High seating, good sightlines, all-wheel drive, and looks that conjure images of rugged, capable off-roaders have made vehicles like the Honda HR-V, Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, and Toyota RAV4 the hottest thing on wheels.

Many of the most interesting and important vehicles going on sale this year will be SUVs. Here’s a look at some.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio. This fast and elegant SUV is the key to Fiat Chrysler’s plan to turn Alfa into a leading luxury brand and a major money-maker. It’s Alfa’s first SUV, so attention will focus on how the Italian brand’s performance and handling translate. Sales should begin in the first half of 2017.

BMW 5-series: The seventh-generation 5-series sport sedan looks like a chance for BMW to get it right after some of its recent models grew a bit heavy. The new 5-series is up to 137 pounds lighter but it’s also longer, wider, stiffer and stronger.

A turbocharged 248-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is standard equipment, while the top M550i xDrive model gets all-wheel drive, a twin-turbo 456-horsepower 4.0-liter turbo V-8 and hits 60 mph in 4 seconds.

The plug-in hybrid 530e iPerformance model reaches 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and can cover 15 miles on battery power, farther when its four-cylinder engine engages. Prices start at $51,200.

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Buick Regal and Enclave: Buick’s new sport sedan will have dynamic looks and plenty of technology, based on early looks at its overseas cousins, the European Opel Insignia Grand Sport and Australian Holden Commodore. The three brands share their performance attributes, styling and many features.

Expect the Regal to be around 350 pounds lighter with a longer wheelbase than the car it replaces. It will probably share the Insignia Grand Sport’s fastback profile.

Expect the new Enclave to lose weight but remain big and roomy, unlike its showroom-mate, the GMC Acadia, which shrank considerably when the new model arrived in 2016.

Chevrolet Equinox and Traverse: Chevrolet is primed to reap dividends from the SUV boom with these two crossovers.

The 2018 Equinox will offer three turbocharged engines – 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline and a high-mpg 1.6-liter diesel – linked to a new nine-speed automatic transmission.

The Equinox is about 400 pounds lighter than the outgoing model. It’s 4.5 inches shorter but appears to still offer as much or more room than competitors like the Ford Escape.

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The 2018 Traverse is also likely to be much lighter than its predecessor, but Chevy’s promise of room for  as many as eight people indicates it will not shrink much, if at all.

Honda Odyssey: America’s best-selling minivan’s fifth-generation model debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last month. The Odyssey emphasizes fuel economy, connectivity, safety, and kid-friendly features.

Jeep Compass: The all-new Compass wears Jeep’s American heritage like a flag lapel pin, although Fiat Chrysler plans to build it around the world, but not in the U.S. It looks like the Grand Cherokee’s precocious kid brother and offers upscale interior materials and features.

If it delivers Jeep-quality off-road ability, the new Compass should be a hit around the world. 

Jeep Wrangler: The iconic vehicle that created the Jeep look and heritage is in for the biggest change in its 75-year history. The all-new Wrangler is expected to make extensive use of aluminum to save weight and improve fuel economy.

There’s a good chance prices will rise substantially.

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Kia Niro: What do you get when you combine the hottest trend on wheels – small SUVs – with a 50-mpg hybrid-electric drivetrain? A hit, if Kia has anything to say about it.

The Niro hybrid promises an enjoyable driving experience thanks to a quick-shifting six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. At 171.5-inches long, the Niro is a foot shorter than the Toyota RAV4, but its 106.3-inch wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer, a combination that can contribute to sporty handling.

Unlike most SUVs, the Niro will not offer all-wheel-drive, potentially a significant blank spot on its spec sheet. Kia will add a plug-in hybrid Niro in the future.

Toyota Camry: The Camry will have to fight to retain its status as America’s best-selling passenger vehicle in 2017. Expect lots of standard safety equipment, including driver aids like automatic braking and lane keeping assist.

It will be interesting to see whether Toyota follows the industry trend and adopts small-displacement turbocharged engines to boost fuel economy, and whether the Camry continues to be one of the few midsize sedans that offers a V-6.


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