New Gulia sedan
It has been a very, very long time coming, but Alfa’s on-again off-again 159 replacement will finally launch here in Australia in February starting with the M3-baiting 375kW QV version with the rest of the range to follow in March, powered by a 147kW 2.0-litre four cylinder engine.
The new Alfa scored the highest adult occupant safety score in EuroNCAP history, is believed to come standard with AEB, pedestrian detection and lane departure warning. Alfa remains tight-lipped about pricing, so we’ll know more come February.
Audi
New Q2, Q5 and S4.
Audi is keeping its cards close to the chest, so there’s just the three confirmed releases for 2017 – the Q2 and Q5 SUVs and the rather rapid S4 sedan and wagon.
The Q2 slots neatly under the Q3 as a mini-SUV offering from the German brand and is very much chasing the fashionistas. Starting from $41,100 (the only confirmed price and higher than Q3’s) the Q2 is going to steal a few sales from the upper-end of Japanese cars like the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 while also trying to pinch Mercedes GLA and BMW X1 customers, mostly by undercutting them. And maybe a few Mini Countryman punters, too.
The new Q5, which debuted in Paris, will arrive around the middle of the year, sometime in the third quarter. The new Q5 is a very important car for Audi as the company sells boatloads of them every year. Unconfirmed reports have the go-fast SQ5 possibly joining the range before year’s end, but that’s a long shot.
Audi’s hot A4 and S4 and its wagon version, the S4 Avant will arrive in February. The V6 loses the characterful supercharger but gains a turbo nestled deep in V and Audi reckons they’ve made 800 changes to release 15 more kilowatts and another 60Nm. It’s also lighter and sports an eight-speed ZF automatic.
We’d also be surprised if the A5 and S5 Coupes don’t make an appearance before mid-year.
BMW
New 5 Series, 760Li xDrive and new X3
The brand new 5 Series will land in Australia in March, starting at $93,900 for the 520d. Codenamed G30, the 5 inherits loads of new technology from its big brother, the 7, while premiering Apple’s wireless version of Carplayu
Standard equipment is up across the range, too, with heads-up display, various semi-autonomous technologies and a big 10.25 screen. The next M5 will probably follow, as is BMW’s wont, in 2018.
In the middle of the year there will also be the new 760Li xDrive, BMW’s first all-wheel drive sedan in Australia. That one will be loaded with fascinating tech and no doubt go like a rocket for passengers who like a thrill and to be able to choose the cabin fragrance.
If we were betting types, we’d put a large amount of cash on a new X3 to combat Mercedes and Audi a little more effectively and there could be some news on the next 3 Series, possibly at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
You can also expect to see a few models given a light going-over as the year wears on.
Citroen
Expect a quiet year from Citreon with just the facelifted Picasso mini people mover arriving in the first quarter.
Optimists will point to the cactus-like C3 being launched by the end of the year, but this seems unlikely at this stage.
Ford
Escape, Everest 5-Seater, Ranger update, possible Ecosport.
Ford’s big release for the year is the Escape which will be on our roads by February to replace the unloved Kuga. The name is changing to bring it into line with Everest and EcoSport while the cringey Kuga nameplate will soldier on elsewhere. The new Escape is a bit of a looker, with a more square-rigged approach than the current Kuga sheetmetal.
There will be plenty of new tech inside too, with Sync3 bringing Apple Carplay and Android Auto to the mid-sizer. Prices start at $28,490 (down $760) and will be along early in the new year.
Continuing the SUV trend, the rear-wheel drive Everest will lose the third row of seats which will come with a new, very competitive price tag of around $50,000.
The Ranger will also get a longer options list.
Yet another SUV might reach us by year’s end, the new small SUV EcoSport which has been confirmed for Australia, but not when.
Genesis
G80 update, new G70
Hyundai’s luxury division is starting life as a separate brand and will be a two model range by the end of 2017. The Korean giant hopes to replicate Toyota’s success with the Lexus brand and to avoid the ditch Infiniti has dug for itself.
The G80 is the new name for the current car known as the Hyndai Genesis and it will receive the usual mid-life-style upgrades and new badging.
The G70 is bigger news. Hyundai isn’t mucking about with this brand, so the next car is a 3 Series-sized car expected to count a 3.3-litre turbo six among its power plants to go with smaller capacity turbo fours.
Holden
Trax facelift, new Equinox SUV
2017 is the year Holden makes its final transition to an import-exclusive brand after the sad end to local manufacturing of the venerable Commodore. A new car bearing that name will be revealed during the course of 2017, with plenty of softening up of local fans for what is going to be quite a change to the car that once dominated Australian roads.
February will see a comprehensive facelift of the mini-SUV Trax. A new nose will give the car a fresh face although later Cruze owners will recognise the Chevy-based dual port grille. The backside’s changes are less obvious, with new bumpers and lights.
Inside looks much-improved, with the slightly wacky instrument pod making way for a more conventional arrangement and a new 7-inch screen to accommodate the newest version of MyLink, which will include Apple CarPlay.
Towards the end of the year we’ll see the Equinox SUV. That car is part of Holden’s renewed focus on SUVs and will replace the pension-ready Captiva.
Honda
New CR-V, new Civic Hatch, new Civic Type R
The new CR-V can’t come soon enough for Honda who are all too aware of the Australian market’s fickle nature and apathetic approach to the brand.
Honda has three new cars coming. The first is the Civic Hatch to join the recently arrived sedan. The hatch is mechanically similar to the sedan but shorter and with a smaller boot. While the looks are polarising, there’s no denying the interior will be one of the most spacious and cleverest in its class
Next up will be the CR-V. Honda is again taking aim at Tucson and Rav4, telling CarsGuide in December 2016 that the mid-sizer will need to clock up 1000 sales a month to be competitive. The local arm wouldn’t be drawn on whether we’ll get both five and seven-seat versions, but we’ll definitely not be getting a diesel. If we do get the seven-seat (hell will freeze over if we don’t), that could be the key to Honda knocking jumping several places in the sales charts.
The final confirmed release is the nutcase Civic Type R Set to trouble the Renaultsport Megane and Focus ST for front-drive super hot hatch honours, the wacky looks will certainly turn heads.
Hyundai
New i30, new small SUV.
Hyundai has a big year ahead even though there’s just two confirmed launches. Its Corolla-bashing i30 hatch is to be replaced with a more Euro-centric new generation already previewed in 2016’s Elantra and shown at the Paris show. The new i30 will – initially at least – be restricted to the five-door hatch. The Korean brand discontinued importing the wagon Tourer in 2016 due to falling sales. Shame – we had one for a year and it’s a very capable car.
The second big release of the year will be the small SUV dealers have been screaming for. It hasn’t got a name or a specific release date, but with Toyota’s C-HR coming as well, Mazda’s CX-3won’t have it all its own way.
The likely but unconfirmed launch for the year is the first from Hyundai’s new performance brand, N.. The i30N was previewed at the Paris show with a slightly silly WRC crossover style hatchback and is expected to be a solid start for the go-faster range.
Land Rover
New Discovery, updated Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Autobiography.
One of Britain’s greatest new exports will arrive in Australian driveways and muddy ruts in mid-2017, starting at a mildly surprising $64,300 for the 2.0-litre TD4. Across twelve distinct models and four spec levels (S, SE, HSE, HSE Luxury) and three diesel different engines, prices will rise up to the $130,000+ limited First Edition with a turbodiesel six-cylinder.
The Disco is still hugely popular here in Australia despite being older than some of our readers. That low starting price is less surprising, however, when you see it doesn’t even have sat nav as standard but will have autonomous emergency braking, reversing camera and rear parking sensors.
The Range Rover Sport will get a new engine in the line-up as well as an updated version of the InControl entertainment system and the Autobiography model will join the Range Rover’s model range.
Jaguar
After a fairly busy 2016 with the F-Pace, Jaguar is going to have a rest until December when the new XF Sportbrake (wagon) will arrive. Expect pricing to be higher than the coupe-sedan and we think it might just have a new petrol engine under the bonnet.
Infiniti
New engine for Q60
It’s going to be a very quiet year for new products at Infiniti, with a new, bigger engine for the Q60.
Jeep
Updated Grand Cherokee, new Compass, new Wrangler.
We’re expecting an update to the Grand Cherokee heavyweight but the biggest news out of Jeep is the Compass. Details are still a bit hazy, but we hope to see it this year. There’s also a slim possibility of a new go-anywhere Wrangler, replacing the old-stager currently on sale.
Kia
New Rio, Picanto update, new Stinger, new small SUV.
Kia’s smash hit Rio small hatch will be renewed along with its cousin, the Hyundai i30. Expect funky new looks, improved dynamics and a big lift in the interior. The new Rio will be along early in the first quarter.
The tiddly Picanto is getting a mild refresh with an aggro new nose and the requisite improvements in the interior, that should be with us by mid-year.
The new Stinger, unveiled at the Detroit show in January will also reach our shores in both 2.0-litre turbo and 3.0-litre twin turbo V6, both driving the rear wheels. The 2.0 turbo has an impressive 190kW to start with, so 272kW Stinger V6 owners might want to get to know their local tyre supplier.
This is a bold move from Kia – it’s fine-looking machine, has the grunt to go quickly and stay on the road but with enough power to get out of shape with.
We’re not surprised (Kia has threatened this for a while), but it will generate a lot of column inches because it’s almost as big as the current Holden Commodore but with way more tech and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Again, there will be a new small SUV with shared underpinnings from sister company Hyundai, and we’re expecting an unveiling before the end of the year, possibly as early as August.
Lexus
New LC500
Lexus’ big bold sports coupe will arrive this year, although we’re still not sure when or how much. Available with a traditional V8 or a hybrid drivetrain, it will duke it out at the top end of the premium market with the BMW 6 series.
Lexus tells us the V8 was benchmarked against the glorious-sounding Maserati Gran Turismo so for that alone we’re looking forward to it.
Mazda
New Mazda CX-5, MX-5 RF
The runaway success CX-5 SUV is still topping the Australian sales charts, despite its advancing age but because it’s still a fine car. The new one doesn’t look a lot different and isn’t much bigger, either, so Mazda is banking on owners looking to upgrade and new customers to notice the refreshed interior and tech uplift.
The styling is sharper and has been brought into line with the CX-9while the interior has been redesigned with new seats, dash and a bigger screen in the instrument pod.
The A pillar has been moved back slightly to improve vision but under the skin it’s the same CX-5 Australia knows and loves. There’s been some work to stiffen the chassis and Mazda has added its funky new G-vectoring steering tech. Expect the same engine line-up and no, the brilliant, award-winning turbo 2.5-litre from the CX-9 has not been confirmed for the CX-5. Yet.
The new CX-5 will arrive by the middle of the year.
Mazda’s brilliant MX-5 is to get a sibling in January. No, not the Abarth 124 Spider, that’s more of a cousin thing (and already here), but the retractable-roofed hardtop version, dubbed RF. Apart from the modded bodywork, little else is expected.
Maserati
New Levante SUV.
Maserati is always late to the party and this Levante comes decades after European brands BMW and Mercedes fitted the wheels to the SUV bandwagon. Of course, Maserati’s fraught financial position back then had a lot to do with that and now in the loving, more organised arms of the Fiat-Chrysler group, the trident has a platform to use and the know-how from various parts of the Italian giant. Priced from around $139,990, the diesel-only Levante will be here from February 2017, but you can order one now if you like.
Mercedes-Benz
New AMG GT-R, updated GLA.
Merc’s fire-breathing sports coupe is set to become even more fiery towards the middle of the year with the GT3-inspired GT-R.More power from the twin-turbo V8, more everything from the chassis, the GT-R should be good-scary.
And the small-ish SUV GLA will get a light going-over to keep things competitive.
For more new cars of 2017, go to www.carsguide.com.au
Article and pictures sourced from Peter Anderson, Carsguide.
