2011 Mazda2
2011 Chevrolet Cruze
The five-passenger Cruze had its debut in Europe and Asia this year and it will come to Canada in the third quarter of next year as the replacement for the Chevy Cobalt.
Engines: A 1.8-litre four-cylinder (136 horsepower/123 lb-ft) and an optional 1.4-litre turbocharged powerplant (138 hp/148 lb-ft).
The big story is the interior. Very nice, very rich.
2011 Sorento
Kia's redesigned SUV goes on sale next month. It comes with a new 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine making 172 hp and a 3.5-litre pushing 273 hp. Both are mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission.
The seven-seat Sorento is longer and roomier than its predecessor. It will have an optional panoramic sunroof.
2011 Mazda2
Mazda Canada's marketing department managed the U.S. introduction of this subcompact at the L.A. show. The gimmick: the company handed out Mazda2 Zoom-Zoom energy drinks that implored drinkers to "Tap into 100 per cent Zoom-Zoom. And enhance your reality in radical new ways."
The Mazda2 goes on sale in Canada in the fall of 2010. It's a five-door hatchback that is smaller than the Mazda3 and based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta. The Mazda2 will compete with the Fiesta as well as the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo.
The Mazda2 is already sold in Europe and Japan, although the car in L.A. had such mid-cycle changes as the "happy face" front-end styling depicted on other Mazda models and a five-speed automatic transmission. The Mazda2 has been named car of the year in more than 20 countries and has been a sales success.
In Europe, the Mazda2 is offered with several gasoline and diesel engines, but the North American version will feature only a gasoline-powered, 1.5-litre four-cylinder (103 hp/101 lb-feet.)
2011 Buick Regal
The Regal goes on sale in the second quarter of 2010. It is Buick's third new model in the continuing rejuvenation of a brand Buick officials say is aimed squarely at Lexus, Toyota's luxury brand.
The Regal will follow the Enclave crossover and LaCrosse sedan into dealers. The newest car is, essentially, a rebadged Opel Insignia sedan. The car will be assembled in Germany until about mid-2011, when production will be transferred to Oshawa, Ont.
The Regal, Insignia and Buick LaCrosse share GM's global mid-size, front-drive platform, though the regal is considerably shorter than the LaCrosse. The Regal will be available with a four-cylinder engine and positioned below the LaCrosse.
Buick will highlight the Regal's European-tuned chassis, an optional turbocharged engine and a suspension that allows drivers to dial in ride manners.
2011 Cadillac CTS coupe
The third member of Cadillac's CTS family is a gorgeous coupe with a fastback roof. It goes on sale next summer.
The CTS coupe rides on the sedan's wheelbase, but is shorter in height and overall length. There is no conventional B-pillar and the door handles have been swapped for push-button entry similar to that offered on the Chevrolet Corvette.
Compared with the CTS sedan, the coupe's front fascia has enlarged openings for the brake cooling vents and the rear fascia adds a centre-exit exhaust and unique diamond cut-style mesh lower grilles.
The engine is the sedan's optional 3.6-litre direct-injected V-6 mated to a six-speed manual transmission and is rated at 304 horsepower. A six-speed automatic will show up on the options list. The coupe will be offered with a choice of rear- or all-wheel-drive.
GM says it will launch the much-anticipated CTS-V coupe a few months after the standard model.
2011 Ford Fiesta
The 2011 Fiesta is a front-drive subcompact that has been on sale in Europe for more than a year.
The Fiesta is the first true test case for chief executive officer Alan Mulally's much-publicized Ford One plan. The idea is to build many of Ford's cars and crossovers around the world on global platforms. The Fiesta platform was engineered by Mazda, though Ford has tuned its own version for ride and handling, and the styling is slightly different
2011 Toyota Sienna
The third-generation Sienna minivan has a very aggressive design. Though not boxy at all, the interior is larger and more comfortable and comes in seven- and eight-seat configurations.
Designer Ian Cartabiano said the top priorities in the redesign were an expressive exterior, a more spacious and comfortable interior and safety.
The new minivan will come with a 2.7-litre four-cylinder engine making 187 hp and a 266-hp, 3.5-litre V-6. A new six-speed automatic transmission replaces the five-speed automatic on the 2010 model.
2011 Hyundai Sonata
The fourth-generation Hyundai Sonata does not have the conservative styling of the car it will replace early next year. The 2011 design is sleek, with elements from the upscale Hyundai Genesis sedan.
The new Sonata is about the same size as the 2010 Ford Fusion, though Hyundai says it has more passenger volume than the Fusion.
The 2011 Sonata will be powered by Hyundai's new 2.4-litre, direct-injection four-cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic is optional.
Horsepower ranges from 190 to 200, depending on trim. A six-cylinder engine will not be offered, though a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder will be introduced in late 2010. Horsepower was not announced.