The SUV is the king of American roads right now. These are some of the most exciting 2020 SUVs showcased at the 2019 New York International Auto Show.
At this year’s New York Auto International Show (NYIAS), we got some next-generation versions of our favorite SUVs, a few new small SUVs, and a new diesel option.
The vehicles profiled here are new offerings in the U.S. SUV marketplace, and you might want to consider them for your next adventure vehicle.
Read on for our breakdown of the new Subaru Outback, Toyota Highlander, Hyundai Venue, Lincoln Corsair, Land Rover Evoque, and Mazda CX-5 diesel.
2020 Toyota Highlander
The all-new 2020 Toyota Highlander sits on a new platform that is stiffer, safer, larger, smoother, and quieter. Its new curvy body offers improved aerodynamics, sensuous looks, and reduced wind noise.
The fourth-generation Highlander is 2.36 inches longer than the outgoing model. And the cargo area offers up tons of extra space — a massive 73.3 cubic feet of capacity with all the seats laid flat. (It has an impressive 40.6 cubic feet with just the third row folded.) The midsize family three-row SUV provides seating for up to eight passengers. Configure it with captain’s chairs or a bench in the second row.
As with the current Highlander, you get a gas or a hybrid gas/electric powertrain option. The 3.5L V6 gas engine offers up a smooth 295 hp and 263 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and can tow up to 5,000 pounds (with the towing package installed). The gas-powered 2020 Highlander offers up an EPA-estimated 22 mpg combined.
Leave it to Toyota to refine the tried-and-true hybrid system to create the most fuel-efficient Highlander ever. The EPA estimates the 2020 Highlander will get 34 mpg combined, a 17-percent improvement in fuel economy over the current-generation Highlander Hybrid. The 2.5L four-cylinder engine and two electric motors offer up 240 hp. The Highlander Hybrid is also available for the first time in either a 2WD or AWD configuration.
The 2020 Highlander offers impressive off-road capabilities. The computers do most of the heavy lifting with three different AWD systems on offer: a Multi-Terrain Select system, Hill Start Assist Control, and Downhill Assist Control. For a family SUV, this vehicle should handle well off the pavement.
The new Highlander comes standard with Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0. These active safety systems include such things as full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and a lot more.
In the top Platinum grade, you get an all-new 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, which is massive compared to the 8-inch screen in all other models. Hook that system up to the available 1,200-watt JBL premium sound system, and you’ve got a concert on wheels. All grades come standard with Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Alexa In-Car compatibility, Waze, SiriusXM, and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Expect the 2020 Highlander V6 to arrive in December and the Hybrid to follow in February. The brand hasn’t announced pricing just yet.
2020 Subaru Outback
By far the most anticipated SUV at the 2019 NYIAS is the all-new 2020 Subaru Outback. While most of us would like to call the Outback a station wagon, its size, architecture, and seating position have continually evolved the vehicle into a proper SUV.
Luckily, the Outback offers us the capacity, commanding driving position, and off-road capabilities of an SUV while still giving us the driving feel and fuel economy more closely associated with a passenger car. The 2020 version of this icon offers more safety, more performance, more technology and more space for your friends and gear.
We know you want to know more about this new Outback than we can fit here, so be sure to dive deeper into this new Subi by checking out our story, “The 2020 Subaru Outback Has Arrived!”
2020 Hyundai Venue
The 2020 Hyundai Venue is an all-new entry-level SUV. It is the seventh SUV in Hyundai’s American market offerings, which means you have lots of options! Hyundai aims the Venue specifically at first-time new car buyers in urban centers.
Distinctive, cube-shaped headlights and taillights, strong wheel arches, and a floating roof — accomplished via a two-tone paint job — help differentiate this SUV from all the others on the market. The rest of this little SUV looks very similar to the rest of the vehicles in its class, including the basic interior with a central 8-inch touchscreen.
This tiny SUV is powered with a super-tiny 1.6L four-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual, or optional automatic, transmission. This little powerplant is expected to offer up to 33 mpg combined.
While entry level, this little SUV offers big technology. It has a full suite of the latest safety technologies, including things like forward-collision-avoidance assist. It also offers a standard 8-inch color touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The Venue even has Hyundai’s Blue Link technology, which allows you to remote-start the vehicle through a mobile app, which can be controlled through Alexa- or Google Assistant-enabled devices. Niceties like heated seats and a power sunroof are available as well.
You’ll start seeing the 2020 Hyundai Venue on dealer lots across the country late this year. Pricing has yet to be announced, but we expect it to start well below the $20,000 mark.
2020 Lincoln Corsair
The all-new 2020 Lincoln Corsair is a truly beautiful, small, luxury SUV. The lines were hand-sculpted in clay before computer rendering, and then the assembly line brought them to life. The Corsair will be Lincoln’s new entry-level SUV offering.
The Corsair is all about that refined Lincoln vehicle feel. You can expect a super-quiet interior — partially achieved through a double-wall engine/cabin divider — and “smooth gliding over the road feel.” Lincoln has even gone so far as to have the Detroit Symphony Orchestra record six unique symphonic chimes to replace the standard electronic alerts in the Corsair. Lincoln says this is all to “enhance the calm of the cabin.”
Inside the Corsair, you’ll find a sophisticated luxury interior. Clean lines and upscale materials are used throughout. A central 8-inch color touchscreen and floating switch panel dominate the dashboard. Rear passengers should be impressed with the legroom in this relatively small two-row SUV.
Expect high-tech features throughout this SUV. It comes standard with Lincoln Co-Pilot360, Phone As A Key, Wi-Fi, and power outlets throughout. You can also upgrade with things like a large color heads-up display and 24-way adjustable front seats with massage and lumbar support.
A standard 2.0L turbo engine (250 hp and 275 pound-feet), or an available 2.3L turbo engine (280 hp and 310 pound-feet), powers the small SUV. Both four-cylinder options are mated to a sophisticated eight-speed automatic transmission. AWD is available with both engine options.
A factory in Kentucky will build the Lincoln Corsair, and it will hit dealer lots this fall. Lincoln has not yet announced pricing, but we’d guess this entry into the Lincoln SUV family will start around $30,000 and top out around $50,000.
2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
The 2020 Ranger Rover Evoque made its official U.S. debut a few months ago at the Chicago Auto Show. The Evoque is still Land Rover’s smallest vehicle offering and the quintessential urban luxury SUV. This all-new compact luxury SUV is an evolution of the original and retains its distinctive “coupe-like silhouette.”
The big news for 2020 is that the Evoque gets an optional hybrid-electric powertrain option. It also gets new driver-assistance and safety features, along with upgraded off-road driving electronics.
Inside, you can still get the leather you’d expect in such a vehicle, but now there are other options as well. The Evoque now has surfaces covered in wool blends, artificial suede, recycled materials, and even eucalyptus.
The new Evoque will be the first vehicle to feature Land Rover’s new ClearSight Ground View technology. This new tech allows the driver to virtually see through the hood and under the front end of the vehicle by projecting a 180-degree view of the ground onto the Evoque’s upper touchscreen. Think of this as an advanced version of an off-road trail camera system.
The 2020 Evoque will be available in five trim levels: S, SE, R-Dynamic S, R-Dynamic SE, and R-Dynamic HSE. In the first year of production, a First Edition model will also be available. Pricing starts at $43,645 and climbs steeply from there to over $55,800. You’ll start seeing the 2020 Evoque hit dealer lots in the next few months.
2019 Mazda CX-5 Diesel
In its CX-5 compact crossover SUV, Mazda this summer will bring a new diesel powerplant to the U.S. market that meets all U.S. and California emissions regulations. The current CX-5 is Mazda’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. market. The new 2.2L diesel engine will specifically be available in the 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD Skyactiv-D.
The diesel engine will put out 168 hp and 290 pound-feet of torque. The small, efficient diesel features a sequential twin turbocharger. This system greatly reduces turbo lag and provides smooth, linear power at all speeds. It will also offer up an EPA estimated 27 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined.
You have four color options with the Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD Skyactiv-D: Jet Black, Snowflake White Pearl, Soul Red Crystal, and Machine Gray Metallic. Pick a color and you can preorder now, with deliveries expected this summer. Pricing will start at $41,000 for this model. While that isn’t inexpensive, it does come with a 2-year/30,000-mile zero-maintenance-cost program.
Which is your favorite design? We hope to get behind the wheel soon to see how they fare on and off road.
