Editors’ picks for new models
What separates a good car from a great one? Almost all cars are decent these days. So in judging the new models on offer at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, we look for the potential to lift the automaker’s fortunes, push the industry forward — and, of course, for the ultimate value to the consumer. Here are the four cars from this year’s show that we think best meet those criteria. Check them out at the L.A. Convention Center. The show runs through Nov. 29. THE ‘FIATA’ It’s actually called the Fiat 124 Spider, but everybody here is calling this little roadster the Fiata because it has a Fiat body on top of Mazda Miata guts. We didn’t think we’d like it, but today’s global auto industry is shot through with these kinds of Frankenstein partnerships. And this one seems smart, combining Italian design flair with Japanese reliability. There’s a reason the Mazda Miata is the bestselling roadster in history: It doesn’t break down like all of its Italian and British forebears. It also has beautifully balanced handling and a cockpit that fits like an Italian suit.
JAGUAR XE
The landscape of sports sedans trying to compete with BMW’s brilliant 3 Series, the inventor of the segment, is littered with failures, and Jaguar has little chance of toppling the champ. But the brand is on a roll with a new infusion of capital from India’s Tata Motors. The XE sedan is sharp, and expected to start at about $35,000. That’s more evidence that Jaguar may be emerging from its bad old days of boring and unreliable cars. Both the body and the interior are eye-catching without being garish, and performance, based on other recent Jaguar offerings, should be strong. MAZDA CX-9 This is essentially a full-size version of the already brilliant midsize CX-5 and compact CX-3 crossovers, giving one of our favorite automakers a full complement of offerings in the hottest and most competitive segment of the industry. On a broader note, the family resemblance across the entire Mazda lineup — a wonderfully nuanced design language of both curves and sharper angles — has come into sharp focus with a series of impressive model introductions. If the CX-9 proves as good as the rest of the lineup, it should be a terrifically competent family hauler with a sports car spirit.
LINCOLN MKZ
Ford’s luxury brand has been trying, and mostly failing, to find an elegant blend of its storied past and a more innovative future. That’s led to odd styling that, for instance, produced a grille on most of its models that looks like the stretched mouth of a whale. But Lincoln seems to have found a much better balance with the new MKZ, its midsize luxury sedan. The overhauled sheet metal — and grille — finally look classic and modern at the same time. We’d love to see Lincoln recapture its former glory, and this is a start.