vehicles to watch 2018 in -...
TRANSCRIPT
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
3 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
JAMES AMEND’S PICKS
BUICK REGAL TOURX
4 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
JAMES AMEND’S PICKS
BUICK “BOLT”
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5 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
6 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
STEVE FINLAY’S PICKS
LINCOLN NAVIGATOR
7 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
STEVE FINLAY’S PICKS
VOLVO XC40
8 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
9 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
BOB GRITZINGER’S PICKS
INFINITI QX50
10 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
BOB GRITZINGER’S PICKS
RANGE ROVER VELAR
11 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
12 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
13 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
14 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
15 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
TOM MURPHY’S PICKS
BMW X7/X2
16 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
TOM MURPHY’S PICKS
SUBARU ASCENT
17 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
18 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
CHRISTIE SCHWEINSBERG’S PICKS
KIA FORTE
19 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
CHRISTIE SCHWEINSBERG’S PICKS
LEXUS LS
20 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
21 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
DREW WINTER’S PICKS
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN
22 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
DREW WINTER’S PICKS
LEXUS LC500
23 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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.
24 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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
25 |WARDSWARDSAUTOAUTOFEBRUARY 2018
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