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Here’s what’s new at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show

The LA Auto Show is the kick-off to the 2018 North American auto-show season

Autofile Staff
Published: November 30, 2017, 12:10 PM
Updated: January 9, 2018, 9:06 PM

2018 Los Angeles Auto Show

UPDATED 6:45 PM EST, 2018.11.30 The Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens to the public on December 1, is the kick-off event of the 2018 North American auto-show season. As such it has more than 50 product debuts on schedule, including some that are first-time showings on this continent, others that are true world premieres. Here’s an overview of some of those key debuts.  ▲

2019 Kia Sorento

Lincoln has already revealed pictures of its significantly-refreshed 2019 MKC compact crossover, which incorporates the new Lincoln signature grille design introduced on the Continental, as well as a new rear fascia. It also adds new connectivity and safety, including Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. The 2019 MKC will go on sale next summer. ▲

Kia Niro PHEV

Kia’s new Niro Plug-in Hybrid features a 1.6-litre direct-injected four-cylinder engine with a 44.5 kW electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack to provide up to 41 km (estimated) of pure-electric driving range, when fully charged. The PHEV is distinguished from other Niros by subtle styling touches that include its grille detail and blue exterior accents. ▲

Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster GTS

Porsche pulled the wraps off four new variants of its multiple models, including new GTS versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman GTS, both fitted with a 365-hp 2.5-litre engine and six-speed transmission. Also new was a 911 Carrera T that fits between the base Carrera and the Carrera S in the 911 lineup. ▲

Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo

Porsche’s fourth new model was the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo – a wagon-like variant of its 680-horsepower plug-in hybrid family hauler with the ability to travel up to 48 km (30 miles) on electric power alone. ▲

2018 Hyundai Kona

While it was revealed in Korea last June, Hyundai’s sub-compact Kona CUV makes its world auto-show debut in LA, before coming to market in North America in late winter. Slotting below the Tucson in Hyundai’s lineup, where it will compete with the likes of the Honda HR-V and the Mazda CX-3, it is the first of eight new utility vehicles in Hyundai’s pipeline over the next few years. Power comes from a 147-hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine paired, with a six-speed automatic transmission, or an optional 175-hp, turbocharged and direct-injected 1.6-litre four with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. All-wheel-drive is optional. ▲

Volvo XC40

It’s already old news in other parts of the world but the Volvo XC40 makes its North American debut in Los Angeles. The XC40 is the third and smallest CUV offering from the Sino-Scandinavian brand, along with the mid-size XC60 and the larger XC90. In Canada, the XC40 will be equipped with Volvo’s T5 Drive-E powertrain and all-wheel-drive capability in two trim levels. It will arrive in Volvo showrooms in Spring 2018 as a 2019 model. ▲

Nissan Kicks

Nissan revealed a new CUV model for North America, which is, in fact, a version of the sub-compact Kicks that has been on sale in South America since 2016 and will also be sold in China. It is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, rated at 125 hp and 115 lb-ft of torque, combined with a continuously-variable transition. It will be offered only with front-wheel-drive and will compete with vehicles like the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR. ▲

Mazda6

Mazda showed off the third major refresh of its mid-size Mazda6 sedan since a complete redesign in 2012. In addition to styling refinements it features the addition of a cylinder-deactivation system to its base 2.5-litre engine, for better fuel efficiency, and the availability of the turbocharged direct-injected 2.5-litre four that made its debut in the CX-9. ▲

2018 Jeep Wrangler

The long-awaited 2018 Wrangler JL already broke cover at the industry-insider SEMA show in Las Vegas, earlier this month, but it makes its public debut in LA. While it’s an all-new vehicle, arguably better in every way than its predecessor, it sticks so close to the proven formula that non-aficionados may not even recognize it as new. Its changes are more apparent on the inside than the outside, with a more premium if not luxurious feel. FCA’s 3.7-litre V-6 continues as the primary powerplant but a new, turbocharged 2.0-litre four is available and a diesel is said to be on its way. Production has already begun and the new Jeeps should be in dealerships in January. ▲

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi introduced the Eclipse Cross, already on sale in other parts of the world, to the North American market in LA. The front-wheel-drive compact CUV, with a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a CVT, will slot into the Mitsubishi lineup between the RVR (Outlander Sport in the U.S.) and the Outlander. ▲

Mercedes-Benz CLS

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the third-generation version of its svelte CLS four-door ‘coupe’, which has been, arguably, the prettiest of all Benz sedans since its inception in 2005. Like its predecessors, the new CLS exhibits clean, arching body-side lines with a tightly-coupled greenhouse. It shares many of Mercedes’ most current driving assistance systems with the latest S-Cass and is powered by the brand’s new 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine with EQ Boost (an integrated starter/generator hybrid system) and a 48 volt onboard electrical system. ▲

Lexus RX L

Lexus has revealed its new-for-2018 RX 350L – a three-row variant of the brand’s best-selling mid-size luxury crossover, built in Cambridge, Ontario. Lexus extended the RX L’s body length by 110 mm (4.3 inches) at the rear, adopting a steeper tailgate window angle than on the two-row models, to ensure adequate headroom for third-row passengers, while providing more cargo room behind the third row than competitors offer. The standard seven-seat version uses a 60/40 split bench-type seat, while the available six-seat configuration features second-row captain’s chairs that ease third-row ingress/egress. There will be a hybrid version, designated RX 450hL, as well. ▲

BMW i8 Roadster

BMW has teased us with a roadster version of its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car since the sexy coupe’s introduction in 2014. Now the teasing is over, with a production version slated to go on sale in Spring, 2018. Both the Roadster and the updated i8 Coupe will have more power – 369 hp ( 12 hp) - and a refined high-voltage battery with increased capacity and range. With hybrid-specific all-wheel drive, an internal combustion engine driving the rear wheels and an electric motor driving the front wheels, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is said to take just 4.4/4.6 seconds (preliminary) for the Coupé and Roadster respectively. ▲

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible

Chevrolet launched its hyper-powered 2019 ZR1 in Dubai earlier this month, in coupe form, and added a convertible version to the program in LA. The new, 755-horsepower ZR1supercar is the fastest, most-powerful Corvette ever, with a top speed of 341 km/h (212 mph) for the coupe and a 0-to-97 km/h (0-to-60 mph) acceleration time of less than three seconds. Power comes from an intercooled and supercharged 6.2 litre V-8 engine that incorporates GM’s first dual fuel-injection system – with both primary direct injection and supplemental port injection. The be-winged ZR1 has a total of 13 radiators to deal with all the heat associated with generated by such extreme levels of performance, including circuits for engine oil, transmission and differential cooling. ▲

Volkswagen I.D. Crozz concept

Volkswagen’s first next-generation electric vehicle will be a compact crossover based on the latest iteration of its I.D. Crozz concept introduced to North America at the Los Angeles Auto Show, after its introduction in Shanghai last spring and update earlier this fall in Frankfurt. It shared the stage with the original I.D. concept that influenced the e-Golf and will lead toward the next-generation compact EV hatchback, and the I.D. Buzz, which will lead to the new Magicbus. All three vehicles will be built using Volkswagen’s new modular electric platform, as will the other 12 EVs due by 2025. ▲

Subaru Ascent

Subaru is getting back in the mid-size SUV game with its all-new Ascent, the long-awaited, seven-passenger (or, optionally, eight-passenger) successor to the ill-fated Tribeca. It’s the biggest Subaru ever built with a grown-up towing capacity of up to 2,270 kg (5,000 lb). Of course, it retains all the brand’s key features, including full-time symmetrical all-wheel-drive and the latest evolution of Subaru's horizontally-opposed engine – in this case, a new turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder with an estimated output of 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. It will be built in the U.S.A. and will go head-to-head with such established players as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander when it goes on sale as a 2019 model next summer. ▲

Lincoln Nautilus

Goodbye MKX. Hello Nautilus! The successor to Lincoln’s best-selling, mid-size, MKX SUV gets a new name as well as a major refresh, signaling the end of the seemingly random and confusing MK designations that never seemed to strike a chord with the public. The Nautilus, like the just-revealed new MKC, which is also making its auto-show debut in LA, gets its own version of the brand’s new trademark grille design, introduced on the Continental. It will offer a suite of Ford’s driver-assist technologies and be powered by a choice of two turbocharged engines – a 245-hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 335-hp V-6 – both coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Nautilus will arrive in Lincoln dealerships during the summer of 2018. ▲

Lincoln MKC

Lincoln also revealed its significantly-refreshed 2019 MKC compact crossover, which incorporates the new Lincoln signature grille design, as well as a new rear fascia. It also adds new connectivity and safety features, including Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. The 2019 MKC will go on sale next summer. ▲

Infiniti QX50

Infiniti pulled the wraps off its redesigned QX50 crossover, which will be built on an all-new platform. As expected, the production model looks very much like the QX50 concept unveiled in Detroit at the beginning of the year. It will be the first vehicle to offer Infiniti's new high-tech, variable-compression engine, which is said to combine the power of a 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline engine with the torque and efficiency of a four-cylinder diesel. The QX50 also will offer Nissan’s ProPilot semi-autonomous driver assist system for highway driving. ▲
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