The best… new cars for 2019
Tesla Model 3 With minimalist controls and a ”sparse” cabin, the all-electric Model 3 executive saloon feels “genuinely futuristic”. Despite early promises on affordability, though, the full-spec Performance version, which should do 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds, will cost some £60,000. That’s quite a leap from the BMW M3 it intends to rival. On sale late this year, from £35,000 (est.).
Mercedes EQC Entering the premium electric SUV race – with high hopes of rivalling the Jaguar I-pace and the Tesla Model X – is the Mercedes EQC. It will have an 80kwh battery pack that will give it a 280-mile range and a claimed 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds. It should also be able to top up from 10% to 80% charge in only 40 minutes. On sale late this year, from £70,000 (est.).
BMW X7 “Going after the Range Rover’s crown”, BMW is launching the X7 – a fullsize, seven-seat SUV that’s 5.15 metres long and 2.22 metres wide. It’s the heaviest production car BMW has ever made, at 2.4 tonnes in its lightest form. The marque’s new flagship is also going to be “peppered” with tech borrowed from the luxurious Rolls-royce Cullinan. On sale in March, from £72,155.
Mazda 3 Incorporating the “sleek and swooping lines” of Mazda’s Kai Concept, unveiled in 2017, the all-new version of the Mazda 3 hatchback is certainly striking to look at. It will also feature the carmaker’s new Skyactiv-x petrol engine, which, with the latest compression and ignition technology, is said to deliver “diesel-like efficiency in a petrol format”. On sale early this year, from £19,000 (est.).
Ferrari 488 Pista Spider Billed as delivering Ferrari’s “best ever open-top performance”, the 488 Pista Spider can hit 211mph, sprint from 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and has a folding hard top that disappears in 30 seconds. On paper, performance for the convertible and its existing coupé counterpart is identical, thanks to the 710bhp 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8. On sale this year, from £275,000 (est.).
Infiniti QX50 Infiniti has struggled to break into the UK market, but it has high hopes for the QX50. The reason: the large SUV’S VC-T (variable-compression turbo) 2-litre petrol engine – the first of its kind. Aiming to replace diesels, it works by switching between compression ratios for maximum power when accelerating, and maximum fuel economy otherwise. On sale late this year, from £35,000 (est.).