Top 10 New SUVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show
2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio: Seeking to shake things up in the luxury compact SUV market, the Stelvio is a performance-oriented vehicle with standard all-wheel drive and a 280-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine. However, the Stelvio Quadrifolgio sets the bar pretty high with a 505-hp, twin-turbo V6.
2018 Audi Q5: The second-generation Q5 SUV will hit the Canadian market early in 2017 with new, sophisticated styling that’s heavily inspired by the bigger Q7. Under the hood, North-American versions of the Q5 will get a turbocharged 2.0L four that develops 252 horsepower, while quattro AWD and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automated transmission will be standard. A hybrid version of the Q5 with 245 hp was recently unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, and it might make its way to Canada as well.
2018 Ford EcoSport: Ford finally enters the subcompact SUV segment with the EcoSport, a tiny vehicle that’s already on sale in other markets across the globe. It will offer a turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder engine or a naturally aspirated 2.0L four. All-wheel drive will also be available.
Jaguar I-PACE Concept: In 2018, Jaguar will launch an all-electric, performance-minded SUV inspired by the I-PACE Concept. Thanks to its 90-kWh battery pack and two electric motors, the I-PACE boasts 400 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. The company claims a 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) time of four seconds and an estimated range of 350 km.
2017 Jeep Compass: The current Compass and Patriot are getting old—very old—and they will both be replaced by this second-generation Jeep Compass. It will be equipped with a 180-horsepower, 2.4L four-cylinder engine matched to one of three transmissions and one of two four-wheel drive systems. As usual with Jeep products, there will be an off-road-ready Trailhawk edition.
2017 Kia Soul SX: The subcompact Soul is an amusing and practical little vehicle, but it never was a performance champ. The introduction of a turbocharged engine might change that. The Soul SX will receive the company’s turbo 1.6L four that develops 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It will be managed by a seven-speed, dual-clutch automated gearbox.
2017 Mazda CX-5: After only four years on the market, the CX-5 is already getting a redesign, although it didn’t necessarily need one. The second-generation Mazda CX-5 is very similar in size than the current one, and will keep its powertrain choices. However, the big news here is that a turbo-diesel 2.2L four will be available in the second half of 2017.
2017 MINI Countryman: The second-generation Countryman crossover is the biggest vehicle ever produced by MINI, which should attract many more North-American buyers. It’s equipped with a 136-horsepower, turbocharged 1.5L three-cylinder engine or a 189-hp, 2.0L turbo four. All-wheel drive will obviously be available. However, the big news is a plug-in hybrid version that mixes the 1.5L engine with an electric motor for a combined output of 221 hp as well as a range of up to 38 kilometres in EV mode.
Subaru VIZIV-7 SUV Concept: A styling exercise that hints at what the upcoming seven-passenger Subaru SUV will look like when it goes in sale in early 2018. The VIZIV-7 is big—think full-size SUV big—and will obviously be the largest vehicle the Japanese brand has ever produced, tailored specifically for the North-American market. It doesn’t have a name yet, but the future three-row SUV will be in Subaru’s assembly plant in Indiana.
2018 Toyota C-HR: The subcompact SUV segment is heating up with many upcoming new models, including the Toyota C-HR. This little runabout will be equipped with a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that develops 144 horsepower, mixed with a continuously variable automatic transmission. The C-HR won’t offer AWD for the time being, but it’s marketed as a sporty, high-riding, four-door coupe that Toyota hopes will attract a young, urban clientele.