Must See Crossovers and SUVs at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show

February might not be the friendliest time of the year to visit Chicago, weather-wise, but it’s an important time for the auto industry. The annual Chicago Auto Show has fewer major debuts than, say, the Detroit Auto Show (which takes place in January) but it’s still a great chance for consumers to check out recently-introduced and forthcoming models from their favorite automakers. Let's take a closer look at the must-see SUVs and crossovers of the 2017 Chicago Auto Show.

Toyota’s popular compact crossover gets some extra capability with the RAV4 Adventure edition. The RAV4 Adventure features exclusive styling elements to give it a more rugged look, and some extra features to help make family-friendly excursions a little more exciting. The RAV4 Adventure’s standard Tow Prep Package includes a higher ride height, an upgraded radiator, and supplemental oil and transmission fluid coolers. Trailer Sway Control, Hill Start Assist Control, and the Toyota Safety Sense Plus driver assistance package are included with all RAV4s. The RAV4 Adventure will be available in Magnetic Gray Metallic, Silver Sky Metallic, Super White, Black, and Ruby Flare Pearl exterior finishes, and is expected to hit Toyota dealerships in September of 2017.

As the Mitsubishi brand’s top-selling model, the Outlander Sport is deserving of a little extra attention. The 2017 Outlander Sport Limited Edition is a value-oriented trim level that includes some of the model’s most popular features and styling updates. This version of the Outlander Sport includes cabin upgrades such as a rearview camera, heated front seats, and an upgraded audio display with Smartphone Link for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The exclusive upholstery combination features black cloth with red contrast stitching. The Outlander Sport’s exterior includes design elements such as an alloy fuel door, 18-inch alloy wheels, and HID headlights. The Outlander Sport Limited Edition goes on sale this month, with an MSRP of $21,995.

BraunAbility is one of the leading names in building wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and the company first partnered with Chrysler more than 45 years ago. Now, BraunAbility is offering upfitted versions of the all-new, class-leading Chrysler Pacifica minivan, with an extended sliding door for extra entry and exit room, a motorized side-entry ramp, and cantilevered seat bases. The Chrysler Pacifica BraunAbility offers the most interior maneuverability of any vehicle in the segment. The Chrysler Pacifica starts at $28,595, and the Pacifica Hybrid starts at $41,995. No specific financial details are available about the BraunAbility customization service, although Chrysler says they are the first manufacturer to offer customer reimbursement, of up to $1,000, for upfitted vehicles.

The Chicago Auto Show marks the debut of the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT, a high-performance version of the Durango 3-row SUV, powered by a 475-horsepower HEMI V8 engine, paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Durango SRT boasts best-in-class towing capacity and it’s distinguished by its exclusive styling, such as an aggressive widebody design and a distinctive (and fully functional) cold air intake hood scoop. Dodge says the Durango SRT earned a quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds, as certified by the National Hot Rod Association, and can make the 0-60 sprint in 4.4 seconds. The 2018 Durango SRT goes on sale in fall of 2017, but its price has not yet been disclosed.

One of the highlights of the 2018 model year is the all-new Ford Expedition. This fullsize SUV has long been a staple for families who need three rows of seating and accommodations for up to eight passengers. The 2018 Expedition is built around a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Amenities include a tip-and-slide second row to make passenger loading easier, a Terrain Management System with selectable driving modes for different driving conditions, and a full suite of available connectivity and driver assistance options, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot than can support up to 10 devices. Ford plans to bring the redesigned Expedition to dealerships in fall of this year, although the company has not yet provided pricing information.

Infiniti first introduced the QX80 Signature Edition for 2016, and now it’s back for another year. The Signature Edition is a value-oriented version of Infiniti’s fullsize luxury suv that stands out thanks to its unique styling elements, such as an exclusive Saddle Tan leather interior, a 22-inch forged alloy wheel design, and chrome side mirrors. The QX80 Signature Edition also includes some of Infiniti’s best driver assistance features, such as distance control assist, backup collision intervention, blind spot warning, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, and predictive forward collision warning. The 2017 Infiniti QX80 Signature Edition will land on dealer lots this May, and Infiniti will announce pricing closer to the SUV’s on-sale date.

The new 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport is a stylish and upscale way to go off-roading. The TRD Sport is, in short, an off-road-ready version of Toyota’s large, V8-powered SUV, but there’s much more, too. To ensure the 7-passenger Sequoia is as good on the road as it is on the terrain, it comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense package of active safety technology. The Sequoia TRD Sport also features TRD Sport Tuned Bilstein shocks and anti-sway bars. Styling includes a new front grille design, metallic black side mirror caps, and 20-inch black alloy wheels. Look for the 2018 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport in September 2017. Pricing is not yet announced.

At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, Volkswagen introduced the 2018 Atlas Weekend Edition. It’s a retro take on VW’s all-new 7-passenger SUV, complete with interesting cargo storage accessories and family-friendly technology. The Urban Loader roof-mounted cargo box is, in terms of aesthetics, a throwback to VW’s classic pop-up camper van. The Weekend Edition is based on the Atlas SEL Premium trim level, which features a 3.6-liter VR6 engine that makes 276 horsepower. This Atlas also features VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive with selectable driving modes. The VW Atlas goes on sale in spring of 2017, and many of the accessories featured on the Weekend Edition Concept will be available at Volkswagen dealerships.

Another highlight of the VW show floor is the all-new 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. It’s an extended-wheelbase version of the compact SUV, featuring a sliding second row and seating for up to seven passengers. Thanks to the new Tiguan’s longer overall length, a third row is standard on some models and available on others, and the cargo capacity has been increased by up to 57 percent over the outgoing version. The Tiguan comes powered by the latest version of VW’s 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine, making 184 horsepower. 4Motion all-wheel drive is optional, and brings with it a selectable driving mode feature. Plenty of standard and optional features are available to enhance passenger safety and comfort.

Hot on the heels of the Alfa Romeo Giulia comes the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the brand’s midsize luxury SUV. The Stelvio and Stelvio Ti comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that delivers 280 horsepower, while the Stelvio Quadrifoglio comes with a 2.9-liter bi-turbo V6 that puts down 505 horsepower. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio also offers an adaptive performance suspension and high-performance brakes, an exclusive wheel design, and a more luxurious and stylish interior. All Stelvio models come with all-wheel drive. The driver-centric cockpit features technology components that are easy to see and reach, with the selectable drive mode controller right at the center. The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is due to arrive in dealerships this year.

The GMC Terrain compact SUV has been fully redesigned for 2018, with an eye toward improving efficiency and styling. With the Terrain, GMC is introducing three new turbocharged engine options. There’s a 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine, along with1.5-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline options that come paired to new 9-speed automatic transmissions for improved efficiency. Four trim levels will be available. A Denali luxury edition tops out the range, brings upscale styling and comfort to the Terrain lineup. The Terrain also gets GMC’s Rear Seat Reminder and Teen Driver safety systems along with other standard and optional safety equipment. The 2018 GMC Terrain will arrive at dealerships this summer, and pricing will be announced closer to its launch date.

Though the 2018 Ford EcoSport was first formally introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late 2016, it’s one of the most interesting SUVs in the Ford display at the Chicago Auto Show this year. Ford calls the EcoSport “the small SUV with big impact” and that seems about right. The EcoSport will be available in four trim levels to allow buyers to easily customize the vehicle to their preferred level of content, and styling choices include 10 different exterior colors and a range of ambient lighting color palettes. The EcoSport comes with a 1.0-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder or a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The EcoSport is scheduled to arrive in Ford dealerships in early 2018, and pricing information will be available closer to its launch date.

The MINI Countryman is all-new for the 2017 model year, but there’s even bigger news. For the first time, MINI is offering the Countryman as a plug-in hybrid, known as the Cooper S E Countryman ALL4. In short, it’s a Cooper Countryman in the S trim level and comes with MINI’s ALL4 all-wheel drive system. The redesigned MINI Countryman is the biggest MINI yet and brings versatility to match, especially the plug-in hybrid version, which makes 221 horsepower from its 3-cylinder gasoline engine paired to an electric motor. Pricing for the 2017 MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 has not yet been announced, but will be available closer to its launch date in June of this year.

For 2017, Nissan adds visual interest to its most popular vehicles with the Midnight Edition. The Midnight Edition was originally designed for the Maxima sedan and quickly became one of the best-selling Maximas last year, but the package is now available on six of the brand’s best-selling models. The SUVs in the Midnight Edition lineup, including the Rogue, feature black cladding along the car’s wheel arches and perimeter. The Rogue adds black roof rails and illuminated kick plates. Every model in the Midnight Edition lineup also comes with black wheels and mirror caps. The 2017 Nissan Rogue Midnight Edition is available now, along with the rest of the brand’s Midnight Edition models. The Rogue Midnight Edition package costs $990.

The Midnight Edition was introduced for the Nissan Maxima last year, and for 2017, it rolls out to five more of Nissan’s best-selling models, including the 2017 Nissan Murano crossover. The Midnight Edition Murano joins two other SUVs in the Midnight Edition lineup with exclusive styling elements such as black trim along the wheel arches and perimeter, black roof rails, black splash guards, black mirror caps, and black 20-inch alloy wheels. Four colors are available — Pearl White, Cayenne Red, Gun Metallic, and Magnetic Black. The 2017 Nissan Murano Midnight Edition is available at dealerships now, along with the rest of the brand’s Midnight Edition models. The Murano Midnight Edition package adds $1,195 to the price of the Murano Platinum trim level.

As one of the larger SUVs in the Nissan stable, the 2017 Pathfinder Midnight Edition makes quite an impact. The Pathfinder joins the Rogue and Murano, along with three of Nissan’s small and midsize cars, in making up the Midnight Edition lineup for the 2017 model year. Each of the SUV models with a Midnight Edition package gets black trim and black mirror caps, and the Pathfinder’s treatment also includes exclusive 20-inch black alloy wheels, black splash guards, and illuminated kick plates. The Pathfinder Midnight Edition is a great way to add exclusive styling to your next family-friendly SUV. The 2017 Nissan Pathfinder Midnight Edition is available now, and the package adds $1,195 to the Pathfinder’s MSRP.

It might not occur to you that you want an SUV dressed as a Stormtrooper until you see the 2017 Nissan Rogue One Limited Edition at the Chicago Auto Show. This is the first fullsize production vehicle to incorporate official thematic and styling elements from the Star Wars films. The Rogue is a compact crossover that’s been refreshed for the 2017 model year with styling and technology updates,. The Rogue is currently the best-selling vehicle in the Nissan stable, and has recently been joined by the all-new Rogue Hybrid. The Rogue One Limited Edition features a white or a black exterior with black trim, and the rear pillars are adorned with thematic elements from the Star Wars films.