vehicles to watch 2018 in -...

Will the automotive class of 2018

please rise? Or start your engines,

anyway? We’re ready to bestow

special honors.

Last month’s “Big Story” cen-

tered on WardsAuto editors’ picks of vehicles that

stood out in 2017.

This month, we feature vehicles our editors indi-

vidually recommend keeping an eye on in 2018.

They don’t build them like they used to. (We mean

that in the best sense.) Vehicles today have their

differences, but the vast majority of them are well

built. Sure, some are better than others (and typi-

cally cost more).

But unlike the old days, it’s hard to find a flunky.

Everybody graduates in the class of ’18.

Automakers will introduce 45 new or refreshed

vehicles throughout the year. Here are ones to watch.

VEHICLES TO WATCH

in 2018 B Y W A R D S A U T O S T A F F

THE BIG STORY / FEBRUARY 2018

2 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018

THE BIG STORY

The pickup wars go back on

high in 2018 with the arrival of the

next-generation Chevy Silverado

large truck alongside an all-new

Ram 1500 and a heavily refreshed

Ford F-150.

GM pulled the wraps off the

next Silverado during a 100th

anniversary celebration for the

truck in Texas, but its big coming

out party was the Detroit auto

show in January.

The Silverado offers a broader

range of models than ever before,

as well as greater cargo-carrying

capability, heightened durabil-

ity, better passenger comfort and

more fuel-efficient and higher-

performance powertrain choices.

Silverado accounted for 585,864

deliveries last year, up 1.9% from

2016. It is GM’s best-selling vehicle.

JAMES AMEND’S PICKS

CHEVROLET SILVERADO


THE BIG STORY

Wagons, ho! General Motors

marketers cringe when the Buick

Regal TourX is referred to as any-

thing but a crossover, but if it

walks like a duck and talks like a

duck…. At the same time, how-

ever, the Regal TourX rides much

higher off the ground than a tra-

ditional wagon body style, which

in the 2017 model year accounted

for a whopping 1.0% of U.S.

industry sales.

So while the TourX will still fill

a small niche, it casts a wider net

like the former Volvo V70 Cross

Country once did as a lifestyle

vehicle with the driving dynamics

of car and the versatility of an SUV.

It targets the coveted Millennials,

who will make up the largest car-

buying cohort in the U.S. since

the Baby Boomers so it is a very

important product as Buick con-

tinues to reshape its brand.


BUICK REGAL TOURX


THE BIG STORY

Never heard of the Buick Bolt?

Me neither. But I’ve yet to learn

the name of the battery-electric

vehicle coming next year to Buick

based off the Chevy Bolt, so we’ll

call it that even if the Electra

name is available and would

make a lot of sense if reviving it

didn’t recall some of the brand’s

more mundane days.

The Buick EV will

be a more luxuri-

ous take on the

Chevy EV, but

GM executives

maintain it will not come at the

compromise of range. The Chevy

will travel 238 miles (381 km) and

GM thinks continuous improve-

ment of the propulsion system

will yield more range, permitting

the automaker to start using it in

a wide variety of applications. But

the Buick EV will be the second

retail EV to use the technology, so

it will be interesting to see exactly

how much efficiency it gains GM

has dialed into the system since

the game-changing Chevy Bolt

arrived last year.


BUICK “BOLT”

B

a

u

C

G

more mundane da

The B

be a

ou

C


THE BIG STORY

The Veloster took last year off

(no production in 2017) but the

combination coupe-hatchback

returns as a redone vehicle.

Moreover, it is back with a high-

performance N model, which

makes all sorts of sense. The old

Veloster was that same old story:

It looked fast, but wasn’t that

powerful (132-hp).

The Veloster N will change that.

Estimated power numbers are 275

hp at 6,000 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of

torque (351 Nm) at 1,450-4,700

rpm. I know, I know, that doesn’t

compare to, say, the Dodge

Challenger Hellcat with its fiendish

707 hp. But it’s respectable.

Moreover, the Veloster N spices

up Hyundai’s lineup. Sister brand

Kia has been getting a lot of

attention with its sporty Stinger

hatchback. You got to believe that

was creating some sibling rivalry.

STEVE FINLAY’S PICKS

HYUNDAI VELOSTER


THE BIG STORY

You’ve got to hand it to Lincoln. It

doesn’t give up. Ford’s luxury brand

says it’s determined to return

to the glory days by introducing

impressive new vehicles, and the

redone Navigator fullsize SUV is

one of them. (The Continental

fullsize sedan is another.)

The Navigator’s amenities/tech-

nology list is too long to include

everything. Fair to say, it’s loaded.

Highlights include all sorts of

advanced technology, front seats

with 30-way power adjustments

and a 12-in. (30.5-cm) instrument

cluster with digitally mastered

analog gauges and star-tipped

needles showing mph and rpm.

It’s easy to see why judges

picked the Navigator as North

American Truck of the Year at the

Detroit auto show.


LINCOLN NAVIGATOR


THE BIG STORY

This attractively styled compact

5-seater goes on sale next month,

joining bigger brother CUVs, the

XC60 and XC 90. The latter is

Volvo’s best-selling vehicle in the

U.S.

The XC40 is one to watch for

two entirely different reasons.

The first is that it fills a missing

spot in Volvo’s CUV lineup.

The second is that with the XC40,

Volvo introduces a unique sub-

scription service, Care by Volvo.

It lets a consumer acquire an

XC40 for two years by paying a

monthly flat fee. That also cov-

ers insurance, all maintenance,

potential repairs and wear and

tear. There is no down payment

and concierge service is thrown

in. The base fee is $600 a month.

Other automakers are dab-

bling with subscription services,

but Volvo notes it is first to do a

full-fledged nationwide program.

Whether subscription services will

become the next best thing or

not, Volvo’s is one to watch.


VOLVO XC40


THE BIG STORY

Pickups historically have long

product cycles so when a new

one comes along, it’s usually built

for the long haul and offering the

latest in technology and function-

ality.

Truck buyers in 2018 will find

a lot to like in the all-new Ram

1500, from its toned-down take

on the Ram-signature “big rig”

styling to its massive, multifunc-

tion information screen and

expanded interior room.

But the biggest news comes

under the hood where both the

3.6L Pentastar V-6 and the 5.7L

Hemi V-8 benefit from FCA’s stun-

ningly excellent 48V eTorque mild

hybrid system that adds torque

and quiet efficiency.

BOB GRITZINGER’S PICKS

RAM 1500


THE BIG STORY

There’s nothing dramatic about

another upscale midsize CUV on

the market, but Infiniti’s QX50 is

earth-shattering in its industry-

first application of a variable-

compression-ratio engine. The

turbocharged 2.0L 4-cyl. achieves

in excess of 40% thermal effi-

ciency and delivers 268 hp and

280 lb.-ft. (380 Nm), which com-

pares favorably to the output of

Nissan’s 3.5L V-6 while achieving

a 27% improvement in fuel econ-

omy compared to the V-6.

If the engine alone isn’t enough,

the plush seats in the all-new

QX50 are worth the price of

admission.


INFINITI QX50


THE BIG STORY

The bookend to sister-brand

Jaguar’s highly successful F-Pace

CUV, the Range Rover Velar

promises to become the off-road

brand’s top seller by offering a

combination of serious off-road

prowess and smooth on-road

comfort in a stylish and practical

package. Buyers can choose from

a punchy, turbocharged 2.0L I-4

from the automaker’s Ingenium

engine family, a 2.0L diesel or a

high-performance supercharged

3.0L V-6.

While we doubt many Velar

owners will venture far off the

beaten path, they can rest

assured the newest Range Rover

is more than capable of getting

them anywhere they want to go.


RANGE ROVER VELAR


THE BIG STORY

A bumper-to-bumper redesign

of the Equinox went over well

with the CUV-mad public, as

the 5-passenger family hauler

retained its position as General

Motors’ second-best-selling vehi-

cle after the Chevy Silverado pick-

up. The third-generation Equinox

features 1.5L and 2.0L turbo-

charged 4-cyl. engines producing

more horsepower and torque

while sacrificing little if anything

in the way of fuel economy. A

4-cyl. turbodiesel was added to

the lineup over the summer.

Equinox sales are still recover-

ing from a nearly month-long

strike by workers at an assembly

plant in Ingersoll, ON, Canada.

Inventories at one point narrowed

to a 39-days’ supply, razor-thin

by industry standards, but GM is

confident production will be back

on track. The automaker intends

to reward buyers’ patience – if

they haven’t already been lost to

the likes of the Nissan Rogue and

Honda CR-V.

JIM IRWIN’S PICKS

CHEVROLET EQUINOX


THE BIG STORY

Does “Made in China” matter?

General Motors is still finding out

as it ramps up shipments of the

China-built Buick Envision mid-

dle-luxury CUV. Introduced to the

U.S. in the summer of 2016, sales

totaled a healthy 35,000 through

November despite understated

marketing and a sticker price

inflated a bit by shipping costs.

The Envision will play a part in

GM’s plan to add more electrified

vehicles to its U.S. lineup. The

first such version will appear in

China, where Buicks are peren-

nial best-sellers, as that country’s

government continues leaning on

automakers to produce so-called

new-energy vehicles. A Buick-

branded version of the all-electric

Chevrolet Bolt will arrive here

first.

So, to repeat the question,

“Does ‘Made in China’ matter?”

Here’s what my colleague Christie

Schweinsberg had to say of the

Envision’s ride quality, fit-and-

finish and creature comforts after

her first drive in one: “If the Buick

Envision is most Americans’ first

experience with a Chinese-built

automobile, then the American

auto worker has the right to be

concerned.”

JIM IRWIN’S PICKS

BUICK ENVISION


THE BIG STORY

Bolt this, Bolt that. Seems as if

Chevrolet’s 238-mile-range (381

km) all-electric sedan has been

getting a lot of attention at the

expense of other EVs – notably

its Chevy Volt plug-in stablemate.

If attention translates into sales,

then the Bolt is topping the Volt

in that area, too.

Anecdotal evidence from dealers

indicates the Volt, which combines

a battery with 53 miles (85 km) of

range with a gasoline engine good

for another 420 miles (672 km), is

losing customers to the Bolt.

Indeed, WardsAuto data shows

the Bolt outsold the Volt, 23,297

units to 20,349 (down 17.7%), in

2017.

If after six years on the market

Volt sales seem to have reached

a plateau, it may be because it

already has found its core audi-

ence of environmentally con-

scious motorists – some of whom

will replace their plug-it-in/fill-

the-tank Volts, while others will

opt for the more straightforward

technology of the plug-it-in-only

Bolt. General Motors already has

signaled the direction of its elec-

trification program by planning to

launch two new Bolt-based EVs

by 2019. The sun hasn’t set on the

Volt, but it seems to be slipping

into the shadows.

JIM IRWIN’S PICKS

CHEVROLET BOLT


THE BIG STORY

Lexus has been in a funk, and

there’s no better remedy than

compelling product to generate

showroom traffic. Toyota’s luxury

division certainly has it in the re-

conceived LS. It’s been 10 years

since Lexus rolled out a new flag-

ship sedan.

Sure, lots of people are buy-

ing utility vehicles because they

are practical. But for well-heeled

shoppers wanting something

more stylish, with a ground-

breaking interior and better

driving dynamics, the LS

deserves serious consideration.

The Lexus brass admits they got

tired of hearing complaints that

Lexus makes boring, conservative

cars, so they did something about

it, starting with the shapely and

alluring LC coupe.

Now, the LS sedan carries on

the creative energy with stunning

interior features such as hand-

pleated fabric on the door trim

and shimmering Japanese hand-

cut Kiriko glass ornamentation,

not to mention sumptuous colors

and first-rate materials.

TOM MURPHY’S PICKS

LEXUS LS


THE BIG STORY

BMW has found great success

with its X5 “sport activity vehi-

cle,” but the available third row

was, well, of limited purpose.

So the German auto maker gets

ready to launch its larger X7 from

its plant in Spartanburg, SC, and

this time the back seats promise

greater flexibility.

We haven’t yet seen the produc-

tion X7 or climbed in the third

row – count on that at an upcom-

ing auto show, with sales com-

mencing at year’s end.

But BMW promises its interior

will deliver a premium look and

feel on par with the 7-Series flag-

ship sedan.

At the other end of BMW’s CUV

portfolio is the all-new X2 (shown

below), which goes on sale this

spring and is 10 ins. (254 cm)

shorter than the diminutive X1.

These two bookend CUVs rep-

resent a new chapter in BMW’s

product strategy for the U.S.


BMW X7/X2


THE BIG STORY

The Ascent launching this year

fills the void left by the Tribeca

3-row CUV that spent eight years

in the U.S. market before going

away in 2014. It never quite reso-

nated with American consumers,

but much has changed since the

Tribeca arrived.

First, Subaru has grown exponen-

tially (from 200,700 sales in 2006

to 648,000 in 2017), so there are a

lot more customers interested in

the brand. Second, Subaru’s best-

sellers are the Forester, Crosstrek

and Outback – all utility vehicles

and none with a third row.

Some critics call out the new

Ascent as dull on the outside, but

people aren’t buying Subarus

for exterior styling. Plus, the

Japanese brand has made great

strides in upgrading interiors as

new vehicles launch (check out

the Impreza!), and the Ascent

promises a cabin that will be

upscale, techy and spacious.


SUBARU ASCENT


THE BIG STORY

After determining its develop-

ing-market Creta couldn’t suffi-

ciently be gussied up for the U.S.,

Hyundai finally enters the small

CUV fray with its Kona model.

Based on a brief test-drive in

South Korea and a thorough

look around its interior, the Kona

stands a great chance to take

sales away from some of the surg-

ing segment’s other entrants. It

has a playful, sporty vibe like the

almost-a-Scion Toyota C-HR, but

more rear passenger space.

Couple those attributes with

Hyundai’s value pricing and its

10-year/100,000-mile powertrain

warranty, and the Kona should be

a hit.

I’m also excited about the EV

version. There’s a dearth of elec-

trified, mass-market CUVs. This

one has a possible 240-mile (386-

km) range, plus the cargo space

Americans love.

With just one Korean plant

building the model for all global

markets, the only question is,

‘Can Hyundai get enough Konas

to meet U.S. demand?’

CHRISTIE SCHWEINSBERG’S PICKS

HYUNDAI KONA


THE BIG STORY

After years of the Optima mid-

size sedan or the Soul subcom-

pact box being on top, Kia’s best-

seller last year in the U.S. was the

compact Forte sedan and coupe.

Surprising? Hardly.

Despite proclamations about

the death of the sedan, there are

people who still want to drive

cars for various reasons, namely

their lower cost compared with

similarly sized utilities. That’s

why I have a lot of faith in the ’19

Forte, the compact’s third gen-

eration going on sale this year.

The new Forte has Kia-typical

levels of class-above features

and technology, wrapped in a

fresh new look influenced by

the brand’s much-buzzed-about

Stinger sport-luxury sedan. The

Honda Civic may be more aggres-

sively styled, but it also is higher-

priced.

The Forte should do nicely in a

market that still needs C-cars.


KIA FORTE


THE BIG STORY

Once upon a time large luxury

cars were ‘it.’ The ultimate expres-

sion of a premium marque’s abil-

ity to wrap their passengers in

comfort and prestige, they were

eaten up by a discerning clientele.

But those days are over.

Last year, only 81,114 of the

models were sold, compared with

808,978 midsize-luxury CUVs. But

Lexus is making a noble effort to

slow the trend toward CUVs with

the latest generation of its LS.

Decorated by a bold, every-

which-way version of the brand’s

signature spindle grille (it’s grow-

ing on me...seriously) and interior

trims and patterns inspired by

Japanese design, the LS presents

something different than the big

German 4-doors.

Its pricing also undercuts those

models, in some cases by tens of

thousands of dollars.

If there ever were a time for

Lexus to win over the Audi/BMW/

Benz crowd, it’s now, and with

this car.


LEXUS LS


THE BIG STORY

In the late 1990s, the peak of

luxury was defined by the likes of

the biggest luxury sedans from

Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Then

Ford blew up the luxury segment

in 1997 with the introduction of

the ’98 Lincoln Navigator, which

almost singlehandedly revived

the Lincoln brand.

Based on the Ford Expedition

fullsize SUV which sits on an F-150

body-on-frame pickup truck plat-

form, the fullsize luxury SUV for-

mula has been wildly successful

and created a luxury vehicle seg-

ment with sticker prices that soar

into six figures and deliver among

the industry’s biggest profit mar-

gins.

In recent years, sales have

slowed to about 10,000 units

annually, but watch for the all-

new Navigator to give a major

boost to Lincoln sales and profits.

The exterior design is beautifully

chiseled.

The interior is spectacular. It

sets new standards for aesthet-

ics, comfort and user-experience

design.

DREW WINTER’S PICKS

LINCOLN NAVIGATOR


THE BIG STORY

VW, the German automaker

known mostly in the U.S. as a

small-car company that sold die-

sels, is going to transform itself

into a family-friendly SUV-oriented

brand. It no longer will sell diesel-

powered vehicles in the U.S. and

will focus instead on becoming a

leading player in battery electric

vehicles beginning in 2020.

Nearer term, VW plans to shift

its U.S. product mix from 10%-

12% CUVs now to about 40%

over the next several years as the

company launches all-new Atlas

and Tiguan CUVs which both offer

third-row seating.

The outgoing Tiguan was consid-

ered too expensive, too small and

has not succeed in the U.S. A de-

contented version still will be kept

in the lineup as a value leader.

But the new Tiguan is designed to

be a much more serious competi-

tor in the white-hot compact CUV

segment. It is much longer and

offers optional third-row seats.

A lot of attention has been

focused on the importance of

VW’s larger Atlas CUV, but VW’s

new strategy cannot succeed

without strong Tiguan sales.


VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN


THE BIG STORY

The Lexus LC500 is a $100,000

sport coupe that sells in very low

volumes. Just 2,487 were deliv-

ered in the U.S. last year, accord-

ing to WardsAuto data. Why is it

important?

Because it is the most beauti-

ful, exciting Lexus ever and its

captivating exterior surfaces and

gorgeous interior promise to have

a profound influence on all new

Lexus models yet to come.

Critics complain it’s too heavy,

too expensive and not fast

enough for its price tag. That may

all be true, but it doesn’t matter

when everyone from Ferrari own-

ers to plumbers leaning out of

F-150s tell you how beautiful the

car is.

The LC500’s basic design lan-

guage shows Lexus and parent

Toyota are serious about breath-

ing new life into Lexus design, not

just in concept cars but where the

rubber hits the road.


LEXUS LC500


THE BIG STORY

It leads the list for 2018. The

Jeep brand is FCA’s best market

play, accounting for more than

41% of the automaker’s U.S. sales

in 2017 through November.

The revamped Wrangler, Jeep’s

most iconic model, is designed to

solidify that position and expand

its reach to more mainstream

buyers.

DAVE ZOIA’S PICKS

JEEP WRANGLER

Keep an eye on three new models also

designed to stake out new ground or tighten

the market grips of their respective brands.


THE BIG STORY

It puts the Swedish marque in

the fastest growing segment of

small CUVs and is designed to

draw a broader customer base to

Volvo’s showrooms in the U.S. It’s

also a big test for Volvo’s owner-

ship under China’s Zhejiang Geely.

The XC40 employs a modular

platform designed with Geely

that incorporates a high percent-

age of Chinese-sourced parts and

will underpin additional models

sold by Geely under the Lynk &

Co. sub-brand.

Success here is critical to Volvo-

Geely’s long-term strategy as well

as expansion of the Volvo brand

in the U.S.

DAVE ZOIA’S PICKS

VOLVO XC40


THE BIG STORY

It’s another must-watch. With

its 3-rows of seats, the new

family-sized CUV, Subaru’s larg-

est ever, takes one of the fastest-

growing brands in the U.S. into

the big leagues.

This is a big test for the brand

and will determine if Subaru’s

more-niche success can translate

to a much broader buyer base.

DAVE ZOIA’S PICKS

SUBARU ASCENT

vehicles to watch 2018 in -...

Documents