Cars & Autos | Friday 16 January, 2015 12:29 am |

As we move out of the haze of end-of-year celebrations and back into high gear for 2015, let’s take a look at what the automobile industry has to offer us this new year. With everything from compact hatchbacks to powerful all-wheel drives to highly exclusive luxury sedans, this list has a little bit of everything. Carmudi, the fastest way to buy and sell your car online, provides you with the latest.


Jeep Renegade 2015


The all-new Renegade is the smallest Jeep yet, coming under the sub-compact SUV category, and there have been some concerns from Jeep afficianados that the company is jumping the shark. However, both Jeep’s bosses and recent reviews and test drives assure us that despite its size and somewhat cartoonish looks, the vehicle itself has what it takes to call itself part of the Jeep family. There are four versions of the Renegade available in the market, starting with the Sport model at AED 86,000, Latitude at AED 100,000, Trailhawk at AED 111,000, and ending with the Limited at the top at AED 119,000. With a 2.4 I4 4-wheel drive (front-wheel drive for the Sport), this new Jeep model aims to be both a pleasure to drive on the road and fun to drive on tricky terrain.


BMW 2 Series Active Tourer plug in hybrid (2015)


Unlike its gasoline version, the plug in hybrid will feature an all-wheel drive setup by default. Although BMW has yet to reveal in detail about the plug in hybrid, chances are it will come with a three-cylinder 1.5 litre-turbo for the front axle and an electric motor for the rear wheels. With a few badges to highlight its environmentally friendly characteristics, the plug in hybrid won’t have any difference to the gasoline version styling-wise.


Suzuki Celerio (early 2015)


With the Celerio, Suzuki offers a larger and more spacious alternative to the Splash model. It’s also comes at a more affordable price of just AED 31,000. The Celerio sports a 1.1-litre, 3 cylinder diesel engine, but will be available petrol-only in Europe. It also features low CO2 emissions, making the Celerio a both pocket-friendly and environmentally-friendly option for car shoppers. With a top speed of 150 kmph and seating capacity for four people, the Celerio is a powerful line up in the A-segment for city cars.


Hyundai Genesis 2015


This particular model has been created in collaboration with Lotus engineers, giving this Hyundai a luxury car feel that can still meet the highest of performance demands. With it’s ‘Intelligent Drive Mode’, you can cycle through modes such as Normal, Sport, Eco or Snow and the car will alter its steering, transmission, throttle and suspension to give you the best possible drive in any weather or condition imaginable. Hyundai has made the luxury sedan available in both V8 and V6 engines. Safety isn’t put on the back burner on this model either, with a lane departure warning system that alerts you when you’re drifting out of a lane without signaling and helps you keep straight with gentle steering assistance. With several other high-tech options available, such as blind spot detection, color heads up display, adaptive cruise and a panoramic sunroof, the Genesis will start from AED 148,000.


Honda HR-V (early 2015)


The HR-V is Honda’s first new car release in the past few years. The HR-V is basically a CR-V built on the chassis of a Fit/Jazz. While Honda has yet to confirm price and fuel efficiency figures, we expect the HR-V to come with a 1.8 litre SOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine. It will be available in either two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive equipped with Honda’s Real Time AWD. It also comes covered by a 3-year/36,000 mile vehicle limited warranty and a 5-year/60,000 mile powertrain limited warranty.


Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf


Aston Martin is looking to revive the Lagonda brand, a favorite in the region, by introducing the new limited-run Taraf model exclusively for the Middle East market. Following the specifications of the Rapide S, this luxurious model will house a V-12 engine that produces around 600 horsepower, and a completely leather-bound four seat interior. Hand-built at Aston Martin’s manufacturing facilities in Gaydon, sale of this car is by invitation only, the pricing details currently still confidential.


Mercedes-Benz G-Class 2015


One of the most sought after cars in the region, Mercedes has had little reason to change this model over the years. It’s all-terrain capability makes it highly popular in the Middle East, where landscapes vary from highways to sand dunes to mountainous climbs and wadis. With 5.5 litre V8 engines, 388 horsepower and the distinctive unmistakable silhouette, this one is head-turner. Now optioned with a rear-seat entertainment system, all-season floor mats, and top-of-the-line interior technology, prices start at AED 450,000 for the G550 and AED 675,000 for the G63 AMG.


Audi A1 face-lift (early 2015)


On its fourth birthday the new A1 gets a face-lift, having changes made to the grille, headlamps, new paint combos and side sills. As for what rumbles under the hood, a range of six newly upgraded engines. The A1 now has fuel consumption improvements of up to 10% and can be ordered with the seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch auto transmission. The A1 facelift also caters to social media junkies as it now sports the latest MMI system for infotainment as well as a wifi hotspot to keep you entertained during your drive. Prices start at AED 90,400.


Honda Civic Face-lift and Sport trim type R (spring 2015)


In terms of exterior, the new Civic has a new front look and side skirts design, completed with daytime running lights, LED rear lights and a restyled bumper. The interior of the new Civic 2015 is even better. An all-new Connect audio system that runs Android 4.0.4, the 7-inch screen is controllable through swipes, taps and pinches, just like a smartphone! It also comes with DAB, Internet radio, Bluetooth, Internet browsing and a rear-view parking camera. The Civic Sport type R is a stepping stone to the sport model that comes turbocharged for the first time with 17-inch alloys, color-coded spoilers and a sportier badging. The price is yet to be announced.


BMW 3 Series Face-lift (mid-2015)


Although looking virtually identical to its predecessor, the new 3-series comes with bigger news under its hood. No official statements were made, but we can expect to see an all-new range of engines based on the 500cc cylinder and a plug-in hybrid with TwinPower Turbo four cylinder petrol engine and a lithium-ion battery. The new 3 series will also be given an updated driver assistance system and control features. The final specification and pricing will be revealed nearer the on-sale date.

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