Even though most folks in New York City perceive cars in shades of yellow or black, the New York International Auto Show is still a big draw for automakers—and this year was no exception. While there were no standout show-stoppers, there were many solid entries in key segments. In other words, it was more about what customers are going to buy next, rather than the cars of their dreams (well, OK, Porsche 911 Speedster…). Read on to see which vehicles caught the eyes of our editors.
2020 Hyundai Venue
Hyundai sees white space to introduce tiny cars to the American market. Making a small car not feel cheap is a huge challenge, but the Venue manages to look quirky and endearing, but with enough presence that it won’t be intimidated by larger vehicles on the road. On the three-tone model on display, I especially like the way the gunmetal paint contrasts with the the white roof and side mirrors, as well as the pale gray detailing on the lower grille surround and wheel well arches. Power comes from a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated Gamma four-cylinder engine featuring Hyundai’s new dual-port fuel injection and mated to a new CVT, offered in front-drive spec only. It is expected to be a hit with millennials who will appreciate the ease of connectivity with their devices and a price tag that could start below $20,000. Comparison shoppers note: Despite similar appearances, the Venue is 10 inches shorter than the Nissan Kicks. – Alisa Priddle
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS
The big daddy SUV from Mercedes always had the necessary presence but lacked the high-end materials inside to properly call itself the S-Class of SUVs. It was getting long in the tooth and looked it. Mercedes has addressed this with the 2020 GLS with soft pore wood, perforated leather seats (cream in color, and creamy in feel), a gorgeous, smooth steering wheel, and two large 12.3-inch screens. The GLS 450 has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine and new 48-volt onboard electrical system with an integrated starter generator. The GLS 580 takes the 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 and adds electrification. Both engines are paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It also has more luxurious second and third rows with entertainment systems and more room to enjoy them. – Alisa Priddle
Don’t mess with success. This former SUV of the Year winner is exactly what it needs to be: updated. Fresh interior, all the latest gizmos, and a cool new mild-hybrid V-8 for more power and better fuel economy. If it drives anything like the wonderful new GLE-Class, which it should, it’ll be another home run for Mercedes. – Scott Evans
2020 Lincoln Corsair
Lincoln design chief David Woodhouse’s team is on a roll. The Corsair is a wonderfully elegant and sophisticated take on a C-segment SUV that artfully captures the essence of Lincoln’s American-modernist design direction. Scaling down big-picture luxury details into a small vehicle is a difficult design brief; there’s simply less to work with. But the Corsair pulls it off, inside and out. The exterior’s strong horizontal gesture makes the Corsair look longer than it really is, and deep concave surfaces on the doors put muscle around the wheels. The interior looks plush and upscale, with a cleverly cantilevered pod for the HVAC controls, and air vents that stretch across the dash visually opening and widening the cabin. And there are some lovely little design touches, such as the Lincoln-logo puddle light underneath the HVAC pod that also lights the storage area in the center console when needed. Fun fact: Each of the Ls and each of the Ns in the branding across the gently curved back of the Corsair are slightly differently shaped so there’s no distortion in the Lincoln branding when read from behind. – Angus MacKenzie
No one will mistake the Lincoln Corsair for a Ford Escape or even for the MKC it replaces. And while it is the entry-level SUV for the luxury brand, Lincoln did not skimp on the interior and continues to be creative in its use of color. We love the Beyond Blue leather. The Corsair rides on the same new front-wheel-drive platform as the Escape but has a longer wheelbase (all going into the roomy second row, it seems) and more power. The base engine is the turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 that generates 250 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. Optional is a 2.3-liter that produces 280 hp and 310 lb-ft. Both engines are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and the Corsair has a piano-key set of buttons for gear selection. All-wheel drive is standard with the larger engine, optional with the base engine. This compact SUV is as fine as the larger Lincoln SUVs that preceded it. – Alisa Priddle
2020 Subaru Outback (and its auto show stand)
Subaru loyalists won’t mind that the new Outback looks similar to the outgoing model, and they’ll love that the Outback is getting a turbo engine with 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. But the presentation on the auto show floor really deserves a mention. The Yosemite-theme stand has more than a dozen faux pine trees, carpet that imitates the national park’s grounds, and even pine tree scent. But it’s more than marketing. The new Outback’s infotainment system gets an app with the maps and info of all of the U.S. national parks—something cool for those who venture out to see stunning landscapes. – Miguel Cortina
Nissan’s Dream Garage
Nissan celebrated 50 years of performance with the display of their Dream Garage. The Nissan booth brought plenty of nostalgia from decades past—chronicling the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. From GT-Rs to Zs, Nissan’s heritage was shown in full force, celebrating the brand’s storied past. Now if we can just get a redesigned, all-new GT-R… – Carol Ngo
Genesis Mint Concept
Yes, this tiny city-car concept seems a tad “off message” for the Hyundai-Kia Group’s young luxe brand, and sure, we can hear the analyst community’s collective fingers drumming the table awaiting Korea’s take on a swanky SUV. God bless Genesis for stalling on that front for yet another New York show in favor of this funky but fetching little lozenge. The proportions are fresh and appealing, the fanciful interior reminds me of a 1950s dream-car fantasy, and I simply love the scarab-wing doors that provide side access to the luggage area. Very 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Shooting Brake or Pontiac Trans Am Kammback (Google ‘em, kids). – Frank Markus
In an era when seemingly every automaker is crossover-crazy, it’s refreshing to see one contemplate a car that’s compact and low-slung, with simple surfaces teased out over big wheels at each corner. The rear-drive, electric-powered Genesis Mint is a sports car for the urban raceway, a futureshock Mini-Cooper-meets-Mazda-Miata. And if Genesis boss Manfred Fitzgerald has his way, it’ll get built. “We’re having the discussion internally on how to bring this into production,” Fitzgerald says. “And I will be fighting to the last minute to have it exactly like it looks. Obviously there are some challenges, but I would say roughly 90 percent of what you see is feasible.” If it goes into production, Mint would be built on Hyundai-Kia’s all-new bespoke BEV platform. – Angus MacKenzie
Volkswagen Tarok
Yes it’s bound for production (in Brazil), but it’s not yet bound for our shores—unless the public clamors for it. This is me clamoring. When I was learning to drive, full-size pickups were sized like today’s Colorado or Tacoma and two smaller size classes were available. The smallest included the Euro-Golf-based VW Rabbit Pickup and the Dodge Omni O24-based Rampage. They were light, nimble, economical, had low load floors, and were ideally suited for light urban hauling needs. The four-door Tarok would dwarf a Rabbit pickup just as a Colorado towers over its S-10 predecessor, but it would likely be smaller, lighter, and lower than anything else we have currently—and that’s worth clamoring for. – Frank Markus
2020 Cadillac CT5
On Instagram, my colleague Jonny Lieberman has seriously shredded the C-pillar of Cadillac’s latest sports sedan, so I was interested to see what all the fuss was about, in the metal. Indeed, the kinky curve and blacked-out faux window seem gratuitous and counterproductive, since they are part of the reason for the two unsightly vertical seams in the side glass (the shallow, rear door cut is the main reason, as a longer window would have no place to retract.) So yeah, that pillar area is a hot mess, but the rest of the car? Gorgeous. Especially the face. Cadillac really knows how to mold metals and composites into handsome shapes, and the CT5 is old school, leading-man good-looking—think Cary Grant or Rock Hudson. You know the type: strong chin, wide-set eyes, aquiline nose, rakish profile, and athletic stance—all without trying too hard. CT5 has all that, from the wide-set light bars that tuck and flow, to the darkly glittering grille—like pearly whites, at night. And just look at how the roof falls away from the windshield back. With everyone so focused on every flavor of SUV and CUV, it’s great to see Cadillac sweating some sedan details. – Ed Loh
2020 Hyundai Sonata
While we’re talking sedans, who says the mass-market family sedan is dead? If any design can breathe life into the moribund four-door, it could be the Sonata. From its trick hood lighting to the “lasso” details that link the hood to the greenhouse surround, the Sonata is a crisp reinterpretation of its four-door-coupe style that shocked the world in 2011. Say what you will about the grouper-fish grille, this car’s design is hawt. Plus, this is the launch of Hyundai’s expanded BlueLink interface, which is planned to give smartphone-key access for car-sharing or rental-fleet services. It also could give your kids limited access on nights out (I call dibs on calling it “curfew mode”). Hyundai also revealed the Sonata will get the “N” performance treatment down the line, with a hot engine putting out more than 275 hp. – Mark Rechtin
2020 Toyota Highlander
Sometimes you just want to slip into comfortable loafers. The Highlander will be no styling surprise to loyalists, although if you look closely, the design is actually quite a big step for conservative Toyota. But inside is the big deal, with two-tone (sometimes three-tone) surfacing, elegant-touch surfaces, an optional 12.3-inch screen, and nicely tactile buttons, knobs, and switches that all feel luxuriant. Plus, there’s standard safety tech galore. The Hybrid variant gets an astonishing 34 mpg combined. If this is what a Highlander feels like, imagine the moonshot Lexus must have in store for their next RX. – Mark Rechtin
2019 Porsche 911 Speedster
What more could you possibly want in a driver’s car? GT3 chassis and powertrain, 9,000-rpm, 502-hp flat-six with individual throttle bodies, a fantastic manual transmission, best of Carrera widebody and GT3 styling, lighter than a GT3, and no roof. What really seals the deal is the “streamliner” humps behind the seats; previous 911 Speedsters always looked hunchbacked, but this time, they nailed it. Everything you want, nothing you don’t. – Scott Evans
The post 2019 NY Auto Show Debuts: MotorTrend’s Best Cars of the Show appeared first on Motortrend.
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