10 Hot New Cars Coming Out in 2018

2018_Lexus_LC500_under-freeway_pass ・ Photo by ZR1 Registry

You’ve been reading a ton of articles about the rise of the SUV, and it’s true: Last year, SUVs and crossover vehicles outsold passenger cars in the United States by a healthy margin. Over 7.1 million new SUVs and crossovers left dealerships with proud owners, while just 6.3 million passenger cars found their matches.

But that does not mean that the market for cars is dead, or that the auto manufacturers have abandoned sedans, coupes, wagons, hatchbacks, and convertibles. In fact, there are many new and heavily revised cars on the way for the 2018 model year. Not every driver wants a bigger, taller vehicle; if you still seek the comfort, performance, and appearance of a good old-fashioned car, keep reading - we've got ten of the hottest ones coming into the market.

2018 Acura RLX

Acura’s flagship full-size premium sedan, the RLX, has languished in the sales charts for much of its past generation, which debuted as a 2014 model. 2018 doesn’t mark the beginning of a new generation, but the RLX gets enough of a mid-cycle refresh to qualify as a new car.

A new front fascia includes a new “diamond pentagon” grille and new LED headlights that bring the RLX more in line with the rest of the Acura lineup. A new hood and new rear fascia compliment the makeover, along with new LED taillights and chrome exhaust outlets. A new steering wheel, wood trim and new seats spruce up the cabin. The AcuraWatch suite of driver assistance features is now standard, and the transmission options now include an all-new 10-speed automatic. Prices start at $54,900.

Photo by Acura

2018 Buick Regal TourX

Don’t call it a station wagon! The 2018 Buick Regal TourX joins the Regal Sportback (not “hatchback”) to fill out the brand's premium mid-size lineup. The two-row TourX takes a page from the Audi allroad playbook, with a slightly higher stance than the Sportback and wearing a touch of cladding around its wheel wells.

Standard all-wheel drive with twin rear clutches should encourage buyers to use the new TourX the way Buick believes it was designed to be: barreling down dirt roads, exploring nature, seeking adventure. You know, active lifestyle stuff. You are forgiven if you still see the everyday utility in the wagon form and start fantasizing about going to Home Depot and loading up with lumber, or strapping the kids in their car seats, tossing the dogs in the back and driving to Grandma's house. The TourX is an excellent choice for either activity. Prices start at $29,070.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Dodge did not get the memo about the end of the muscle car wars. The 2018 Challenger SRT Demon is the meanest, loudest shot yet fired, and at $84,995 it represents a whole lot of firsts and bests. The Demon has a supercharged direct injected 6.2-liter Hemi that can produce up to 840 horsepower that Dodge calls “the most powerful V8 engine ever produced."

The Demon is the world’s fastest production car from 0-60 mph, with a verified time of 2.3 seconds, continuing down the line as fastest production car through the quarter mile (9.65 seconds at 140.09 mph). It generates the highest g-force and even delivered the first-ever wheelie by a production car. The Demon can still be driven legally on public roads in all 50 states — though few of the 3,000 examples (plus 300 for Canada) will likely see much commuting duty. This is a car that begs to be flogged on the drag strip, not at the strip mall.

Photo by Dodge

2018 Ford Mustang

Any change to the Ford Mustang is big news. The 2018 Mustang arrives with a new exterior design that emphasizes athletic performance, plus an interior that is packed with more technology than ever before. The highlight might be Ford's first all-digital 12-inch LCD instrument panel, which was designed in collaboration with former video game developers. The cool cluster comes with 26 color options and can display up to eight gauges at once.

Under the hood, a more powerful 460-hp 5.0-liter V8 engine can be mated with an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission. The 310-hp 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine is still available, and a six-speed manual transmission is still an option for purists. Pricing starts at $25,585.

Photo by Ford

2018 Honda Accord

2018 marks the 41st year for the Accord in the United States, and the beginning of its 10th generation of production. Over 13 million Accords have been sold in the U.S., so this has been a very important sedan for Honda. The 2018 Accord starts at $24,445 and its new exterior design is sportier than before, with short front and rear overhangs and a sloping roofline that follows the industry’s coupe-like design trend.

The actual coupe is no longer in the lineup, with just a sedan body style available this year. Gone also is the V6 — buyers now have the choice of turbocharged four-cylinder engines: a 1.5-liter with 192 hp and a 252-hp 2.0-liter. A six-speed manual transmission, thankfully, is still available on a few models, while others get a 10-speed automatic or a continuously variable automatic.

Photo by Honda

2018 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai has been tinkering with the Sonata lately, doing its best to recapture the lightning of the sixth-generation model, sold from 2011 to 2014. Designed by then-new design chief Peter Schreyer, the Sonata’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language captured the eyes of new buyers, resulting in skyrocketing sales.

A 2015 makeover dimmed the lightning somewhat, so this 2018 Sonata carries a heavy load of expectations. Starting at $20,550, it has a new grille, hood, and trunk, along with revised steering and suspension settings. A tweaked interior with class-leading space should entice buyers back inside, and an upgraded suite of safety features will have them feeling secure during the ride.

Photo by Hyundai

2018 Kia Stinger

Kia enters a new market segment with the all-new 2018 Stinger, a large five-passenger liftback. The boldly designed Stinger is probably the best-performing Kia to date, benefitting from suspension engineering that was fine-tuned at the Nurburgring racing circuit.

A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is standard, with an available twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 also on the chart. The Stinger can achieve legitimate acceleration — 5.9 seconds from 0-60 mph with the four-cylinder and 4.7 seconds with the V6 — and has the handling chops to back up that speed. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is available, a first for a Kia passenger car. Starting at $31,900, the Stinger pushes Kia into a new arena of competition.

Photo by Kia

2018 Lexus LC 500

A few years ago, Lexus served notice to the automotive industry that it was serious about performance. The LFA supercar demonstrated what Toyota’s luxury division could do when the chips were down, and it was a thunderous debut. The 2018 LC 500 (starting at $92,000) follows up on that thunder as a real-world coupe that shows that Lexus can bring performance and style to its lineup without shedding its core values.

The LC shares Lexus' signature “spindle” grille with its siblings, but then swoops back with an absolutely stunning, athletic and elegant design. A 471-hp naturally aspirated (non-turbo) 5.0-liter V8 provides the soundtrack and motivation, paired with a lightning-fast 10-speed automatic transmission. The stiff chassis is constructed from a combination of rigid, lightweight materials including aluminum, high-strength steel and carbon fiber. Anyone who has written off Lexus as a conservative brand should take a second look at the LC 500.

Photo by Lexus

2018 Nissan Leaf

Nissan has delivered over 300,000 examples of the Leaf electric vehicle since its debut in 2011, and the second generation now arrives with greater range and capability than before. The 2018 Leaf is available in all 50 states with a starting price of $29,990.

Range is all the rage with EVs, and the Leaf now promises to travel 150 miles on a single charge. With 147 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, those miles promise to be more enjoyable than before. Nissan has also extended the Leaf's range of available safety and driver assistance technologies to include the latest version of its ProPilot Assist and e-Pedal driver assistance. The exterior design has been refreshed to provide a more dynamic appearance. The five-door compact hatchback can fit up to five passengers and will never burn an ounce of gasoline.

Photo by Nissan

2018 Toyota Camry

The Camry spent 2017 as the best-selling sedan in the United States, so a makeover is a big deal for Toyota — it’s said that you shouldn’t mess with success. Of course, in the automotive industry, success is fleeting and standing still leads to being passed by.

The 2018 Camry is an all-new eighth-generation vehicle, and it is the most exciting Camry yet. The exterior features new front and rear fascias with expressive lighting, and the body sides are sculpted and athletic. Inside, the conservative dash has been remade into a more three-dimensional design. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is standard (featuring 178 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque), and a 3.5-liter V6 is also available with 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices start at $24,000.

Photo by Toyota