to move the current models off dealership lots. You can see how the current models stack up against the competition in our new car rankings.
So what can we expect to see at this season’s shows? Some of the models on the following pages have been confirmed, some are widely expected, and a couple may or may not make it into this season’s shows.