What’s New for 2017: From Alfa to Jaguar

There was a time when dealers would soap their showroom windows and keep customers waiting in anticipation of the new model-year. Those days are long gone, and new models roll onto dealership lots whenever they’re ready.

We’ve already seen a handful of 2017 models make it to market, and even more will be rolling out before the official autumn start of the new model-year. Indeed, it’s a veritable product flood, manufacturers responding to today’s competitive market with more products than ever before.

Considering the ongoing shift from conventional passenger cars to light trucks, we’re seeing lots of new crossover and sport-utility vehicles. But for those who still want a sedan, coupe or sports car, there’s still lots coming for 2017. And that includes a number of new green machines: hybrids, plug-ins, pure battery electric and even more hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

(What’s New for 2017? Click Here for everything from Kia to Volvo.)

From Alfa to Jaguar, here’s a look at some of the most important new products for 2017.

 

Acura MDX: The Japanese maker’s best-selling model features a new face heavily influenced by the Acura Precision Concept unveiled in Detroit earlier this year, starting with the distinctive, diamond pentagon grille. The 2017 Acura MDX also gets a slightly toned-down version of the NSX’s 3-motor hybrid powertrain. Also on tap: the AcuraWatch safety suite, including forward collision warning.

 

 

Acura NSX: The original NSX was a real game-changer, and trying to come up with a replacement took the Japanese maker more than a decade. What they’ve come up with is equally radical, at least under the sleek, aero skin. The new NSX uses a unique, three-motor hybrid drive paired with a turbocharged V-6. Launches are blisteringly fast, yet fuel economy is best-in-class.

 

 

 

Alfa Romeo Giulia: While the little 4C anchored Alfa’s return to the U.S. market, it’s the launch of an all-new Giulia that will determine whether the Italian brand is here to stay. The strikingly styled four-door will face off with some tough competition, however, and it’s already late to market. It launches first with the top-performing 505-hp Quadrifoglio model, then a 276-hp turbo-four.

 

 

Aston Martin DB11: The new Aston Martin DB11 should go down as smoothly as a good martini – while offering all the curves and sex appeal of the best “Bond Girls.” Meanwhile, there’s plenty of firepower under the hood. No, not the pop-up rockets or machine guns Bond has deployed over the years, but a 5.2-liter biturbo V-12 capable of propelling spy or average guy to more than 200 mph.

 

 

Audi A5: The original Audi A5 coupe set a high benchmark, but the German maker is confident an all-new model will score by lifting key design cues from the widely hailed Audi Prologue concept first shown at the 2014 LA Auto Show. The 2017 A5 coupe’s basic design is familiar, but it gets a lower, broader, more planted look, with a modified Singleframe grille and more sculpted body panels. Inside: the new Virtual Pilot cockpit and plenty new technology. Engines get 20% more power – and 20% better mileage. There’s an all-new turbo 3.0-liter six for the S5 version, too.

 

 

Audi Q2: The German automaker has been on a tear lately, adding a wide array of new models, including plenty targeting the fast-growing utility vehicle market. The Q2 is its smallest CUV yet. It shares the same, underlying platform as the latest VW Golf but beefs things up with modest off-road credentials, especially with optional Quattro drive. The interior is distinctly Audi.

 

 

Audi A4: The A4 has long been Audi’s best-selling model and the German maker is betting the 2017 model will gain even more traction with its new platform, sportier platform and more aggressive lines. The ninth-generation Audi A4 doesn’t break major ground with its styling, but it delivers a roomier interior – complete with standard sunroof – and lots more infotainment and safety tech.

 

 

Bentley Bentayga: Even the world’s most exclusive automakers have to follow the latest trends. And Bentley is hoping to get a jump on its ultra-premium competitors with the debut of the all-new Bentaga, its first SUV. There are many familiar design cues in this over-the-top ute. Luxury features including an optional $200,000 clock and a slide-out stadium seat, complete with mini-fridge.

 

 

BMW i3: BMW is the latest maker hoping to charge up the battery-car market by boosting the range of its little electric city car, the i3. While the 2017 model won’t match the range of the new Chevrolet Bolt or upcoming Tesla Model 3, the i3 will now get up to 114 miles per charge, or 58% more driving distance thanks to a larger lithium-ion battery. That jumps to 200+ with the optional range-extender engine.

 

 

BMW 2-Series: BMW is pumping things up for 2017, offering a pair of new and more powerful TwinPower Turbo engines for the 2-Series coupe and convertible lines. The old M235i model will be replaced for the coming model-year by the 2017 BMW M240i, the new 3.0-liter six-cylinder package churning out 335 horsepower, a 15 hp increase.

 

BMW Z5: The Bavarians have yet to formally confirm timing for the replacement of the Z4 roadster, but there’ve been plenty of prototypes caught on the street in recent months. The new model will be born of an unusual collaboration between BMW and Toyota – the Japanese maker to get a version of its own. Expect to see a conventional, cloth convertible roof replace the Z4’s folding hardtop.

 

 

Buick Envision: Originally developed for the Chinese market, the Envision is now set to become the first mainstream model imported from the Asian country. It’s targeting one of the fastest growing segments of the American marketplace and will become the third crossover-utility in the Buick brand’s line-up.

 

 

Buick LaCrosse: This near-luxury midsize sedan is another reason why U.S. buyers might want to rethink the Buick brand. The styling is more sleek and contemporary, inside and out, with more refined cabin details, more infotainment and safety technology and a hot new V-6. Overall, the 2017 Buick LaCrosse is longer, lower and wider than the outgoing model. But there’s still an emphasis on quiet comfort.

 

 

Cadillac CT6: Caddy is determined to prove it once again can be considered “the standard of the world.” The new CT6 is a major first step, targeting the likes of the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The CT6 updates the now familiar Art & Science design language, adds a lavishly executed interior and offers various engine options including a 400-hp twin-turbo V-6.

 

 

Cadillac XT5: More than just a replacement for the old Caddy SRX. It starts with an all-new architecture – stretched 2 inches versus the old crossover — that is not just more contemporary looking but which also delivers lots more passenger and cargo space. One big surprise: the decision to offer only one powertrain, a 3.6-liter V-6. With the lighter body and platform, however, it delivers good performance.

 

 

Chevrolet Bolt: Range anxiety is seen as one of the biggest obstacles to widespread acceptance of battery-electric vehicles, followed by price. Chevy is betting this electric hatchback will overcome both issues, delivering 200 miles per charge at a starting price of around $30,000 after factoring in the federal tax credit. The Bolt also puts Chevy on a collision course with Tesla’s new Model 3 battery-car.

 

 

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: The battle for supremacy in the pony car market has never been more intense, and Chevy will take things up a notch with next year’s debut of the Camaro ZL1. To start with, it shares the same 640-hp supercharged LT4 V-8 found in the new Corvette Z06. The LT4 will come stock with a 6-speed manual transmission, but the reality is that the automatic gearbox option is likely to be quicker.

 

 

Chevrolet Equinox: Though it will be months later to market, the new Equinox will share the same underpinnings as the all-new GMC Acadia. It’s not expected to shrink quite as much outside, and will maintain essentially the same interior space as the outgoing Equinox. Look for plenty of new safety and infotainment technologies.

 

 

Chrysler Pacifica: The company generally credited with inventing the modern minivan is back with an all-new take and a new name, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica aimed at winning back those family buyers who’ve switched to SUVs and CUVs. It’s definitely a cooler look, though the sliding doors are a dead giveaway. But there’s a huge range of new safety and infotainment features parents and kids will love.

 

 

Ferrari GTC4 Lusso: The most unlikely Ferrari is going to stick around – though it’s getting a number of updates, and a new name. Originally known as the FF, the wagon-like oddity will now be known as the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso, A new grille and rear spoiler improve aero even as the Lusso gets a big pump in power, now pumping 681 hp through a 7-speed DCT gearbox into all four wheels.

 

Fiat 124 Spider: If you get a sense of déjà vu checking out the new sports car, no surprise. The reborn Fiat 124 Spider was developed as part of a joint venture with Mazda which offers up its own take in the form of the fourth-generation Miata. But they’re not clones. The 124 gets its own exterior styling – though the interior is clearly Mazda based – and it pairs a Fiat Chrysler engine with Mazda gearboxes.

 

 

Ford Fusion: Ford drew gasps when it pulled the covers on the Fusion a few years back, and the midsize sedan is still a head-turner. But it’s getting a modest, mid-cycle refresh first recognizable through its larger trapezoidal grille. Inside, it sees some subtle tweaks, including a new, rotary gearshifter. And there’s more technology, including Sync 3 and forward collision warning with auto-braking.

 

 

Ford F-250 Super Duty: Ford likes to lump all its full-size pickups into one package, but there actually are some big difference – especially right now. The light-duty F-150 migrated to an aluminum-intensive platform last year. For 2017, it will be time for the more rugged Super Duty models, such as the F-250 to make the switch, shedding 100s of pounds in the process while boosting mileage and payload.

 

 

Genesis G90: Can Hyundai convince buyers to trade in a Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-Series for one of its own luxury cars? The Korean maker has been moving upscale with products like the Equus, and now it’s taking the next step with a spin-off luxury brand and a new, more stylish take on the Equus. It’s much more feature-packed but it remains to be seen if 7-Series and S-Class buyers will take it seriously.

 

 

GMC Acadia: The complete makeover of the popular GMC SUV comes in smaller on the outside yet somehow manages to deliver much the same interior space as the old 7-passenger, three-row model. The new platform is notably lighter, which means improved performance, mileage and handling. The 2017 Acadia gets a much more modern suite of safety and infotainment technologies, too.

 

 

Honda Civic Coupe: A few generations back, the Honda Civic Coupe was the car of choice for the tuner crowd. The Japanese maker is intent on winning those buyers back with the latest spin-off of the new Civic family. The design won’t surprise those familiar with the latest Civic sedan, though the Coupe is shorter and a bit sportier. And the overall formula is more in tune with Civic Coupes of the past.

 

 

Honda Ridgeline: Honda is nothing, if not persistent, and it’s back with a second version of the Ridgeline pickup that retains the original model’s distinctive, crossover-style platform. But the 2017 Ridgeline adopts a more traditional, truck-like design. The new pickup has plenty of cargo and towing capacity while delivering much more car-like ride and handling than the market’s other midsize trucks.

 

 

Hyundai Elantra Eco: Hyundai has been making a major shift towards more eco-friendly products over the last few years, and the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco is the latest example. The all-new trim level takes the fuel economy of the Korean carmaker’s compact model up a big notch, to as much as 40 miles per gallon on the highway, with an EPA-certified city rating of 32 mpg and a combined 35 mpg.

 

Hyundai Ioniq: When it comes to taking on the ever-popular Toyota Prius, Hyundai is pulling off the gloves. With its distinctive styling and a platform designed specifically for alternative powertrains, the compact Ioniq will be offered with a choice of hybrid, plug-in and pure battery-electric drivelines. Hyundai expects the hybrid model to deliver better mileage than Prius when EPA ratings are released.

 

 

Infiniti QX30: A more rugged version of the Q30 line launched last year, positions Infiniti in the heart of one of the world’s fastest-growing market segments. The Infiniti QX30 isn’t another me-too utility vehicle, but a potentially polarizing design that will clearly stand out in a crowded market. It boasts a high stance but a low-slung roofline, with dramatic curves meant to make a clear statement.

 

 

Infiniti Q50: Nissan’s high-line marque is introducing three all-new powertrains for the new Q50 sedan, including a package it has dubbed the Q50 Red Sport 400. At the upper end, there’s a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that uses both an intercooler and an electrically powered intake valve timing system to boost performance and throttle response. It turns out 300 horsepower.

 

Jaguar XE: The new sedan fills a yawning gap in the British brand’s line-up and will take direct aim at the vaunted BMW 3-Series. Sharing its architecture with the larger XF, as well as the new F-Pace crossover, the new Jaguar XE is stylish, surprisingly roomy and offers a wide range of engine options, as well as optional all-wheel-drive.

 

 

Jaguar F-Pace: This first-ever crossover market the biggest risk the British brand has taken in its 93-year history. The all-aluminum architecture is shared with both the new XE and the redesigned XF. The midsize utility boasts class-leading passenger and cargo space, great performance, optional all-wheel-drive and the sort of ride and handling not often associated with a CUV.