2017 models in the spotlight
New vehicles get introductions at North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show in Detroit is one of the world’s most anticipated auto shows, with dozens of global debuts drawing attention from no less than 60 countries. Running from Jan. 11 through Jan. 24, this year’s show was less glittery than previous years in that several luxury brands — Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Tesla — chose not to participate.
In their place, the attention was grabbed by new 2017 models that may be less aspirational but are no less appealing.
Here is a sampling of the introductions that indicate where automakers are heading and what consumers may be driving down the road in 2016.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas prior to the Detroit auto show, the allelectric Bolt was still important enough for General Motors Chairman Mary Barra to promote it in Detroit. The 200-horsepower compact has a game-changing 200-mile range, goes zero to 6 mph in under seven seconds and will sell for about $37,000, reduced to around $30,000 after federal subsidies. The styling is that of a compact (very compact) crossover, featuring tall seating positions. Because the battery pack is flat and mounted under the floor, there’s 94 cubic feet of passenger room, roughly the same as the Honda Fit. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on board, as is a 10.2-inch touch-screen infotainment system. Among the available features are a bird’s-eye surround-view camera and a wide-angle rearview mirror camera. It goes into production near the end of the year.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica
The Pacifica replaces the longserving Chrysler minivan that ushered in a new era of family haulers in the mid ’80s. It shows Fiat Chrysler has respect for the family-car shopper. The 3.6-liter V-6 engine makes 287 horsepower and is teamed with a nine-speed automatic transmission, yielding 28 mpg on the highway. A plug-in hybrid version comes out in the summer, promising 80 MPGe and 30 miles of range on electric power alone — not bad for a vehicle that seats eight. The pair of 10-inch fold-down screens, with Wi-Fi, will keep back-seat passengers happy, complete with a child-friendly Are We There Yet? navigation app. Just kick your foot under either rear sliding door or the back liftgate, and it will open, hands-free.
2017 Honda Ridgeline
Honda’s Ridgeline used to be a little odd-looking, but the all-new 2017 Ridgeline is much more traditional in appearance, even if it has a more carlike unibody structure. The 3.5-liter V-6 engine should make around the same 280 horsepower as in the Honda Pilot SUV. If you think the front half of the Ridgeline looks a lot like the new Pilot, that’s because they are built on the same platform and share a lot of parts; in fact, they will be built at the same Alabama plant. The Ridgeline has an exclusive locking in-bed trunk, plus an in-bed audio system. It also has a bed that’s wide enough at 48 inches between wheel wells to allow a sheet of plywood to lay flat. The Ridgeline will be on sale by summer.
2017 Lexus LC500
The LC is a high-end, rearwheel-drive, V-8-powered luxury coupe to compete against the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class and its ilk. To win over demanding shoppers in the premium luxury segment, the Lexus had to be a stunner, which it is, and powerful, which it also is, featuring a 5-liter V-8 engine that makes 467 horsepower and is teamed with a new 10-speed automatic transmission. The LC500 has an available active rear spoiler and a carbon-fiber roof. The enormous mesh grille is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, but on this car it works well.
2017 Lincoln Continental
It has been 15 years since the last all-new Lincoln Continental rolled on American roads. This restyled luxury sedan is intended to please not only the high-end U.S. market but also the chauffeur-loving customers in the important China market. The 2017 Continental is elegant, if a bit sedate-looking. Its twin-turbocharged 3-liter V-6 engine makes 400 horsepower. Its seats, inspired by those on private jets, adjust by 30 settings and can be had with heating, cooling and massage features. An optional Revel audio system (we tried it) turns the Continental into a concert hall. And the Continental features what might be the most interesting use of LED lighting since Disney World: As you approach the car with your key, the LEDs begin to turn on in a hypnotic sequence, first the front, the taillights, then the headlamps, then to light up the pavement around the doors, then, subtly, in the interior. And check out the E-latch door handle, hidden almost imperceptibly into the body side below the windows. Jeeves-like and unobtrusive, just like the Continental. It goes on sale this fall.
2017 Volvo S90
Volvo is going full speed ahead into autonomous and semi-autonomous driving features, and this all-new flagship sedan is no exception. Although Volvo design chief Thomas Ingenlath acknowledges that S90 buyers are in a “rather conservative segment,” this new Volvo sedan is as innovative as it is pure in its design. It will have plugin hybrid power and Pilot Assist, which manages your steering to keep the car in its lane at speeds up to 80 mph. More than that, it is marking the world debut of large animal detection, which can spot animals such as horses and moose or, more likely in North America, deer that might get out in front of your vehicle. It will be available with front- or all-wheel drive, with three powertrain choices: a 240horsepower turbocharged fourcylinder; a 2-liter turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder engine making 316 horsepower; or a plugin hybrid that generates over 400 horsepower. No more Volvo V-6s or V-8s. The S90 goes on sale in the summer.