This is the Chevrolet Cruze Hatch, as revealed Monday in Detroit.

While the Cruze Hatch was developed primarily for global markets, the Bowtie explains it decided to sell it on our shores because the small hatchback segment grew by nine percent last year. The Hatch is all but identical to the 2016 Cruze sedan that was introduced in Detroit last summer when it’s viewed from the front, but its rear fascia gains horizontal tail lamps and a roof-mounted spoiler that gives it a sportier silhouette.

The Hatch ships with the latest generation of Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers 18.5 cubic feet of trunk space with five occupants on board, and 42 cubes with the rear seats folded flat.

Like the sedan, the Cruze Hatch is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that uses direct fuel-injection to deliver 153 horsepower and 177 lb-ft. of torque. Front-wheel drive is the only configuration offered, but Chevrolet hasn’t revealed what gearbox the hatchback will ship with. A standard start/stop system promises to keep fuel economy in check.

The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatch is scheduled to go on sale in the fall of 2016. Buyers will be asked to choose from just two trim levels called LT and Premier, respectively, and a RS package (pictured) that includes fog lights and a full body kit will also be offered. Pricing information will be published in the weeks leading up to its on-sale date.

Live photos by Brian Williams.

Ford has unveiled the 2017 Fusion at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The redesigned sedan focuses on drivetrain upgrades, offering a more powerful V6 Sport model (pictured) alongside two additional EcoBoost engine choices and as many hybrid packages.

The new Sport trim is propelled by a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter engine, delivering an estimated (but not yet final) 325 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. Ford proudly notes that the output figures beat the V6 Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, along with the BMW 340i.

The most powerful Fusion is visually distinguished by a slightly more aggressive exterior with deeper air intakes and a gloss-black mesh grille, 19-inch wheels, rear spoiler and dual twin exhaust outlets. Ride is controlled via an active damper system with pothole detection, claimed to significantly reduce the felt shock when passing over road craters.

The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid returns for 2017, though it offers the same 19-mile electric range as the outgoing model. Both the plug-in and mild hybrids integrate new software that promises a “more refined and engaging drive,” while more efficient electric motors should improve fuel economy.

For luxury-focused buyers, the company has added a Platinum trim pairing a 2.0-liter EcoBoost mill and all-wheel drive. The interior has been outfitted with antiqued Cocoa leather on the instrument and door trim panels, while the steering wheel is hand wrapped in premium Venetian leather.

The revamped sedan is available with Ford’s full range of electronic safety and assistance tech. Available features include hands-free parallel and perpendicular parking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, and pedestrian detection.

The 2017 Fusion is scheduled to arrive in US showrooms this summer. The V6 Sport edition will follow a few weeks after the initial launch.

Chrysler has traveled to the Detroit Motor Show to introduce an all-new minivan. The updates are so comprehensive that the car maker has dropped the decades-old Town & Country moniker and revived the short-lived Pacifica nameplate.

Built on a brand new platform, the Pacifica is markedly more aerodynamic than the aging Town & Country it replaces. It falls in line with Chrysler’s latest design language by adopting styling cues such as a rippled hood and sleek headlights integrated into a narrow grille. Chrome trim on the lower part of the bumper adds an elegant touch to the front fascia, while the rear end gains horizontal LED tail lamps and a roof-mounted spoiler.

Chrysler has turned the tech dial up to 11 in the cabin. The Pacifica ships with a seven-inch color screen integrated into the instrument cluster, and an 8.4-inch dash-mounted touch screen that runs the latest generation of the company’s Uconnect infotainment system. For added convenience, the van can be ordered with a vacuum cleaner — a feature borrowed from Honda –, a rear-seat entertainment system, Stow n’ Go seating, and hands-free sliding doors.

Buyers can also select a long list of electronic driving aids including adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, a forward collision warning system that applies the brakes if it senses a crash is imminent, and a lane departure warning system. Parking sensors, a rear-view camera, active noise cancellation, and a blind-spot monitoring system come standard on all models regardless of trim levels.

The Pacifica is powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine tuned to send 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft. of torque to the front wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. A start/stop system helps the van offer what Chrysler calls unsurpassed fuel economy, but official figures haven’t been published yet.

A hybrid model will join the Pacifica lineup a little later in the production run. The drivetrain includes a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and two electric motors, though Chrysler hasn’t revealed what kind of gasoline-slurping engine it’s equipped with. However, the Pacifica Hybrid is capable of driving on electricity alone for up to 30 miles and it returns about 80 mpge in a mixed cycle, a figure that earns it the honor of being the most efficient minivan on the market.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica will go on sale in the spring, while the Pacifica Hybrid won’t arrive until later this year. Pricing information will be published in the weeks leading up to its on-sale date.

Live photos by Brian Williams.

This is the Buick Avista sport coupe concept, in all its sheet-metal glory.

It was already expected that Buick would be debuting the China-built Envision crossover at the big Motor City shindig, but GM’s entry-premium brand had an additional surprise in the works.

Ahead of the North American International Auto Show, Buick has revealed a sports coupe concept reported by Bloomberg to be about the size of a Chevrolet Camaro with 2+2 seating. Buick says it is holds 400 horsepower under the hood, generated by a turbocharged V6. That engine configuration builds upon the mills that power the LaCrosse and was likely chosen as an homage to the Buick Grand National of the 1980s, which has a cult following among enthusiasts.

There is no word on whether the concept previews a production model, but if it does, it seems quite likely that it would share its bones with its muscle car cousin. General Motors could easily reskin the Camaro to create a Buick version. The concept is an effort to lower the average age of Buick buyers and shed the brand’s image of being a retiree’s car. The current age of a Buick customer is 59. That means it’s hot on the heels of Lexus at 57 and a marked improvement over the 60-something average from 10 years ago.

With its “That’s a Buick?” ad campaign, first-ever Superbowl ad, and a new product onslaught in the coming years — including the Avenir Concept-based LaCrosse and a convertible Cascada — the once-staid brand is hoping get its 223,000 in annual US sales closer to the 1 million it moved in China last year.

Live Images by Brian Williams.

Nissan’s mainstream Titan (as opposed to the more muscular Titan XD) hasn’t even arrived in showrooms yet, but the Japanese automaker has wasted no time in showing off its new truck’s styling with the Titan Warrior concept.

The Titan Warrior concept is designed to highlight the pickup’s muscular, aggressive exterior design by highlighting the core elements of its styling theme. Nissan has emphasized the “warrior” concept in the styling of its overhauled pickup from the very beginning, but the concept kicks it up a notch.

The paint finish on the concept is a satin grey/silver. The grille–meant to resemble a mask–on the concept is done in black gloss. This theme continues on the fenders and lower door trim on the sides and in the rear with a tailgate finish panel. The front and rear bumpers are both carbon fiber. Orange highlights set off silver trim pieces–such as the front skid plate finisher, lower rear bumper and the lower side trim surrounds–from the gloss black and carbon fiber elements.

On the functional side of things, the Titan Warrior shows off unique wheels with contrasting black and machined finishes shod with custom tires. In the rear, there’s a quad exhaust setup integrated into the lower bumper, flanking the hitch receiver. On the roof are two off-road LED spotlight arrays, completing a lighting package that includes unique front and rear LED lamps.

Inside, the orange/black/silver theme continues. The Titan’s zero-gravity seats and center console are adorned with brushed warrior mask “T” logos and upholstered in a combination of what appears to be leather and suede (or Alcantara). The suede material is also found on the lower rim of the steering wheel and the dashboard. Carbon fiber makes its way onto the dash, grab handles and center console trim. A gloss black radio surround and passenger side dash trim panel complete the Titan Warrior’s visual connection to its exterior look. Capping it all off is a dash-mounted gauge pod.

Whether there’s any go to back up the Titan Warrior concept’s show remains to be seen. We’ll let you know when Nissan holds its press conference on Tuesday.

Frank Van Meel, the CEO of BMW’s M division, has revealed the Munich-based car maker is developing a Competition Package for the M3, the M4, and the M4 Cabriolet.

Aimed at buyers who want to hit the track, the Competition Package will bring a long list of speed- and handling-focused features. Notably, it will include a lower and stiffer track-tuned suspension with new springs and bigger sway bars, model-specific alloy wheels, and a sport exhaust system with new tips.

BMW will also make a few mechanical modifications in order to squeeze more power out of the M3/M4′s turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine. Technical details haven’t been provided yet, but WorldCarFans speculates the Competition Package will add about 30 ponies to the mill’s 425-horsepower output. The extra grunt will allow a M3 equipped with the Competition Package to reach 60 mph from a stop in less than 3.9 seconds when equipped with a dual-clutch transmission.

The Competition Package for the BMW M3, M4, and M4 Cabriolet will be introduced in March at the Geneva Motor Show. It will be offered as an option on the 2017 models, but we’ll have to wait a few months to see how much it will cost.

Photos by Drew Johnson.

Acura is taking bold steps to differentiate itself in a crowded luxury car market. Among them, a new crossover model will be introduced in China and a reboot of the marque’s controversial styling is in the works.

After revolutionizing the idea of Japanese luxury upon its inception in 1986, Acura quickly earned a stellar reputation amongst critics and consumers alike with models like the Integra and Legend. However, for the last decade its fallen out of critical favor due to polarizing styling and a pull-back from sporty handling.

While the brand is still viewed favorably with consumers, it has struggled to achieve even half the sales of rivals such as Lexus and BMW, even as its mainstream parent company Honda’s cars approach Acura-levels of performance, styling and content. Acura has faced particular hardship cracking the Chinese market where, according to Automotive News, it has sold just 4,000 cars in 2015 (compared to BMW’s 460,000).

To rejuvenate the brand, Acura has announced a new compact crossover in China. The segment is just as hot in the world’s largest market as it is in the US, and Honda thinks it can move 30,000 of them annually. Likely based on the new Honda HR-V and rumored to be debuting at the Beijing Auto Show in April.

The new model could be the first production car to be wrapped in Acura’s new styling language, will debut on the Precision Concept to be unveiled in Detroit next week. According to the company, it will be aggressive, further differentiate the brand from Honda, and ditch the much-maligned robotic parrot beak grille.

The Toyota ViRa is a new sporty crossover concept that will debut at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon, Japan’s largest aftermarket showcase.

The ViRA name is derived by combining Vitz, the Japanese name for what is known in the US as the Yaris, and the RAV4 mid-size crossover, even though it doesn’t look anything like either of them.

The ViRA is described as coupe styling with the practicality of an SUV and sports a tall ride height that sits somewhere between car and crossover. It boasts only two doors, a sloping roofline and plenty of curves. Judging by the renderings, it will likely be the size of the Mazda CX-3 compact crossover, a segment that Toyota has been notably absent from. No details about the drivetrain were provided, though TIC will also be showing a turbocharged Vitz.

Curiously, the ViRA built by Toyota Industries Corporation, a manufacturing subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (the latter is the entity in question when we say Toyota). Toyota Industries Corporation builds the Vitz and RAV4, among other things such as industrial vehicles, engines, and automotive air conditioning compressors. Founded in 1926, it celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

The ViRA will debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon, which opens January 15.