Best Cars of the 2019 LA Auto Show
Los Angeles is king of the US auto shows. And it’s looking at the future. LA does the best job of introducing and showcasing cars people buy and cars, SUVs, hybrids, PHEVs, and EVs that people are buying in small but increasing quantities. Our picks for 2019 are heavy on electrified cars because that’s what automakers focused on in LA, including the show-stealer, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and, and the fire-breathing Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid with 302 horsepower – not a typo – and a sub-six-second 0-60 time.
Here’s our pick of the best cars from this year’s show. It was a rich set of introductions, in part because there’s no other big show for months. The next top-tier US show isn’t until April, the New York Auto Show (NYIAS), because Detroit (NAIAS) has given up its wintry January date for June. The LA Auto Show continues with public days Friday (Nov. 22) through Sunday, Dec. 1.
Back after 22 years away, the Land Rover Defender is a serious off-roader that can ford 35 inches of water and handle 45-degree inclines. (More than some occupants can.) The two-door, two-row Defender 90 (photo) can fit a third passenger in the front row. The Defender 110 has four doors and more rooms. Prices will be $50K-$80K plus serious options. The roof rack, for example, holds about 600 pounds.
Meet the NASCAR Edition 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime. Or so it seems. The beast is a plug-in hybrid ("Prime" in Toyota lingo) that gets 302 hp from the four-cylinder engine and electric motor and claims a 5.8-second 0-60 time. In battery mode, it runs 39 miles. When that runs out, it reverts to hybrid mode and 37 mpg economy. The RAV4 Prime arrives this summer in sporty SE and luxury XSE trims.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E extends the pony car name to a electric compact crossover. It's roomy front and back. Cargo capacity almost matches Ford Escape SUV. Center stack display is 15.5 inches and uses the latest Sync 4. Five trim lines cover 200-300 miles range, 3.5- to 6.5-second 0-60 runs. Safety-driver assist offerings are first-rate. It's out in the fall of 2020 with prices of $45K-$60K. That's actor Idris Elba behind the wheel.
Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring is a plug-in hybrid good for 25 miles on electric, following the Aviator with a PHEV drivetrain. The 2.5-liter gas engine drives the front wheels; electric motors drive rears and fronts. Preserve EV mode uses the engine to charge the battery to 75 percent full; Pure EV mode keeps the compact SUV in electric mode as long as possible (before the engine fires up to give extra power). It ships summer 2020.
The Hyundai Genesis G90 full-size, full-on luxury sedan gets a 2020 facelift: signature crest grille, 12.3-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, and over-the-air updates for maps and software. Highway Driving Assistant combines adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and traffic sign recognition. GPS tells the G90's HVAC to shift to recirculation when in a tunnel.
Breakthroughs in BMW's fifth-generation electric powertrain should give the pending i4 sedan a range of 600 km / 373 miles (European WLTP ratings), around 320-350 miles by US measurements when it ships in 2021. The car wasn't shown in LA but BMW show briefings hinted at improved energy density, with a 550 kg /1,200-pound pack yielding 80 kWh. The motor would develop 530 hp, yielding 4 seconds 0-60 mph.
The 2021 Kia Seltos, 172 inches long, slots between the Soul and Sportage SUVs, and is capable of light off-roading. Buyers can get 146 hp or turbo 175 hp engines, front or all-wheel drive, with a dual-clutch automated transmission. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard. Higher trim lines get adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and lane-keeping. It arrives in early 2021.
The 2021 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell boasts a 400-mile range, 30 percent better than the 2015 first edition. Toyota cites improvements in the fuel cell that converts hydrogen and oxygen (from outside air) into electricity and water vapor, as well as more hydrogen storage. The current Mirai is $60,000 including credits for $15,000 of hydrogen, available mostly in California. It's on sale in late 2020.
The 2020 Mazda CX-30 compact SUV, at 173 inches long, fits between the CX-3 (168 inches) and best-selling CX-5 (179 inches). So think of it as the CX-4. It starts at $22,945 plus freight, $500 more than the Mazda3 sedan it's based on. Adaptive cruise and lane keep assist are standard. In addition to the 186-hp engine, Mazda may offer the Skyactiv-X diesel-like gasoline engine, which at times can run without firing the spark plugs.
The best-looking exterior of the show is a conceptual design for the next Acura TLX sedan, presented at the show as the pending return, after a decade's absence, of the Acura Type S performance variant. Visually, there's a wide stance, long hood, strong side-panel creases, and near-seamless joints between body and glass. Two Type S cars debut by 2021, including the midsize TLX.
The Bollinger B-1 SUV (shown) and B-2 pickup (not bomber) are rugged-looking, high-end ($125,000 plus) electric trucks that got their first public showing at LA. Bollinger says the 120-kWh battery gets 200 miles on the highway; the dual motors provide 614 hp and 668 pound-feet of torque. For those who go off-roading rather than show-offing, there's 15 inches of ground clearance and a 7,500-pound towing capacity.
The Karma SC2 Concept is a wild-looking two-seater EV. It's driven by two motors developing 1,100 hp and a claimed 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds and (when you're not flogging it) 350 miles of range. Sensors already in the car can be used to provide more self-driving automation via updates, as technology improves. A driving simulator mode (standing still) lets owners virtually race the car.
The often-overlooked Nissan Sentra is way better-looking with the seventh generation, lower and wider. The top trim SR on display had a gorgeous cockpit. Nissan Safety Shield with six driver-assist technologies is standard. A surround-view camera system is optional. It gets a new engine with 149 hp and a CVT transmission. It goes on sale in January. Six million Sentras have been sold since 1982.
Mercedes-Benz is creating AMG versions of its big SUVs, the full-size GLS63 (photo) and mid-size GLE63. Both have 603-hp V8 engines, 120 more than the mainstream V8. They're the first AMG 63 models that use the EQ Boost 48-volt mild hybrid system. They also get big wheels, special body trim, a recalibrated nine-speed automatic, and a sportier suspension. Price: about $130K for the GLS63.
The perfect upscale car for SoCal may be the 2021 Lexus LC 500 convertible, a two-seater with a 471-hp V8 (see, not every LA Auto Show car is a hybrid or EV), and a 10.3-inch display and infotainment system supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It competes with the Mercedes-Benz SL and the BMW 8 Series. The grille is still huge but we're getting used to it. The LC 500 ships next summer.
The Volkswagen ID. Space Vizzion Concept (with a period in the name) is a station wagon able to go 300 miles, driven by a 275-hp rear electric motor, with an optional front motor for a 355-hp AWD wagon. The concept lowers wind resistance by replacing door handles with touch surfaces. Inside, there's a floating 15.6-inch touchscreen. A production version will be sold in the US as well as Europe, VW says.
The Audi E-Tron Sportback Coupe softens the look of the original E-Tron wagon/SUV. Two motors produce 355 hp, 402 in boost mode. A DC fast charger gets the car to 80 percent power in 30 minutes. Audi claims 5.7 seconds 0-60 mph and a 277-mile range (European testing, less in the US). It should arrive in the US in the spring of 2020 and provide something of a challenge to Tesla.
The LA Auto Show concludes two days of press introductions, which followed several days of Automobility, the showcase and conference for new and alternative ideas in transportation, particularly alternative energy vehicles.
The show was also the scene of some of the first car of the year awards: Motor Trend cited the Chevrolet Corvette, Kia Telluride, Ram 1500, and Peter Schreyer, president and head of design management of Hyundai Motor Group (including Kia) as car, SUV, truck, and person of the year for 2020.
The North American Car and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) group announced its COTY finalists. Car: Chevrolet Corvette, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Supra. Utility vehicle: Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Lincoln Aviator. Truck: Ford Ranger Jeep Gladiator, Ram Heavy Duty pickup. The NACTOY awards had been announced at the Detroit show but now that it’s a June show, the awards have become a freestanding event in Detroit January 13.
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