Although there’s no shortage of car models to choose from in the US—265 of them at last count—it may be worth waiting a little longer to get the right one for your needs and taste. At this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, automakers unveiled several new car models (and pickups, too) to be offered later this year or in early 2016 that are worth the wait, especially if you’re looking for one of the following…*
Cars that are barely bigger than a compact but with many of the amenities typical of a sport utility vehicle have become very popular. Car buyers will soon have a very large selection of these compact crossovers to choose from.
The new 2016 Fiat 500X…Honda HR-V…and Mazda CX-3 will reach showrooms by summer, joining the Chevrolet Trax and Jeep Renegade, which debuted in the 2015 model year, as well as the Buick Encore, Mini Countryman and Nissan Juke.
These compact crossovers combine the versatility and optional all-wheel drive of an SUV with the affordability and fuel-efficiency of an economy car. Prices have not yet been set for 2016 models, but expect them to start in the neighborhood of $20,000.
These are small vehicles. Most are around 165 to 170 inches bumper to bumper—less than a foot longer than the typical compact hatchback. But take one for a test drive before concluding that they’re too small for you. Their relatively high seating position and generous headroom help them feel bigger inside than seems possible from the outside. That high seating position makes them easy to enter and exit, too.
Here’s what stands out about the new models…
Fiat 500X is the one to choose for looks. It will provide the attractive Italian styling of the popular Fiat 500 hatchback, but with additional passenger and cargo space and optional all-wheel drive. It will be available in late spring. Starting price: $20,900.
Honda HR-V will offer a class-leading 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down. That easily bests the 35.9 cubic feet of cargo space in the Juke or the 48.4 cubic feet in the Trax. It’s a Honda, so it’s a good bet that it will be extremely reliable with excellent resale value. The HR-V will be available this spring. Fuel efficiency: 28 mpg city/35 highway…or 27/32 with all-wheel drive.
Mazda CX-3 (pictured above) is sportier looking than the other compact crossovers, and there’s a good chance that it will be sportier to drive, too, with precise handling, great steering feel and minimal body roll through the corners. Mazda excels at producing affordable fun-to-drive cars. It will be available this summer.
Also: Jeep Renegade, a late entry in the 2015 model year, is already available and worth considering, too. It offers the off-road capabilities and rugged styling of a true Jeep…even though it is quite compact in size and actually made in Italy by Fiat. But it’s probably worth waiting until the 2016s arrive even if you want the Jeep. The compact crossover market is about to become very crowded, and that competition could lead to good deals as automakers battle for buyers.
Buick Cascada is your best option if you’re in the market for a stylish convertible with an upscale interior and a starting price of $30,000 to $35,000. In fact, your only option is to wait for the 2016 Cascada—no currently available convertible meets these criteria. (The Ford Mustang convertible can be had for around $30,000, and other convertibles such as the Mini Cooper Convertible and the Mazda Miata have even lower starting prices—but they don’t offer the premium look and feel of the Buick.)
The Cascada, Buick’s first convertible in a quarter century, is an attractive, two-door front-wheel-drive soft-top with a comfortable, well-equipped interior. Its 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine will be capable of producing a more-than-sufficient 200 horsepower, but expect its ride to be more comfortable than sporty—this is a Buick, after all.
The seats and steering wheel will be heated, a big plus when the top is down in cool weather…and there’s an automated rear-seat access system that moves the front seats out of the way with the push of a button, a nice feature in a two-door car. It’s expected to reach showrooms in early 2016.
For years now, most people who have set out to buy an entry-level luxury sports sedan have wound up with the same car—a BMW 3 Series. That’s not likely to change anytime soon. No car with a starting price in the neighborhood of $40,000 can match the 3 Series’ combination of luxurious interior, stylish exterior and pure driving fun. But there is a problem with the 3 Series—its popularity. There are so many 3 Series on the road that driving one can feel less than special.
If you want a great luxury sports sedan that’s also distinctive, consider waiting until the 2017 Jaguar XE arrives in the US, likely in early 2016. Jaguars have long been known for three things—being beautiful to look at…a joy to drive…and completely unreliable. Only the first two-thirds of that reputation remains valid. Like most Jags, the XE is very attractive. And early reports from Europe, where the XE will reach showrooms this year, suggest that it is indeed a blast to drive. Its supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 delivers 340 horsepower, and its handling is said to be superb.
What you might find more surprising is that Jaguar has made major strides in recent years to overcome its reliability issues. Studies now suggest that Jaguar owners experience fewer problems with their cars than the typical car owner.
Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize pickup truck for the past decade, with a well-deserved reputation for reliability. Trouble is, it hasn’t had a significant redesign since 2005. It’s a relic by modern automotive standards.
Toyota will finally give the Tacoma a much needed update, which should reach showrooms this fall. The 2016 Tacoma will be improved throughout. The cabin will feel more upscale…the exterior will have more appealing styling…the optional six-cylinder engine will be more powerful and more fuel-efficient (though the base four-cylinder engine will not change)…and significant improvements will be made to the frame, suspension and automatic transmission. Expect prices to start between $20,000 and $25,000.
Many currently available value-oriented hybrids are dull to drive, dull to look at and not all that much more fuel-efficient than some nonhybrid economy cars with significantly lower sticker prices. Given the price of fuel these days, it’s hard to justify a hybrid’s higher price. But Chevy is doing something about that.
Chevrolet Volt is getting a much needed redesign. The Volt is an “extended-range electric”—it functions as a plug-in electric vehicle on short-to-medium trips but also has a gas engine so that drivers can keep going when the batteries run down. The 2016 Volt, which should reach showrooms in mid-2015, will be able to travel 50 miles on a single battery charge, up from 38 miles for the current Volt. It will get 41 mpg when the gas engine is needed, up from 37 mpg. And it will run on regular unleaded fuel—earlier Volts required premium. The starting price is expected to be between $30,000 and $35,000—and as a plug-in hybrid, the Volt is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Stylistically, the formerly bland Volt has been transformed into an attractive car. Chevy also has simplified the Volt’s dashboard controls, added a fifth seat (though rear-seat headroom remains limited) and taken steps to improve handling and reduce cabin noise.
Gas prices eventually will rebound, and the next-generation Volt could be a car that is worth considering when they do.
*Prices and fuel economy figures were not announced as of press time except where indicated.
