Must-See SUVs and Crossovers at the LA Auto Show

2016 LA Auto Show CHR press conference ・ Photo by Toyota

The Los Angeles Auto Show runs from November 18–27, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year, SUVs and crossovers have taken center stage, befitting vehicles that have gained immensely in popularity during this decade. As the center of the automotive lifestyle, Los Angeles has long been where trends reveal themselves. As one of the earliest North American major car shows in the season, the LA Auto Show sets the direction of the automotive industry for the coming model year, as manufacturers attempt to capture the public’s imagination with their debuting vehicles. Here are the must-see SUVs and Crossovers of the LA Auto Show.

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Alfa Romeo’s recent return to the United States began with the 4C Spider, a 2-seater mini supercar, followed by the Giulia, a premium midsize performance sedan. Alfa Romeo will fill out its lineup with its first SUV, a premium midsize crossover, the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The Stelvio will ride on the same platform as the Giulia. Stelvio is named after the famed Stelvio Pass in the Italian mountains, renowned for 48 hairpin turns and a great driving experience. The crossover will feature a 505-horsepower engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission, ultra light construction with extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber, and a luxurious interior.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2017 MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4

The new 2017 MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 will be MINI’s biggest crossover SUV yet, and will feature a twin-turbo gasoline engine and a synchronous electric motor that will work together to produce 221 horsepower for an exciting driving experience. The electric motor is designed to drive the rear wheels, while the 3-cylinder gas engine drives the front wheels for full 4-wheel drive capability. The batteries for the electric motor can be plugged in to a home outlet for charging, offering true PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) performance. The S E Countryman ALL4 will be MINI’s first PHEV when it arrives in the U.S. in June 2017.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

2018 Ford EcoSport

The all-new 2018 Ford EcoSport will be Ford’s entry into the newly-hot compact crossover SUV market. It will be powered by a 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine with direct injection and will be available with SYNC 3, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, operated through an 8-inch touchscreen. The compact crossover can be ordered with navigation, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, a moonroof, heated seats, a power driver’s seat, Intelligent Access with push-button start, and all-wheel drive – so it will be economical, but hardly a stripped-down econobox when it begins production in fall of 2017.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

2017 Jeep Compass

The Jeep Compass has been around since 2006 but has never gotten much love from the automotive press. Jeep’s hoping that will all change with the all-new 2017 Jeep Compass, which will now ride on a global platform that originated with FCA. The Compass will be built in four countries (none of them are the U.S.) and sold in 100 markets around the world with 17 different powertrain configurations. In the United States, we’ll get the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine. Compass vehicles equipped with 4-wheel drive will get a 9-speed automatic transmission, while 4x2 models get a 6-speed transmission (either manual or automatic).

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2017 Land Rover Discovery

Gerry McGovern and the Land Rover design team have been updating and modernizing the SUV maker’s lineup ever since the company was purchased by Tata Motors. The 2017 Land Rover Discovery is all-new, taking its place in a long line of Discovery vehicles. The previous generation Disco was known as LR4 in the US and was a tall, boxy vehicle. The new Discovery wears a much more rounded, organic body, following the lead of last year’s Discovery Sport. Land Rover promises that Discovery will have all the capability that Land Rover buyers expect and demand, with improved technology and even higher levels of luxury.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

2017 Mazda CX-5

CX-5 is Mazda’s current best-selling vehicle, joining the wave of popularity of compact crossover SUVs. The 2017 Mazda CX-5 is a complete makeover inside and out, representing a more evolved interpretation of Mazda Design’s KODO: Soul of Motion philosophy. New manufacturing technology has given birth to crisper sheet metal creases, deeper scallops, and more precise curves. A new paint color, Soul Crystal Red, highlights the body’s interplay with light and shadow. Under the hood, a 2.2-liter clean diesel engine will be available later in the model year, a first for Mazda SUVs in the U.S.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

2017 Nissan Rogue: Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition

For the first time ever, Lucas Films has partnered with a car company to create a Star Wars-branded vehicle. That vehicle, the 2017 Nissan Rogue: Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition, comes with official Star Wars exterior badging and trim and stitched floor mats, with two official paint colors: Magnetic Black and Glacier White. Not only that, each Limited Edition comes with a full-size, numbered replica Death Trooper helmet, an exclusive collectible that will only be available with one of the 5,400 Limited Edition Rogue crossovers. Coolest of all, Nissan’s display at the LA Auto Show includes a full-size replica Tie Fighter, the biggest celebrity appearance of the year.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

2018 Toyota C-HR

Joining the growing group of B-class crossover SUVs in 2018, the Toyota C-HR (Coupe High-Rider) makes its debut at the LA Auto Show. Designed to compete with the Honda HR-V, Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3 and other popular models, C-HR is the smallest Toyota SUV to date. It will come with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that’s rated to produce 144 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque with a continuously variable transmission. Arriving in late 2017, the C-HR will have standard Toyota Safety Sense P, a sophisticated suite of active and passive safety systems.

Photo by Toyota

2018 Volkswagen Atlas

VW is going big for 2018 with the Volkswagen Atlas 7-passenger crossover SUV. Atlas will be the biggest SUV for the company, and it will be built in the United States on an all-new platform, the MQB (Modular Transverse Matrix). Joining the VW Tiguan and Touareg in the lineup, Atlas will come with a choice of two gasoline engines: a 2.0-liter turbocharged TSI 4-cylinder or a 3.6-liter VR6. Atlas is VW’s first 3-row SUV, and the biggest vehicle from the brand since the Routan minivan, Eurovan, Vanagon and Bus left the lineup.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

2018 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Volvo’s on a hot streak with the XC90 crossover SUV, S90 sedan, and V90 wagon. It was just a matter of time before the V90 wagon got the popular Cross Country treatment, which transforms the station wagon into a go-anywhere adventure vehicle with new charcoal fender flairs, all-wheel drive, hill descent and Individual Mode to customize driving dynamics to match all weather conditions. Bigger wheels, greater ground clearance, and a standard skid plate help the V90 Cross Country navigate rough terrain. Joining the S60 Cross Country and XC70 Cross Country, V90 Cross Country will start at $55,300 when it goes on sale in late 2017.

Photo by Andy Bornhop