Even though the new car market has stagnated, a lot being down to Brexit uncertainties, there’s still an awful lot of new cars being launched or on the way. Here’s a small flavour of what’s out there competing for your business.
Things are quiet for Alfa Romeo at the moment as they wait for the launch of their new small SUV, the Tonale. Having seen it at motor shows I can confirm that it’s going to be one of the best-looking SUVs on the market. At the other end of the scale, there’s the Stelvio Quadrifoglio with the 2.9 litre 510bhp V6, based on a Ferrari engine. Four wheel drive keeps everything on the straight and narrow. It’s not a mass-market car but it’s one of the most fun SUVs out there.
Audi are beginning their serious march to electrification with the e-tron, which I drove in Abu Dhabi late last year. Customer deliveries of the full electric SUV have already begun and it has all the range and speed of a Tesla, together with fast charging. Optional features include video cameras in place of mirrors but I really couldn’t get on with them.
The new TT is available to order now with more powerful engines, enhanced interior and equipment and a sleeker look. To counter the threat from the BMW 3 Series, the A4 junior executive has also been facelifted, introducing mild hybrid tech to the range for the first time.
There’s also a new A1 Sportback and Q3 small hatchback.
Of course the major launch from BMW this year was the 3 Series, a car that’s vital to the company’s health. Junior 5 Series styling and tech borrowed from further up the range makes this a very strong contender in its class.
The launch of the new X1 small SUV is imminent as it’s expected in July and we’ll have the new 1 Series in September, sporting a front wheel drive chassis.
The 7 Series has been facelifted and an entirely new model, the 8 Series, in coupé and convertible forms, has been inroduced. There’s also a new Z4 sports car and an entirely new X5 SUV.
A revised i3 now sports a bigger battery for longer range.
Citroen have a new Berlingo van-based MPV and the C5 Aircross SUV – with a PHEV version on the way next year. Sister company DS have the DS7 Crossback, a large SUV and will shortly launch the DS3 Crossback.
Updated engines for the Dacia Sandero and Logan but the latest car to launch was the new Duster which now comes with a much improved interior and an advanced four wheel drive system, turning it into a very capable off-roader.
Ford will launch a new Kuga shortly and later on there will be another small SUV, the Puma, which was previewed recently in Amsterdam. It promises innovative solutions for carrying luggage, including the ability to store two sets of golf clubs standing up. The Fiesta Active has been joined by a larger Focus Active but it follows the same formula of added height to turn it into an SUV. The hybrid range has been expanded with the introduction of the Mondeo hybrid in estate format while at the other end of the scale, a Bullitt special edition of the new Mustang has been launched with the full fat V8 engine and an optional ten speed automatic.
We have a new CR-V SUV from Honda, which comes with hybrid power and no sign of a diesel engine. It comes with either front or four wheel drive. Honda’s first electric city car won’t be launched until probably early next year.
Hyundai have their new Santa Fe but probably more important is the Kona EV, which comes with a massive 64Kwh battery that they say is good enough for over 400km. There’s also a Fastback version of the i30N which brings to the market a nice mix of style and performance from its tuned 1.6 litre turbo engine.
Jaguar launched their first electric car, the I-Pace, late last year and it’s some machine. A full size SUV with decent range is a really impressive achievement and the interior and driving manners are well up to Jaguar’s usual high standards. A facelifted XE saloon is also on the way with hybrid tech for the first time.
Kia are also in the electric market with the eNiro, which comes with a choice of two battery sizes, giving a claimed range of either 485km or 312km. Another EV, the Soul, is also due for launch. The stylish Proceed, a stylish estate version of the Ceed has also hit the market recently.
Land Rover’s new Evoque can’t be ignored if you’re in the market for an upmarket SUV. Styling is an evolution of the outgoing model but it’s a class act.
Lexus finally have a really credible contender in the mid-size executive class with their new ES, which is powered by a 2.5 litre petrol hybrid engine. Poised to capitalise on the swing away from diesel, it could do really well, particularly if changes in taxation make petrol more attractive for business users. There’s also a new hybrid SUV, the UX.
Mazda’s big launch is the 3, which comes with a new 1.8 litre diesel unit, downsized from the old 2.2. More intriguingly, there’s a new 2.0 litre Skyactiv-X engine on the way which is said to combine the best characteristics of petrol and diesel into one engine. I can’t wait to try it. A new SUV, the CX30, based on the 3 is also on the way.
Mercedes continue their model assault with the new A-Class saloon, CLA, CLA shooting brake and a brand-new B-Class.
There’s also a facelifted C-Class and a brand-new GLE to rival the likes of the BMW X5. We’ll also shortly see Mercedes’ first electric car, the EQC and it will be interesting to see how this compares to the Audi e-tron.
We can look forward to a new Mitsubishi ASX later this year, but in the meantime, they’ve facelifted the Outlander PHEV which, although it looks pretty much the same, has been thoroughly re-engineered. It now boasts a claimed EV range of 45km and comes with a 20% price reduction thanks to production efficiencies.
The archetypal electric car is still Nissan’s LEAF and the generation two model gains a much bigger 60kwh battery shortly for a much better range. There are some new engines for the Qashqai and a new 1.0 litre triple for the Micra and a warm hatch version, based also on a different 1.0 litre three cylinder turbo.
A new Opel Corsa is due later this year and an electric version will also follow, but not at launch. A plug-in hybrid version of the Grandland X SUV is also on the way.
Peugeot’s launches this year include the 508 saloon and the Rifter. I’m delighted to see the saloon market get a shot in the arm from the 508, proving that the sector isn’t quite dead yet. The Rifter is one of the most practical cars on the market with its space and practicality. The only thing missing is the much sought after SUV styling but as a family car it makes a huge amount of sense. A new 208 supermini will be here by years end or early 2020 and it will come with an electric version from launch.
New engines abound on the Renault range with the Clio now benefitting from all turbo power. There are new petrol and diesel units for the Mégane and the new 1.3 Tce petrol also sees duty in the Kadjar and Scénic. There’s a new Zoe on the way too, although it’s probably going to launch next year. It should have much better range courtesy of a bigger battery.
Seat launched their new large SUV, the Tarraco, earlier this year. They’ve also hived off their performance models into a CUPRA sub-brand with the first car being the Cupra Ateca powered by a 2.0 litre petrol turbo. A second model, called Formentor is the next one to launch.
Skoda also centre on performance with their Kodiaq RS, which comes with 240bhp, four wheel drive and a DSG gearbox. It uses a diesel engine, which while practical, may not be as sporty as some of its competitors. We’ll shortly get the new Scala, the replacement for the Rapid which we’ve already seen at Geneva.
Tesla have opened their order book for the new Model 3, the car that’s intended to bring them into the mainstream. Deliveries won’t start until next year.
Toyota have had a busy year so far with a new RAV4, which takes power from a new 2.5 litre hybrid power system. The new Corolla has also seen the light of day, again with hybrid power as an option. The Auris name has been dropped so hatchbacks are also called Corolla.
Another nameplate making a return is the Camry, which has just been relaunched with a 2.5 litre hybrid powerplant the only option on offer. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Camry in this country, although the name is still in use around the world. It will be interesting to see how the market reacts to it.
The Supra nameplate is also on the way back later this year in the form of a new sports car co-developed with BMW. Power comes from a six cyinder in line engine with no manual transmission option.
Volkswagen launched their smallest crossover, the T-Cross, earlier this year. There’s also a facelifted Passat, although you’d be forgiven for not noticing the exterior changes. Most changes focus around the adoption of high tech interior equipment.
A new Golf isn’t far away, although realistically we’re talking about next year. The really exciting news though is the new range of electric Volkswagens, dubbed ID, the first of which are due for launch next year.
There’s a new S60 from Volvo, which successfully builds on the fantastic interiors we’ve already seen on Volvo’s larger models. An updated XC90 is also on the way.
