These are the all-new new models you’ll actually be able to buy and drive this year.
By David Miller
Auto show season is ramping up and there's always plenty of chatter about the new reveals and concepts. They’re all nice to see and read about but many of them won’t arrive on the market for a year or more. So if you're in the market for a new vehicle and need to know what's actually coming out in 2017 – we’ve got your back. Here are 21 of the most important vehicles coming to Canadian showrooms for sale in 2017.
2017 will kick off with the long-awaited 2017 Chevrolet Bolt. The pure electric hatchback with a range of up to 383 kilometres on a full charge will be hoping for success from battery-hungry consumers who plunked down deposits for the Tesla Model 3.
The Bolt EVs starting price is $42,795 which can be reduced in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia to as low as $31,434 with rebates.
The BMW 5-Series hasn't gone through too many recent changes, but that's more a product of its classic look and charm. It's one of those cars that ages gracefully, but for 2017, it's time for a change with its seventh-generation makeover.
The more lightweight sedan arrives in showrooms in February after a pit stop at the Detroit auto show. Two engine choices are found under the hood: a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque for the 530i; and a turbocharged, 3.0-litre straight-six that produces 335 and 332, respectively. Both are offered with BMW's all-wheel-drive setup called xDrive.
The Hyundai Ioniq hatch is all about electrification. It's the first global automobile with three distinct electrified powertrains: a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure EV.
Hyundai showed off its versatile hatch last year, and now its time to see how the public reacts. Sales of the versions have been staggered with the hybrid and pure EV going to market first and it will be joined by the plug-in hybrid in the second half of the year. The hybrid uses the a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and an electric motor; while the pure EV model has a maximum range of 200 km.
The same powertrain in the Hyundai Ioniq hybrid will be used for the 2017 Kia Niro. The Niro is a brand new model for the Kia brand and its first hybrid subcompact crossover. There isn't a gasoline version, as the Niro is a dedicated hybrid product.
Between the 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that runs on the Atkinson cycle and a 32-kilowatt electric motor, the total production output sits at 146 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for the Niro will be closely watched as it received a Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption by a hybrid of 3.07 L/100 km on a trip from Los Angeles to New York City.
Crossovers are currently all the rage and Mazda will aim to capitalize on that with its new 2017 CX-5 crossover. The gasoline versions will be available starting in Q1, while its “torque-rich” Skyactiv-D 2.2-litre diesel will arrive around the fall.
Styling for the CX-5 has taken on a modernized tough look which Mazda has named the next evolution of its signature 'Kodo – Soul of Motion' design. On top of its more chiseled physique, the crossover gets an enhancement in handling with new vehicle dynamics that includes G-Vectoring Control that can adjust torque based on the driver, creating a more stable and responsive drive.
Volkswagen has invested a lot of time and resources into rebuilding its lineup with a focus towards SUVs. One of those more talked about models is the seven-seater 2018 Volkswagen Atlas that was designed specifically for the North American market. It’s expected to come to dealerships in the spring of 2017.
The Atlas will be built on the MQB platform and sits low and wide – an overall good looking vehicle. Two engine choices are offered: a turbocharged, 238-hp 2.0-litre inline-four and a 3.6-litre V-6 that produces 280 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. Front- or all-wheel-drive setups are offered with both options being matched to a new eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Civic Si and Civic Type R have been talked about long enough and 2017 is finally the year that they both come to market. It's questionable whether Honda really needs both alternative performance vehicles for its Civic, but the Japanese brand is unleashing all of its variant ideas to the public.
It all depends how much power you're looking for. The Si will receive a 1.5-litre turbo engine that expands its power over the 200 hp mark; while the Type R gets a larger unit in the 2.0 variety and should exceed 300 hp.
The 2017 Land Rover Discovery was shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show and is ready to hit the streets come Q2. This is the third-generation product for the Discovery nameplate and it's being labelled as one of the most capable Land Rover products ever. Seating can accommodate up to seven adults and the all-new, all-terrain conqueror comes with a sleek and sporty design, drifting away from its traditional boxy looks with the latest connectivity technologies inside.
The compact crossover Compass is one of the forgotten players in the Jeep lineup, slotted below the popular Wrangler. Jeep is no longer selling the Patriot, so the American brand is hoping that the Compass can improve on its popularity as well as fill a void left by the Patriot.
Four trim levels will be offered for the completely redesigned Compass: Sport, Latitute, a more luxurious Limited and an off-roading Trailhawk. The Trailhawk comes only with four-wheel-drive, but all the others can be had with front- or a four-wheel-drive setup. The Compass will be available in the spring of 2017.
Mini showcased a new second-generation Countryman at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show and its wider and longer iteration is expected to become available in Q1. The larger structure makes a big difference when it comes to rear seat room and cargo space.
This larger version gets stretched out even more and will launch with three options: Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper S E ALL4 plug-in hybrid. Mini is giving electrification another kick at the can after the Mini E came out back in 2010. The S E ALL4 will have a range of up to 40 kilometres.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan was a big hit in 2016, and now the German luxury brand is showing off its latest edition coupe version in Detroit. The two-door coupe isn't for everyone, but its sleek silhouette and styling will make some heads turn.
The coupe should be available in the middle of 2017 and will adopt all the styling elements of the new sedan, as well as its first-class interior and semi-autonomous driving functions.
The official 2016 Canadian sales numbers haven't been released yet, but it looks like the Lexus LS will come short of selling 100 units. It has to be said that luxury flagships don't usually sell in huge numbers, but the LS has taken a nose dive in comparison to its competition.
For 2017, Lexus is finally going to go through a major redesign for the LS, which will be shown in Detroit. The fifth-generation LS is expected to sit on its new architecture and have a V-8 engine running the show, along with a hybrid component.
With the advent of the new Chrysler Pacifica, it's now time for Honda to reclaim some glory for its minivan version – the Odyssey.
Honda has saId its fifth-generation Odyssey will receive new powertrains (most likely the 3.5-litre V-6 used in the Pilot), an enhanced interior, more safety features and advanced connectivity. Only teasers have been shown thus far, but from the looks of things, the Odyssey tries to get away from a typical minivan look with more sleek and less boxy styling.
After the 2017 GMC Acadia was released, it's now time for its sister, the Chevrolet Traverse, to have its day. The 2018 full-size Traverse SUV will share the same architecture as the Acadia and Buick Enclave, and be revealed in Detroit.
It's been nine years since the Traverse has seen a major redesign, and it seems that 2017 will be the year that many stale crossovers and SUVs get the attention they’ve been lacking. Only teaser images have been shown, but Chevrolet is stating that the Traverse will seat up to eight passengers and offer segment-leading third-row legroom.
General Motors has more than just the Chevrolet Traverse for 2017, as the Detroit brand is expected to show off the 2018 GMC Terrain. The Terrain is another vehicle that hasn't seen a makeover since the turn of the decade, yet its sales have stayed consistent throughout the years.
The all-new Terrain makes sense considering the Chevrolet Equinox that it shares a platform with just went over a similar remodel. We don't know about powertrains just yet, but there are rumours that a diesel may be in the cards as an option on top of its expected four-cylinder gasoline engine. General Motors has gone on record to say the Terrain will take on a more rugged design.
Volvo is on a roll of late and the Sino-Swedish manufacturer is not letting up with the soon-to-be released 2018 Volvo XC40. The XC40 will have its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show with expectations of a production release near the end of the year.
This would be Volvo's first entry into the luxury compact crossover segment – a segment that's become a necessity to play in. With sales records being achieved by the segment, the XC40 should make for an interesting alternative once released. The XC40 will be built on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which is a joint venture with its parent company, Geely.
A completely redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry will be revealed in Detroit with an on-sale date scheduled for late 2017.
As the No.1 selling passenger car in the United States, there's no question how important the Camry is to the Toyota brand. In the past couple of years, the Camry has been the best-selling Canadian mid-size sedan and the Japanese brand is hoping it stays that way thanks to this new look that sits on Toyota's latest global architecture.
At a time when mid-size sedan sales have decreased in favour of SUVs, it will be interesting to see how a more aggressively-styled Camry will fare in late 2017 and beyond.
The Ford Expedition, the most successful mainstream large SUV in Canada is also going through a major redesign. It will be a 2018 model year vehicle that will become available in late 2017. Details of the new model have been kept under wraps during the design and development stage so the photo here is of a 2017 model.
An aluminum body, similar to the one on the F-150, is the big news in regards to the new Expedition. The expansion of a high-strength lightweight aluminum body to other products is a bold move by the Blue Oval, reinforcing its faith behind that construction. Expect the full-size SUV to focus on better fuel economy and added performance through Ford's EcoBoost engines.
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator will be the luxury-class version of the all-new Ford Expedition. Similar to the Expedition, it will use a mostly aluminum body-on-frame construction that will help with its lightweight feel and fuel economy. The interior won't take on the futuristic gadgets found in the Navigator Concept, shown here, but modern styling with a new infotainment unit and safety technology functions are expected.
Under the hood, the Navigator sports a new twin-turbocharged, 3.5-litre V-6 that gets both its horsepower and torque numbers up into the 450 range. The engine will be matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Kia is always striving for something bigger and better than its mainstream perception. Enter the 2018 Kia GT which will be shown off at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. It's a sleek five-passenger hatchback that's expected to have the same powerful twin-turbo 3.3-litre V-6 found in the Genesis G80, producing more than 365 hp. Look out BMW 3 Series!
Its 2017 release hasn't been confirmed, but there's a good chance that we’ll see the fastest Kia ever built in showrooms in Q4.
The 2017 Ford GT won't necessarily be coming to showrooms, but it's available starting this year. Only 1,000 units will be made globally in a staggered four-year period, so only the lucky first instalment of 250 winners will be able to fork over close to $600,000 CAD for Ford's lightweight halo car that can muster 600 horses out of its 3.5-litre EcoBoost V-6 engine.
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