Detroit Auto Show 2017

Volkswagen I.D. Buzz Concept

En español | For incurable nomads and unreconstructed hippies, VW spotlighted a Microbus redux that could be more tease than a promise. But the two-motor, all-wheel-drive, electric power-train underpinning the Detroit show car is intended for production, so there’s a chance a Bus reprise could be a showroom item one day. It would have a 270-mile battery range per government standards (as much as a Tesla), VW says. And it would be rich with the latest self-driving tech.

2018 Toyota Camry

On sale this summer, it’s truly “all new,” meaning the chassis, body and interior all are different from the previous model — not just cosmetic changes the auto business often hypes as “new.” New eight-speed automatic, but same engines: 3.5-liter V-6 and 2.5-liter four-cylinder. Edgy styling, swoopy dashboard that’s Audi-like and firmer-feeling suspension give the best-selling car in the U.S. a mischievous streak. The family sedan market is down, as buyers switch to SUVs, so Toyota is hoping the spiffed-up Camry will buck that trend.

2018 Ford F-150

Face-lifted and updated, the 2018 version of the country’s best-selling vehicle comes this fall for those who tow, haul or just like truckin’. Main exterior changes are grilles that better match the hefty-looking ones on the overhauled Super Duty F-series models, and a tailgate face-lift. Drivetrain changes include a new diesel option and updates to the 5-liter V-8 and base V-6 engines, plus 10-speed automatics. Tech features will include a Wi-Fi hot spot, crash avoidance and Bang & Olufsen audio.

2018 Honda Odyssey

Minivans are practical, even after all the kids are gone, and Honda’s version has been a best-seller for years. The new one looks similar but has hidden sliding-door tracks. A 10-speed automatic transmission is available, as are “Magic Slide” second-row seats for easy reconfiguration and maneuvering inside, and an array of tech features. Honda Sensing accident-avoidance system, including automatic braking, is standard on most models.

2017 Nissan Rogue Sport

Coming in spring of 2017, it’s a trimmer crossover SUV than the mainstream Rogue and is aimed at people who live and drive in tighter confines than the suburbs. The Sport is about a foot shorter than the Rogue, but still claims to be a five-seater. A 2-liter four-cylinder rated 141 horsepower provides go-power. Automatic braking and other driver-assistance features come with it. Front-wheel or all-wheel drives are available.

2019 Audi Q8

It’s a plug-in hybrid that goes on sale in 2018, blending roominess, all-wheel drive, power and fuel-saving tech. The “concept” shown at Detroit is a tad shorter than the Q7 SUV, and a bit wider. It spreads interior space generously among four instead of the usual five passengers. A 3-liter V-6 gasoline engine ties to an electric motor for a combined 443 horsepower, and diesel-truck-like 516 pounds-per-foot of torque, Audi claims 37.3 miles on electric-only power, and another 621 miles on gasoline.

AARP Offer: Protect your money, grow your nest egg

Take advantage of great information and tools to help build your future and prevent your money from going down the drain. Join AARP and start saving for your dreams today.

2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

Longer, wider, taller and roomier than the previous version, and already trickling into showrooms, the ’18 keeps the same 329-hp, turbocharged 3-liter V-6 as its predecessor. But a nine-speed automatic replaces the seven-speed, resulting in quicker acceleration and better gas mileage, the automaker says. It’s available with Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic all-wheel drive, or rear-wheel drive. The coupe is available with not just one, but two 12.3-inch control screens, in case one seems so yesterday.

2018 Lexus LS

Loaded with what the automaker brags is “visionary technology” to anticipate the owners’ needs, it sports an enormous grille, a 415-hp V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s similar in size to the BMW long-wheelbase 7-series. Inside, 28-way power seats with heating, cooling and massage. On sale late in 2017.

2018 Volkswagen Atlas

This big (three-row) SUV built in Chattanooga, Tenn., is due this spring to fill a gap in VW’s small-size lineup. It’s the biggest VW model ever built in the U.S. In the spotlight at Detroit was the sexy-looking R-Line version.

View More Slideshows

• 10 items to rent vs. buy
• 11 things cheaper in retirement
  
• Downsizing? Ditch these items

See what you can save with the AARP Auto Buying Program