Powerful cars for 2019

EVERY NEW YEAR is an exciting affair for the car enthusiast because it means that car makers worldwide are gearing up for new releases and updates to their signature models. From the manufacturers’ side, given that consumer tastes and needs are in constant flux, it is a shrewd and business-savvy decision to offer new lineups and solutions that adapt to the changing times. For the consumer, it is a form of comfort to have a variety of options and to know that whatever they buy will continue to be supported for years to come.

Moving forward into 2019, competition in the automobile industry is tougher than ever. Many car makers are putting their best foot forward with their most powerful and most stylish models yet. We’ve compiled a list of them.

SUZUKI JIMNY

Suzuki’s popular off-roader returns and is ready to power through the competition. With a rugged, no-nonsense design that hearkens back to an aesthetic of pragmatic, functional design, the mini-SUV offers the best of what its fans have loved about it for the past 20 years. The standard fourwheel drive is underpinned by a ladder-frame chassis, designed for improved off-road performance at the expense of on-road comfort.

A sturdier foundation will support the Jimny’s rigid front and rear axles with separate differentials. The 1.3-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder 16-valve engine, meanwhile, comes with either a five-speed manual or fourspeed automatic transmission. With its high ground clearance, the off-roader can wade thighhigh rivers or floodwaters with ease. Built and optimized for the outdoors, the Suzuki Jimny is the perfect match for those who don’t shy away from getting down and dirty in pursuit of adventure.

HONDA CR-V HYBRID

For the first time, Honda’s signature CR-V is getting a hybrid variant. The new hybrid version of the fifthgeneration Honda CR-V boasts of a 120g/km and 53.3 mpg for the front-wheel drive model, and 126g/ km and 51.4 mpg for the four-wheel drive variant, putting it in the same league as many of its diesel sport utility vehicle (SUV) rivals.

Honda designed the new CR-V with two available powertrains: a 1.5-liter turbocharged VTEC petrol engine, available with either a manual or CVT gearbox, or a hybrid 2.0-liter i-VTEC petrol engine with two electric motors — one for propulsion and one electric generator motor. First revealed at the Geneva motor show in 2018, the CR-V will be offered with the options of seven seats for the first time.

Honda intends to make the new hybrid version to replace the diesel-powered CR-Vs, as the car maker announced its decision to not release one this year. This reflects the current downtrend of the sale of diesel cars worldwide, signaling that the Japanese car maker is keeping its ear close to the ground, ready to adapt to the market’s changing needs.

ISUZU MU-X

In designing the new mu-X, Isuzu aimed for maximum power output with class-leading fuel efficiency, low emission and the brand’s signature durability. Coming