SUVs At LA That Out-bruted Other Cars To Make It To Our List

There is no doubt that SUVs stole the limelight at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show which is a surprise as the American market is dominated by pickup trucks. Believe me or not, we didn’t see any new pickup trucks being unveiled at the 2019 LA Auto Show. FACT. This clearly shows that the trend is shifting towards SUVs. Manufacturers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz showcased all-electric SUVs which are cleaner and greener. Other noted ones include the humble Kia Seltos that made its American debut while Hyundai showcased the T-Concept with a hybrid powertrain. And if you’re that petrolhead who needs some heart thumping machines, LA offered some really cool ones from AMG, RS and the M division. Meanwhile, Tesla took the wraps off the Cybertruck at a stand alone event, which seems to have come from a different world altogether! Here’s the complete list of SUVs that impressed us at the 2019 LA Auto Show.

Kia Seltos:

Kia took the wraps off the American-spec Seltos at the 2019 LA Auto Show. Though it looks familiar, it comes with a host of upgrades to cater to the US market. Visual updates include rugged skid plates and bigger 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. Inside, the US-spec Seltos comes with a revised dashboard layout as the infotainment system and speedometer console are separate units. And while it comes with all the features found in the India-spec model, the US-spec SUV goes a step further and comes with radar-based driver assistance systems. Under the hood, the Seltos come with two petrol powertrains: a 150PS 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine and a 177PS 1.6-litre T-GDI engine. It can also be had in an all-wheel drive variant. But if all-wheel drive hardware isn’t enough for you, Kia unveiled the more butch Seltos X-line concepts. 

Hyundai Vision-T Concept:

Hyundai revealed the Vision-T concept, a plug-in hybrid SUV, at Los Angeles. The Vision-T concept could pave the way for the next-gen Tucson and comes with Hyundai’s Sensuous design language. The front-end comes with Hyundai’s cascading grille that are flanked by sleek LED headlamps with LED DRLs, flowing down through the outer edges of the grille. In profile, the square flared wheel arches and a sharp crease give it an imposing stance. At the rear, the SUV comes with connected tail lamps, a design element becoming common in Hyundais. Hyundai is yet to reveal the specifications of the SUV. 

Ford Mach-E:

The legendary pony badge on the iconic Mustang muscle car has found its way on the all-electric Mach-E SUV. We bet quite a few Mustang fans are disappointed. But you shouldn’t as there are justifiable reasons. For starters, this is one quick SUV as the top-spec GT version puts out 459PS/830Nm and does the 0-100kmph run under three seconds! Then there’s the tech-loaded interior which comes with just two huge screens: a 10.2-inch digital driver’s display and the 15.6-inch Tesla-esque infotainment system. The Mach-E SUV also comes loaded with tech like the latest Sync 4 infotainment system and Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 2.0 driver assistance technology. Meanwhile, prices for the Mach-E GT is priced at $60,000 (Rs 43 lakh). The Mach-E also comes in lower variants with slightly less power outputs and a cheaper price tag. 

Audi e-tron Sportback And RS Q8:

The Audi e-tron Sportback is the e-tron’s swoopier cousin. Going by its name, the ‘Sportback’ comes with a sloping roofline that flows down from the B-Pillar and runs cleanly to the raked tailgate. The front-end as well as the interior are identical to the e-tron, which is a good thing. The e-tron comes in two variants: 50 quattro and 55 quattro. Both variants come with twin electric motors on each axle powering all four wheels. The 50 quattro variant puts out 312PS and 540Nm and will have a 347km WLTP claimed range from its 74kWH battery pack. Meanwhile, the 55 quattro variant puts out 360PS and 551Nm and has a 447km WLTP claimed range from its 95kWH battery pack. Prices for the e-tron start from EUR 71,350 (Rs 56.64 lakh) and Audi will start deliveries early 2020 in Europe. 

Don’t fancy the electric e-tron Sportback? Then, you might want to have a look at the RS Q8, Audi’s version of the Urus. It dethroned the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63S as the fastest SUV around the Green Hell. The RS Q8 comes with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that develops 600PS and 800Nm and comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. A 48V mild hybrid system has been slapped on for additional torque boost. The numbers indicate that this Hulk does the 0-100kmph run in 3.8 seconds, 0-200kmph in 13.7 seconds and maxes out at 250kmph (electronically limited). It also comes with a couple of hardware additions like all-wheel steering wheel and active roll bars to enhance your driving experience. All of this means the RS Q8 is not cheap. It starts from EUR 127,000 (Rs 1.01 crore) before all options and customisations. 

Mercedes-Benz EQC, GLE 63 AMG, GLS 63 AMG:

Mercedes-Benz revealed three new SUVs at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. The showstopper is the EQC, which has made its ‘Murica debut at LA. It’s priced from from USD 67,900 which roughly equates to Rs 48.67 lakh. The EQC comes with a sleek design with typical Mercedes design traits all around. Inside, the EQC comes with a sleek dashboard with the main highlight being the connected driver’s display and infotainment system. The latter also comes with Mercedes’ MBUX operating system. Powering the EQC is two electric motors that develop 508PS and 761Nm right from the word go. It does the 0-100kmph run in 4.8 seconds which is sports car territory.  The electric motor draws its fuel from a 80kWH battery pack. Mercedes is yet to reveal the official range for the electric SUV. 

If you’re that heart thumping petrolhead, then you might want to have a look at Merc’s two new AMG SUVs: GLE 63 and GLS 63. It comes with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that develops 611PS and 850Nm while a 48V mild-hybrid system is present to give an additional 21PS and 250Nm during torque boost. Mercedes claims that the GLE does the 0-100kmph in 3.7 seconds while its bigger brother does the same in 4.1 seconds. Both models have an identical top speed of 280kmph. Sweet! Prices for both models are yet to be revealed but don’t expect them to come cheap!

BMW X5M, X6M: 

BMW debuted its more souped-up X5M and X6M at the 2019 LA Auto Show. Both SUVs come with a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 putting out 600PS and 750Nm. They also come with a Competition pack which further ups the power by 25PS. Both models send power to all four corners via an 8-speed automatic transmission. This results in a 0-100kmph time in 3.9 seconds with the Competition packs shaving 0.1 seconds. And as with all M cars, it comes with an aggressive front bumper, quad exhausts, M-style mirrors, rear roof spoiler, sportier seats and some carbon fibre trim inserts. Prices for the X5M start at from USD 105,100 (Rs 72 lakh) while the X5M Competition pack adds another USD 9,000 (Rs 6.46 lakh). On the other hand, the X6M starts at USD 108,600 with USD 9,000 (Rs 6.46 lakh) extra for the Competition pack. SUV Coupe or SUV? Propeller fans, your pick. 

Porsche Macan Turbo: 

Porsche fanatics, rejoice! The German sports car maker debuted the oomph loaded Macan Turbo at LA. It utilises a 2.9-litre V6 engine that develops 440PS of power, 40PS up from before. Torque numbers stand at 550Nm and the Macan Turbo comes mated with a 7-speed PDK (dual-clutch) gearbox. The sports SUV does the 0-100kmph in 4.3 seconds and it shaves off 0.2 seconds if you opt the Sport Chrono package. Pedal to metal, it maxes out at 280kmph. The Macan Turbo also comes with hardware enhancements like active dampers that change the damping based on road surfaces. It also comes with cosmetic enhancements to differentiate it from the standard Macan. All of this adds up to a sticker price of  $83,600 which equates to Rs 60 lakh.

Toyota RAV 4 Prime: 

Meet the RAV 4 Prime, a Toyota SUV that has some serious stomach churning performance. FACT, as it can do the 0-100kmph run in 5.8 seconds dead. That’s 530D territory. To achieve that figures, the SUV comes with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor  and CVT gearbox. It puts out 302PS and comes with an all-wheel drive system to ensure that power doesn’t get wasted. The RAV 4 Prime also comes with a handful of cosmetic enhancements to make it standout from the crowd. Prices for the Toyota RAV 4 hasn’t been announced yet. But, it is expected to cost more than  RAV4 hybrid which is priced at $28,100 (Rs 20.14 lakh). Toyota, some affordable performance cars to India please?

Acura MDX PMC Edition:

This Acura MDX PMC Edition revealed at LA is no ordinary limited edition SUV. It’s a handmade SUV that’s built at Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC), the same place where the legendary NSX sports car is built. This particular model is limited to 330 units only, with 300 being allotted for the US and the rest for Canada. The limited edition MDX is finished in Valencia Red, Acura’s trademark colour, and comes with plenty of contrasting blacked-out elements. Inside, the sports seats come with Milano leather upholstery and red stitching. Powering the MDX PMC Edition is a 3.5-litre i-VTEC direct injection V6 engine that develops 290PS and 392Nm. It sends power to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. Prices for the MDX PMC Edition are expected to be in the range of $60,000 (Rs 43.05 lakh). Acura fans, hurry up with your cheque books!

BONUS ROUND:

Tesla Cybertruck: 

Tesla took the wraps off the Cybertruck, its first pickup truck, at a standalone event in Los Angeles. Just like all Teslas, this is no slouch. It does the 0-100kmph run in 2.9 seconds dead! And with that mighty performance under its hood, the truck has a range exceeding 804km. Sweet! Meanwhile, the Cybertruck is built out by 30X cold-rolled stainless-steel that can take some serious beating. It also comes with Tesla’s armoured glass, though it failed to withstand the beating it received at the unveil. Inside, the Cybertruck comes with a typical Tesla-esque interior with a huge touchscreen dominating the central console. It also comes loaded with tech like auto park, trailer docking and autonomous driving.  Prices for the Cybertruck are start from $39,900 (Rs 28.6 lakh) and deliveries start from late 2021. 

We want to know which SUV caught your eye at the 2019 LA Auto Show. Let us know in the comments section below.