With the start of the 2016 North American auto show season approaching, we’re looking forward to a select few cars that will be making their debuts. From the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show and forward, automakers have a wide array of products to introduce. Everything from sports cars and family sedans to crossovers and compacts will be represented this auto show season, so consumers (and enthusiasts) will have plenty to choose from when these vehicles go on sale. Here are 15 automotive debuts we can’t wait for this auto show season.
2017 Infiniti Q60
First shown in concept form at the 2015 Detroit auto show, the Infiniti Q60 promises to be a sports coupe that’s luxurious and dynamic. We expect to come from a new 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6. Once it hits the market, the Q60 will battle it out against the BMW 4 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, and the upcoming second-generation Audi A5 and S5. Expect the Q60 Concept’s flowing exterior design to carry over to the production model mostly intact, the only minor changes to comply with safety standards.
2017 Mazda CX-9
Long overdue for a replacement, the Mazda CX-9—a former Motor Trend SUV of the Year winner—is the last vehicle in the Japanese automaker’s lineup to not receive the full Skyactiv makeover. Likely previewed by the Koeru Concept that debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show, the second-generation CX-9 will offer seating for seven passengers. Word has it that the crossover will be the first vehicle to use a turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G I-4 found in the Mazda3, Mazda6, and CX-5, and it’s expected to produce nearly 300 hp.
2017 Subaru Impreza
There’s a lot of weight on the next-generation Subaru Impreza—it’ll be the first vehicle to ride on the new Subaru Global Platform (SGP), which will underpin nearly everything in the automaker’s lineup. Subaru will also move the Impreza’s production from Japan to its U.S. factory in Indiana. Subaru will continue to offer two body styles, sedan and hatchback, and AWD will remain standard. New or updated powertrains are likely to come with the new Impreza; however, it’s still unclear if the car will also be offered as a hybrid.
2017 Volvo S90
Replacing the aging S80 in Volvo’s lineup, the S90 will use the SPA platform, which made its debut in the second-generation XC90. Engine choices will likely be similar to those offered in the XC90, which is available with a 2.0-liter, supercharged and turbocharged I-4 good for 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque or a plug-in hybrid that pairs the base engine with an electric motor for a combined output of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft. Both engines will be paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Look for the S90 to debut at the 2016 Detroit auto show and for its wagon variant, the V90, to follow soon after.
2017 Buick LaCrosse
An new generation of Buick’s largest sedan, the LaCrosse, will debut at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show and based on the most recent teaser shot, it’s exterior design will borrow cues from the stunning Avenir concept shown earlier at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show and be more swoopy than the car it replaces. Not much is known as to what engines will be available in the new LaCrosse nor is it known if the eAssist mild hybrid variant will continue for the new generation.
2017 Audi A5/S5/RS 5
The second-generation Audi A5 coupe and convertible follow in the footsteps of the 2017 A4 (pictured here). Expect the slick virtual cockpit and the newest version of the MMI infotainment system with touchpad controls to find their way into the A5 like in the recent crop of new Audis. Powertrains are likely going to mirror what’s in the A4, so the A5 will use a new version of the Volkswagen Group’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter, turbo I-4 paired to a seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox, and the S5 will switch to a new turbocharged V-6 and an eight-speed automatic. Details for the next-generation RS 5 are still unknown.
2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Fiat will revive the 124 Spider name with a new roadster based on the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. While both cars will share the same front engine and rear-wheel-drive layout, the 124 Spider is expected to receive different powertrain choices, which most likely include the existing 1.4-liter, turbo I-4 from the 500 Abarth. We also expect the Miata’s Italian twin to have an Abarth variant, which will likely come with a detuned version of the 1.7-liter, turbo I-4 found on the Alfa Romeo 4C along with a six-speed twin-clutch gearbox.
2017 Infiniti QX30
The second of two compact Infinitis to be introduced this year, the QX30 will essentially be a Q30 with a little more ground clearance and some body cladding to give it a more rugged look. Engine and transmission options will most likely echo what’s available in the Q30, and front- and all-wheel drive are expected, as well. Exterior design isn’t likely going to stray too far from the concept that first appeared at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.
2018 Lincoln Continental
China will be its primary market, but the Lincoln Continental will mark the return of a large luxury sedan to the Lincoln lineup in the U.S. Unlike past Continentals, this iteration will be available in front- or all-wheel-drive configurations, not rear-wheel drive. The car will also debut the brand’s new face and a new EcoBoost V-6 that’s exclusive to Lincoln.
2017 Hyundai Elantra
In 2011, a swoopy exterior design took the Hyundai Elantra from boring to sexy, turning the compact car segment on its head. The sixth-generation U.S.-spec Elantra will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year, and it has big shoes to fill after the success of the fifth generation. Expect new powertrain choices—possibly the 1.6-liter, turbo I-4 and seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox in the Sonata Eco and Tucson—to find their way into the Elantra’s engine bay. A hatchback variant should follow after the sedan.
2017 Maserati Levante
Maserati’s first crossover, the Levante, will essentially be a production version of the Kubang concept that was shown at the 2011 Detroit auto show. The Levante will most likely use the same 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 found in the Ghibli in two different states of tune, 340 hp and 404 hp, each hooked up to an eight-speed automatic transmission. AWD is expected to be standard across the entire Levante lineup. Look for Maserati’s first high-riding model to greet the public at the 2016 Detroit auto show.
2017 Audi TT RS
Need more performance than what the TT and TTS offer? Then you’re in luck. Audi is readying the second iteration of the TT RS, the most potent variant of the Bauhaus-inspired beauty from Ingolstadt. Under the hood, the turbocharged I-5 found in the outgoing TT RS should return but massaged to around 400 hp. A seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox will be the only transmission available. As with all Audi models wearing the RS badge, Quattro AWD will be standard.
2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR
Is the Jaguar F-Type R not insane enough? Never got a chance to put your name down on the order books for the limited-production F-Type Project 7? Well, Jaguar has an even more potent cat on the way, and it’s rumored to be packing 600 hp from the same 5.0-liter, supercharged V-8. All that power will be routed through the excellent ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. We expect all-wheel-drive to be standard.
2017 Toyota C-HR
First shown in concept form at the 2014 Paris Auto Show and then again recently at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show, the Toyota C-HR Concept previews a radical small crossover from the world’s largest automaker. Aimed directly at the Nissan Juke, the production C-HR should feature an exterior that’s just as extroverted as the concept cars. Like every new Toyota product, expect the production version—which will debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show—to come with an available hybrid powertrain along with an exterior design that’s close to the two concepts.
2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible
When it comes to outright style, no crossover can match the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, and the brand is capitalizing on that by launching a convertible body style at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Like its closed-roof siblings, the Evoque Convertible will be just as stylish with the roof up or down. Engine and transmission choices will most likely mirror what’s available on the four-door and two-door Evoques, so it’ll be using a 2.0-liter, turbo I-4 mated to a ZF-sourced nine-speed automatic. Hopefully it goes over better than the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolets.
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