Honda HR-V Sport

How about an HR-V with 180 hp and a 6-speed manual?

It will be available soon. In Europe. 

Where the CR-V can now be ordered with the 1.5 Liter Turbo from the Civic and CR-V.

(A CVT is an option)

The revised 2019 HR-V has just been released in the US. And no 1.5-liter turbo is available at any price.

So I guess this is not coming over here...

Audi e-tron GT Concept

I just saw this in person a couple of hours ago, and all I can tell you is that it looks very impressive in person.

A very sporty, modern looking sedan.
Not a small car, since it is the same length as the A7 hatchback.

Apparently, the range is around 250 miles. Which is just OK these days. Since much cheaper cars like the Vold or Hyundai Kona EV can do that.

A production version is coming out at the end of 2020. With first deliveries early 2021.
It shares its platform with the upcoming Porsche Taycan. And just like the Taycan, it is not a hatchback. (Which is really too bad, with such a fastback shape)

Inside, this is a lot nicer and much more modern than most current Audi interiors.

Things will be getting harder and harder for the Tesla Model S.
Not sure if they are working on a second generation or not yet. But they really need to have one ready soon.
In a couple of years, their luxury EV sedan won't be that special anymore at all...

2020 Hyundai Palisade

This is for those who like really obnoxious super chromy/busy grilles from non-luxury car makers.

To me, that face alone means "no way".

Otherwise, the rest of the design is still quite messy. This is just way to busy looking.

Inside, the console looks like the new Kona EV or the Exo fuel cell crossover.

Which is OK I guess.

Power comes from a 3.8 Liter V6 with 291HP with an 8-speed auto.

This, to me, just looks like yet another big blah SUV with a huge grille...

This is entering a very busy segemnt, with lots of very good etries. Like the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9 and others. 

2019 Toyota Prius

For the new year, Toyota made the Prius about 10% less weird.

The front end is much cleaner. And the rear lights are not so bizarro anymore.

Inside, the weird bathtub looking console seems to be gone (Although that might just be the color on the pic above)

The main event for 2019 is the availability of AWD for the first time in the US Prius. With a second motor.

Powered by the same 121HP 1.8 Liter as the new Corolla sedan hybrid, the AWD model gets the same 50MPG average rating. 

2020 Lincoln Aviator

The new Aviator proves that Lincoln was not just teasing us with their good looking concept last year.

As the production model looks pretty much the same.

It also kept the great interior. (Too bad for that tablet sticking out...)

It will be powered by a 400HP Turbo 3.0 Liter V6 and a 10-speed auto.

RWD and AWD are available.

The Grand Touring version is powered by a 3.0 Twin Turbo V6/Hybrid combo with 450HP.

So far so good...

2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid

For the first time, we are getting a hybrid version of the Corolla in the US.

Based on the new sedan.

Pictured here in white with wheels that look like plastic covers, it doesn't' really look that great...

Compared to the new Mazda3 sedan, this actually looks like quite a mess.

It is powered by a 1.8 Liter with 121HP. And it gets 50MPG average.

The Honda Insight has 151HP and is rated at 55city and 49Hwy.

And looks 100 times better than this.

I wish Toyota good luck ...

2020 Mazda3

Once again, Mazda is showing us "how it's done".

They have managed to design a classy, upscale looking small sedan with far fewer lines than almost everyone else. (Even a bit reminiscent of their previous Vision Coupe concept)

And the new hatchback looks to be a complete original. And very close to last year's great Kai concept. 

Same thing inside, where everything seems to be super modern and classy. 

These people seem to never be resting on their laurels and keep putting out better and better designs every time.

Quite amazing.

(Now how about a larger sunroof?)

The new 3 will be powered by a new 2.0 Liter with 187HP. (Which should be plenty)

More on this very soon....

2020 Honda Passport

 After a long time guessing, here is the real thing.
I was hoping for a really modern and unique design for Honda's new model.
Instead, we just get a shorter Pilot (like many readers here had predicted)

 The similarities are very obvious in the profile of both cars.
Sure, the Passport wants to look a bit more like an "adventure" vehicle. But the differences are mostly plastic trims.
(On the top picture, the plastic trim on the fenders is weirdly designed. Like some parts are missing...)

 I hate to say, but this is really not more modern looking than the almost 5-year-old Pilot...

Same thing inside> Where the new Passport (top pic) is the same as the Pilot.

The Passport is also powered by the 3.5 Liter V6. It has a 9 speed automatic.

2020 Mazda 3 sedan

The white car is the all-new 2020 sedan version of the Mazda 3.
Looking pretty slick, and simple.
I am more interested in the hatchback version myself. The sedan actually doesn't seem to stand out much from a crowd.
A crowd where almost everything else is now decent looking.

More on this very soon.

2020 Genesis G90

As I mentioned earlier, this thing is barely 2 years old. An all-new face is a weird decision after less than 2 years.

Not at all what you need to sell your most expensive car. Now people who took a change on the all-new brand last year end up with an "old" model.

I see they tried to inject more personality into the car. But that grille looks really cartoony to me.

And the new wheels are just way overdone. Like if someone had far too much time to design something. 

(They look like doodles bored people do at staff meetings)

The interior seems untouched. Except for a few trim colors etc...

I guess this means that every Genesis model has to get that weirdo grille now?

Which means it is coming next year to the all-new G70?

2019 Bentley Continental GT Convertible

No surprises here. Since a new Coupe came out last year, the convertible version is "as expected".

This is the best looking version of the Continental GT so far. Although that rear seat still doesn't seem very roomy.

And you would think they'd find a way to make the rear window a bit larger.

(The rear window in the old 70's Corniche was huge)

2020 Kia Soul

Well... That looks a bit weird to me.

The rear bumper with fake vents on the sides seems pretty heavy looking. And the rear lights are just getting quite strange this time around.

And a bit too curvy for the rest of the car.

It now has more of a Chinese design feel to it. I guess this is the way everything will go in the next few years.

In order to please the world's largest car market...

More on the new Soul very soon, including much better pictures.

(Thanks to a reader for sending me these)

2019 Porsche 911

These are pretty crappy pictures.

But they are the first ones of the all-new redesigned Porsche 911.

Which, I think, looks pretty nice. Although looking about 99% as the current model.

Which, I guess, is OK for the 911. Like it is OK for the Jeep Wrangler.

It is one of these historical cars that just evolves a little bit every time...

More on this very soon. 

2020 Range Rover Evoque

 I think range Rover did great with the all-new Evoque for 2020.
They took the already great design and made it even more modern.
The whole thing is also much cleaner. With far fewer lines and details. Which is great.

it is basically a very similar shape, but now everything almost looks futuristic and simpler.
A lot like a small Velar.

 Inside, it does look more upscale than before. The door panel design looks a bit more conventional in the new car.
And, while the current model had a rotary Automatic shifter (European manual model pictured above) it now has the stupid and confusing electronic one that almost everyone is using these days.
I'd say that's a big step backward ...

The new Evoque seems immediately like one of the best design around for an SUV.
Very modern and clean.
I really wish other manufacturers would learn from this. Almost anything else seems just overdone, busy, and sometimes downright vulgar.

A small detail, but I can't help but wondering where have rear bumpers gone (???)
Like many SUVs these dyas (and even some cars) the hatch is basically the bumper now. Which makes zero sense...
The new Evoque seems to be pushing this "useless bumper" idea even further.