Smart Electric Drive
Mercedes-Benz has decided to expand its all-electric offering in the Smart range, making their Fortwo, Fortwo convertible and Forfour into electric city commuters. All three cars will be powered by an 80-hp electric motor. It will take around 2.5 hours to fully charged, and the powerplant will provide the range of 99 miles. The move by Mercedes-Benz sub brand will certainly spice up the competition in the electric car market.
KIA Picanto
KIA’s supermini entered its third generation this year, and was premiered on the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. It features a design that is an evolution of the previous generation, and under its hood sit two engines, 1.0l 3-cylinder Kappa II that comes with or without the turbocharger, and a 1.25l Kappa II inline four. The motoring press is already in favor of this charming Korean city car, and it’s expected to be one of the strongest contenders in its class.
Toyota Yaris GRMN
Although fourth generation Yaris has received just a design update, there is a car that will stir things up in the supermini class, and it’s the hot hatch version called GRMN. This is the first truly hot Yaris since the model debuted in 1999. The GRMN Yaris will be powered by a turbocharged 1.8 liter inline four, and Toyota promised its power to be upwards of 200 horsepower, which ensures loads of fun in this pocket rocket. And if you wondered what GRMN stands for, it’s Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring, the coolest abbreviation out there.
Ford Fiesta
2017 Geneva Motor show has also brought us the new seventh generation Ford Fiesta. The car will feature four engines, 1.0l Ecoboost, 1.1l non-turbocharged inline three, 1.5l Duratorq inline four, and 1.5l Ecoboost inline three. The last engine will power the all new Fiesta ST, a benchmark car in the class. The hottest version of the new Ford supermini will have 197 horsepower, a 0-60 sprint of 6.7 seconds, and loads of other enhancements that will provide an unforgettable driving experience to its owners.
Hyundai i30 / i30N
The third generation of Hyundai’s hatchback i30 is projected to hit the market in the second half of 2017, and what’s also important is that the company is planning to offer its first hot version of the car. The i30N will be powered by a 2.0l turbocharged inline four with more than 260 horsepower, which is a truly formidable power for the Korean hatch. The car will make its debut with manual transmission, and automatic will be added sometime in 2018.
Honda Civic Hatchback
A global icon and Honda’s landmark car, Honda Civic has hit the market in its tenth generation in 2016. However, its hatchback version is an addition for 2017, and what gets us most excited is the Type R version. The legendary hatchback will produce around 350 horsepower, it will be front-wheel-drive, and apart from upgraded bodywork, it will be thoroughly reworked to handle all that power in a sublime manner.
KIA Stinger
South Korean manufacturer has another important premiere this year, and it’s the German-fighting KIA Stinger, company’s first actual performance sedan. The highly anticipated sedan offers way more than just looks, as it will be powered by two high output engines. The first one will be a 2.0l inline four that will produce 252 horsepower thanks to a turbocharger, while the stronger one will be a 3.3l twin-turbocharged V6 with 360 horsepower. Add rear-wheel-drive to the equation, and you’ll get a fantastic driver’s car that will certainly make its mark in the class. Its global success is almost certain, and it will impact all subsequent battles in the power sedan market.
Volkswagen Arteon
A replacement to the Volkswagen (Passat) CC, Arteon is a strong contender in the four-door coupe class. As a renamed standalone model, Arteon breaks its ties with its Passat roots, and it will be a more luxurious model with a strong upscale feel to it. It will be driven either by front or all wheels, it will feature a palette of petrol and diesel engines, and the most powerful among them will produce 276 horsepower.
Mazda CX-5
The second generation Mazda CX-5 stunned us with its fabulous looks, and it is inarguably one of the most beautiful SUVs on the market. It will be the first diesel powered Mazda in the US market, powered by either SKYACTIV-D 2.2l engine, or SKYACTIV-G 2.0l and 2.5l petrol powerplants. With a phenomenal design, updated comfort and great reputation, the CX-5 is among the most desirable cars that are hitting the market this year.
Range Rover Velar
Range Rover has always known how to add elegance and refinement to the SUV market, and their all-new model called Velar proudly follows the footsteps of its predecessors. It sits between the smaller Evoque and the bigger Range Rover sport, and it has the best of both worlds. Powered by 2.0l four-cylinder with 247 horsepower, 3.0l supercharged V6 with 380 horses or a 180hp diesel, the Velar has reasonable power in a comfortable, spacious luxury SUV packed with technology and all sorts of equipment that makes one’s drive easier and more enjoyable.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio
The first SUV from one of the oldest and most respected automotive companies in the world is finally here, and it’s way better that anyone expected. Even the biggest purists and skeptics couldn’t deny its grace, Italian DNA and appeal. In its ultimate form, the Stelvio is powered by an all-aluminum 2.9l V6 with twin turbochargers and 505 horsepower, so it is destined to make a mark in the extremely competitive performance SUV class.
Jaguar E-Pace
After wandering into SUV territory with a highly successful F-Pace, Jaguar has decided to offer a slightly smaller model for 2017. It will be called E-Pace, and it will most probably be powered by 2.0l inline four petrol and diesel engines. We can expect a lot from this Jag SUV, and we can’t wait to see it battling head to head with the German alternatives.
Volkswagen T-Roc
A car that we’ve also set our eyes on is the T-Roc, a subcompact SUV designed around the Golf platform. This car will certainly be a great offering in the class, and will have front wheel or all-wheel drive, and a selection of petrol and diesel engines.
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
For 2017, Porsche has prepared a breakthrough version of the new Panamera called Sport Turismo. The updated looks of the second-gen Panamera have been made even sleeker with the addition of the fifth hatch door, and its sporty silhouette now has a shooting brake feel to it. The most powerful Panamera Sport Turismo will produce 440 horsepower with a 0-60 sprint of 4.4s, an impressive number for the class.
BMW 5 Series
During 2017, BMW will start selling a wagon version of their new 5 Series midsize executive sedan. It will be offered with several engine choices: a 2.0l petrol, 3.0l petrol, 2.0l diesel and 3.0l diesel, but what we all really hope for is the M version.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Convertible
The latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class soft top is perhaps the most beautiful one to be produced, and with twin-turbo V6 and V8 engines, the lucky owners have a lot to look forward to. The 3.0l biturbo V6 will produce 329 horsepower, while the V8 will have 409. It’s also worth noting that AMG version will certainly be on its way too…
Renault Alpine
For 2017, Renault has decided to go all in and revive the Alpine brand after more than twenty years. The bold move has given us one of the most beautiful sport coupes on the market, which will boldly take on the Porsche Cayman. Its design is undoubtedly modern, although quite clever, as the car draws a lot of design cues from the legendary Alpine A110. We just hope that the car will be a true modern recreation of the famous predecessor.
Jaguar F-Type 4-Cylinder
This year, Jaguar has made an unexpected move by choosing to offer a cheaper, 4-cylinder version of their F-Type sports car. That makes the F-Type the first Jaguar coupe/convertible with a 4-cylinder engine, but downsizing does not mean the car will be less fun. The new model will have a 2.0l engine producing 296 horsepower. The introduction of this car provides an insight into a possible trend of downsizing in the most premium segments, and although it will still be a decent sports car, it will lack the frightening roar of its V8 engine.
Lexus LC 500
A successor to the ill-fated Lexus SC 420, Lexus LC 500 is set to be everything but its predecessor. First of all, it features a fabulously sleek bodywork, accompanied by a 470-hp V8 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission. Lexus will also offer the LC as a hybrid with 354 horsepower and a 4.7s 0-60 mph time. As a whole package, this Lexus is the most luxurious GT coming from Japan, and a worthy adversary to many competitors from Europe.
Ferrari 812 Superfast
We’ll end the list with a crazy offering from Ferrari in celebration of their 70th birthday. The supreme ruler of GT class has decided to create a V12 monster with 800 horsepower at 8,500RPM. It is the fastest and the most powerful front-engined Ferrari to this day, and a coupe that will certainly go down in history as one of the most memorable cars the company has ever created.