These are the best, most interesting, important vehicles coming in 2020

This should be a great year for newcar buyers, fans of new technology and exciting designs.

New vehicles ranging from America’s perennial bestseller, the Ford F-150, to luxury SUVs, electric sports cars and affordable entry-level models will all go on sale over the next 12 months.

The year’s bonanza got an unexpected boost from GM’s strike last fall, which pushed sales of the remarkable 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and the CT5, Cadillac’s latest swing at the sport sedan market.

Here’s a quick survey of some of the best, most interesting and important vehicles going on sale this year:

Cadillac Escalade, CT5 and CT4

This is a huge year for Cadillac. The Escalade SUV, the brand’s flagship and by far most profitable vehicle, must show luxury buyers the brand can raise the bar for luxury, design and technology.

There’s some reason for optimism. The new Escalade will offer an independent suspension for a smoother ride and better handling. Adaptive shocks and an air suspension will be available.

The interior must raise the bar for Cadillac, which was embarrassed by the style and luxury of Lincoln’s Aviator and Navigator SUVs. A big OLED display for instruments, navigation, audio and other functions is a start. The 38-inch screen stretches essentially from the driver’s door to the middle of the dashboard.

Cadillac’s remarkable Super Cruise system, which allows hands-free driving on limited access roads like interstate highways, will reportedly get an update that allows it to change lanes and pass slower vehicles without the driver doing anything.

Chevrolet Corvette, Tahoe, Suburban and Trailblazer

Chevrolet aims to have something for everybody, and that’s never been more true than in 2020. From a new entrylevel SUV to the breathtaking Corvette convertible and massive Suburban, the brand has never reached farther and more ambitiously than it will this year.

The Trailblazer SUV fits between the subcompact Trax and compact Equinox, but it’s the price that matters: Starting under $20,000, it’s the answer to people who feared Chevy would abandon entry-level buyers when it stopped selling small cars. Sales should begin this spring

The Tahoe and Suburban SUVs are anything but small. They’re 6.7 inches and 1.3 inches longer, respectively, than the models they replace. More room will be welcome, as long as it doesn’t make the pair unmanageable in parking lots. An independent rear suspension improves ride and room for passengers in the third-row seats. Expect it in dealerships around midyear.

The Corvette coupe was supposed to hit dealerships late in 2019. The strike delayed that, an unbearable delay for enthusiasts who have already waited decades for a mid-engine Corvette. The new layout promises better acceleration and the ability to build even more powerful Corvettes going forward, but the launch model’s 495-hp 6.2L V8 and sub 3-second zero-60 mph time are nothing to sneer at. The Corvette coupe goes on sale early in 2020. The convertible should arrive in spring or summer.

FordMustangMach-E, Bronco and F-150

If Ford CEO Jim Hackett is sleeping soundly these days, the man either has sublime faith in his team or the guts of a cat burglar. Maybe both.

FordMotor Co.’s two towering icons, theMustang and F-150 pickup, both undergo fundamental changes this year. Not to mention a new version of the Bronco, an SUV that became a sixfigure collector’s item while nobody was watching.

TheMustangMach-E, an electric SUV with handling developed by theMustang team, and looks that consciously echo the original pony car, has the makings of a hit, but its production launch will be critical. Its quality, performance and value are Ford’s best hope of establishing itself as a leader in the emerging market for electric vehicles.

The F-150 will get its first taste of electrification with a hybrid model this year. Hybrid pickups have been ho-hum affairs so far, more akin to towing a portable generator than adding excitement and value to America’s favorite vehicles. There are reports a 4.8L V8 will replace the current 5.0L Coyote engine, producing more power with better fuel economy.

The new F-150 needs to change that, while also stepping up comfort, convenience and capability across the whole model line in the face of strong new competitors from Chevrolet, GMC and Ram.

The new Bronco is expected to have square, upright sides and a long hood for a look that recalls the original. Based on the Ranger midsize pickup, expect it to offer a wide range of advanced features including trail control, which manages throttle and brakes in tough off-road conditions so the driver can concentrate on steering.

TheMach-E goes on sale late in 2020. Timing for the F-150 and Bronco is not clear.

Genesis GV80 and G80

Hyundai’s luxury brand has delivered good vehicles, but not much excitement so far. That needs to change when its first SUV, the midsize GV80, debuts in the spring. The GV80 will land in a popular, but crowded part of the luxury market, competing with models like the Jaguar F-Pace, Mercedes GLE and Cadillac XT5. Expect plenty of features and valuepricing, but the GV80 may need a surprise up its sleeve to make an impression.

The G80 replaces the sport sedan that’s been Genesis’s best vehicle so far. Look for features similar to the GV80.

Spy photographs indicate Genesis will debut a more flamboyant styling theme on both vehicles. The G80 goes on sale in April, the GV80 June.

Honda Civic and HR-V

Honda is expected to replace two of its best vehicles this year, the Civic compact car and HR-V subcompact SUV.

Expect evolutionary changes from the powertrains and styling. While an HR-V hybrid is sold in other parts of the world, the new model isn’t like to include that goody in the U.S.

Honda will probably continue its recent record of making more safety and driver assistance features standard.

Porsche Taycan

Porsche’s Taycan electric sport sedan, one of the most eagerly awaited vehicles of the decade, goes on sale in the spring. The sleek Taycan has an electric motor on each axle for allwheel drive. The base model should hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and top out at 155 mph.

There’s already a fly in the ointment, though: the EPA rates the Taycan’s range on a charge at a very pedestrian 201 miles. That’s less than Ford promises for the base model of itsMustang Mach-E, which will have a sticker about $60,000 below the Taycan 4S’s $103,800

The name is pronounced “Tie-con,” and while we’re at it, correct pronunciation of the brand requires two syllables: “Pour-sha,” like the woman’s name and Shakespearean character Portia.

About theWriter

Mark Phelan is the Detroit Free Press auto critic. He can be reached at mmphelan@freepress.com.