Top cars coming in 2018

Some great cars are heading our way in 2018.

Here's Autocar's selection of the best new models you'll be able to buy for the first time. The month stated is our estimate of when first deliveries to customers will take place.

JANUARY - Volkswagen Polo

New underpinnings make the Mk6 Polo bigger, roomier and better to drive, with a posher interior topping things off.

Vauxhall Grandland X

Vauxhall utilises the Peugeot 3008's underpinnings and interior technology for an underwhelming £22k rival to the Nissan Qashqai.

Seat Arona

Ibiza-based crossover rivals the Renault Captur at £16k, with the range primarily consisting of 1.0 and 1.5 TSI turbocharged petrol units.

Seat Leon Cupra R

Beefiest Leon Cupra costs £35k. This gets you 306bhp from a 2.0-litre turbo four, switchable dampers, an electronic front differential and sharper steering.

Peugeot 5008

Another car morphs into an SUV, although the 5008 is still incredibly versatile inside. It's better to drive, too, being based on the same platform as the lastest 3008.

Jaguar E-Pace

It might be late to the game, but the E-Pace is still coming into the fastest growing segment on sale, compact SUVs, and will be a welcome alternative to established rivals such as the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

Porsche 911 Carrera T

This car is both lighter and more practical than the standard car, ditching its back seats and non essential items like, erm, interior door handles (you get nylon loops in their place), while gaining standard PASM sports suspension, to sharpen its responses. No changes are made to the Carrera’s 365bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre flat six engine, but the standard-fit seven-speed manual gets shorter ratios.

Kia Sorento (facelift)

Facelift to Kia's largest brings the subtlest of refreshes inside and out, and a sporty new GT-Line trim level.

Range Rover (facelift)

Refreshed Range Rover gets a Velar-inspired front end, a hybrid and a 557bhp range-topper.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

The Phantom returns for its eighth generation, mixing the same opulent mix of exquisite craftsmanship, indulgent comfort, and effortless performance. Rolls chose not to change this formula, with the most notable change being added stiffness thanks to the now aluminium architecture.

Range Rover PHEV

The hybrid Range Rover will particularly appeal to the plethora of urbanites that favour this car, meaning most will be able to do short city journeys on electric power alone.

Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Package

Conceived as a ‘purist’s’ 911, this features the naturally aspirated flat-six unit from the GT3, a manual box and no rear wing. And, unlike the similar 911R that preceded it, no production limits. Hurrah.

FEBRUARY - Jeep Compass

Jeep's answer to the Nissan Qashqai is here, as part of a renewed push for growth which culminates in a large luxury SUV.

BMW i3S

BMW’s first EV, the i3, now includes the brand’s first electric hot hatchback with 181bhp and 199lb ft of torque - 13bhp and 15lb ft up on the standard i3. Styling has been given subtly sporty tweaks, too.

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf was the first of a new generation of EVs. Seven years later, the second-generation model promises a range of 235 miles, semi-autonomous features and better driving dynamics.

Audi A7

Overhauled four-door coupé leads the charge with Audi's new design language. And technology. And refinement. And handling.

Audi RS4 Avant

Still 444bhp - the same as it was a decade ago - but now with 443lb ft of torque. Derestricted, it'll do 174mph.

Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster

Don’t worry, Lamborghini still makes supercars as well as SUVs. Good news for anyone who fancies a 730bhp, 217mph drop-top version of the Aventador S, with lashings of Italian flair.

Aston Martin Zagato Speedster

Speedster adds a touch of old-school glamour to the four-car Aston Zagato range. Just 28 are scheduled to be built.

Volkswagen Up GTI

Comparisons between the new Up GTI and original Golf GTI go deeper than their similar sizes. The new car’s 1.0-litre three-pot produces 114bhp, 1bhp more than the original GTI’s 1.6-litre offered, and our recent early drive in an Up GTI prototype suggested it will exude a similarly frisky character, as well.

Ford Fiesta ST

Our drive in the Fiesta ST-Line proves that the new car’s chassis is sweet, but we wonder if asking a three-cylinder engine for 197bhp will hinder its driveability.

MARCH - Subaru XV

Utilisation of Subaru's new platform makes the second-generation XV longer, lower, far safer and, Subaru claims, better to drive.

Vauxhall Insignia Sport Tourer/Grand Sport GSI

The GSi badge returns, replacing the Insignia VXR. The car's 2.0-litre turbo petrol produces 252bhp and 295lb ft, while four-wheel drive and torque vectoring aid agility.

Mini

All-new Mini has been previewed in sporting and electric concepts revealed at the Frankfurt motor show last year. Final car will almost certainly be toned down, though.

BMW M5

It’s all change for the M5 as the sixth-generation super saloon goes all-wheel drive, with a 592bhp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 under the bonnet. It’s lighter than the outgoing model, and faster too; 0-62mph passes in 3.4sec, and it tops out at 190mph.

BMW X2

The X2 fills a numerical gap in BMW’s SUV lineup, which in 2018 will span from X1 to X7. The style-focused small SUV sits on next-generation 1 Series underpinnings, and aims at a younger market than the rest of the range.

Audi S7

Warmed up A7 gets the number two treatment from Audi Sport. V8 engine likely to remain, over V6 used elsewhere.

Bentley Continental GT

Bentley’s venerable Continental GT enters its third generation in 2018 and maintains its familiar formula of two doors, four seats, and twelve cylinders arranged into a W. A 4.0-litre V8-engined version will follow later in the year following the car’s sales launch in March.

APRIL - Mitsubishi Shogun Sport

Huge SUV will be just about the only direct rival to the Toyota Land Cruiser upon launch. 179bhp 2.4-litre diesel will be the only engine in the UK.

Morgan Aero GT

It's a hello and a goodbye - more aerodynamically gifted Aero 8 variant will be limited to just eight examples, and will act as the retro-modern model's swansong.

Audi A6

Audi's BMW 5 Series rival arrives for its fifth generation. The Audi Prologue concept from 2014 is as good a clue as any as to how it will look.

Renault Megane RS

Renault Sport’s next hot Meg uses a 1.8-litre engine with ‘only’ 276bhp. But expect the car’s agility-boosting four-wheel steering to more than make up the deficit to rivals.

Ferrari FXX-K Evo

Even more aerodynamically gifted, track-only hardcore LaFerrari isn't for the faint-hearted or financially mediocre.

Aston Martin Vanquish S Ultimate

Run-out special Vanquish S is limited to 175 units. Three bespoke colour schemes mark it out from standard Vanquish S models.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

A madcap mix of muscle car and SUV. Huge fun to drive on a brief track outing, but how will a 697bhp V8 HEMI-engined 4X4 fare on UK roads?

Ferrari Portofino

The new drop-top grand tourer has the same 3.9-litre V8 engine as the California T it replaces, but tuned to give an extra 40bhp. With a lighter and stiffer chassis, it will top 199mph.

Lamborghini Urus

A raft of hot SUVs is set to hit the market in 2018 – but, according to Lamborghini at least, only one ‘super SUV.’ The car features a 4.0-litre V8 twin turbo engine – indeed the Urus is the first-ever Lamborghini powered by a turbo – which belts out 627lb ft of torque, and should take the car up to 190mph. We expect pricing to start at £165,000.

MAY - Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes' huge-selling hatch spearheads the brand's new design with an aggressive face, S-Class derived interior and greater efficiency.

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen successfully miniaturises the performance Golf GTI’s recipe for the first time in this 197bhp, £20k hot supermini.

MG 6

It's already been revealed in China, but the 6 won't arrive in the UK until May. It might draw heavily from the Mazda 6 on the outside, but the interior has taken a quantum leap in cabin materials.

Aston Martin DB11 Volante Convertible

Aston's chopped the top on the DB11, and the Volante launches in corner-friendly V8 guise, with a 4.0-litre AMG engine under the bonnet.

BMW M3 CS

Lightweight body components including a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic roof and bonnet, Gurney spoiler, diffuser and front splitter helping aerodynamics in addition to the 10kg weight saving and lower centre of gravity.

JUNE - Bentley Bentayga PHEV

Using the same system as the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid, the well-received Bentayga will be the first of three Bentley models to receive a hybrid powertrain; the new Continental and Flying Spur will follow.

BMW i8 facelift

BMW's hybrid pseudo-supercar is another not confirmed to enter its second generation, so the tweaked i8 could be the best version to grab before the model dies.

Toyota Yaris GRMN

Gazoo Yaris has a 212bhp, 1.8 supercharged engine, a manual gearbox, a limited-slip differential, a strengthened body and a bespoke suspension set-up. Just 100 will come to the UK.

BMW i8 Roadster

Facelifted alongside the i3, the i8 also got a second variant, with two seats, 369bhp and a folding roof. It weighs 60kg over the refreshed coupé, at 1594kg. The boosted power for both comes from an upgraded electric motor, giving 12bhp more than before.

Mercedes-Maybach S-Class

The Maybach name lives to fight another day, and it does so as the range-topper to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lineup, which will be facelifted in time for a March 2018 sales launch.

Jaguar F-Pace SVR

This hot new Jaguar SUV will borrowing its supercharged 5.0-litre block and eight-speed automatic gearbox from the Jaguar F-Type SVR. The F-Pace SVR will have up to 567bhp and 516lb ft on tap, and four-wheel drive.

JULY - Mercedes-AMG G63

A performance-honed version of the forthcoming G-Class, promising an intriguing mix of military-grade off-roader, S-Class luxury and 603bhp 4.0L V8 turbopetrol engine.

Jaguar I-Pace

Jaguar will become the world’s first established car maker to get a big range electric car into production to challenge Tesla. It will do so this spring with the I-Pace, a 4.7-metre long five-seat SUV that breaks every single Jaguar convention in its proportions, construction and modernity.

It’ll be built by Magna in Austria on a bespoke electric architecture with a lithium-ion battery pack in the floor and twin electric motors to power it, one on each axle for permanent four-wheel drive. Expect a range well in excess of 300 miles, power of around 395bhp and 516 lb ft of torque when it’s revealed in March at the Geneva show ahead of deliveries in the early summer.

Jaguar XE Project 8

This 592bhp super-Jag will be limited to 300 units and will sell for around £150,000. It will be the most powerful Jaguar road car to date, with a top speed of over 200mph, and a 0-60mph time of at most 3.3sec.

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 004S

American hypercar has a 650bhp 5.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, a manual gearbox and the McLaren F1's seating layout sat in an 1179kg carbonfibre chassis. Yours for £300,000.

BMW M2 Competition

The Competition is coming, with the M2 Competition likely packing circa 400bhp from its 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six borrowed from the M3 and M4. CSL will replace GTS as the badge reserved for BMW’s pinnacle performance models.

Audi A6 Avant

Huge estate version of Audi's mid-size exec saloon promises awesome practicality, with an Allroad version to follow.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrofoglio

Bringing Italian flair to the hot SUV segment, the Stelvio Quadrofoglio will get a bi-turbo 2.9-litre V6 packing 503bhp. If it can bring Giulia Quadrofoglio fun to the Stelvio, it should be a hit.

Ford Focus

Ford has always got the handling of the Focus just right, so the new Focus is probably a safe bet to be a decent drive. Evolutionary design keeps things strictly in check with the new Fiesta, and there’s talk of an SUV-like Focus Active joining the range, too, as well as a full electric version to rival the Volkswagen E-Golf. A Focus RS will follow the standard and 275bhp ST cars, but isn’t likely to go on sale until 2019.

Wiesmann

German retro sports car brand Wiesmann has pledged to return next year with a new sports car powered by BMW M’s turbocharged V8 engine. Expect classic styling and lots of power.

Apollo

The company born out of Gumpert’s ashes will burst back with a V12 trackcar called the Intensa Emozione producing 769bhp. It’ll hit 62mph in 2.7sec.

AUGUST - Honda CR-V

Honda's SUV stalwart has grown in size, and brings the fight to the Nissan X-Trail and Ford Kuga.

Mercedes-Benz CLS

Third-generation four-door coupé bows in in 350, 450, 300d, 350d, and 400d guises. There's no shooting brake this time, though, due to poor sales of the last one - boo.

OCTOBER - Seat Cupra Ateca

This will be the car that Seat uses to launch Cupra as its own sub-brand, which is a sign of confidence. The Cupra Ateca will get the 2.0-litre 286bhp petrol engine from the Leon Cupra. Expect 0-62mph in 6.5sec or so.

BMW X5

BMW’s first SUV enters its fourth generation, with great efforts to reduce the car’s weight, most notably the shift to the ‘Cluster Architecture’ to the 7 Series. An M version with up to 600bhp will arrive later.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class saloon

Not straying too far from the Concept A Saloon could prove a shrewd move for Mercedes, as it enters the small saloon segment late.

Range Rover Velar SVR

If the F-Pace can get a hot version, then so can its Land Rover sister vehicle - we anticipate it will have the same 5.0-litre engine as in the Range Rover Sport SVR, an expected 542bhp of power and 502lb ft of torque on tap, enabling a 0-62mph time of around 4.2sec.

Kia Niro electric

The zero-emissions Niro, which will use the same powertrain used on sibling Hyundai’s Ioniq EV, completes Kia’s family of three alternatively fuelled Niros, sitting alongside the existing mild-hybrid and PHEV versions.

Aston Martin Zagato Shooting Brake

Estates aren't quite dead yet - Aston Martin and Zagato's shooting brake sits alongside three other Zagato models. Prices start from around £1million.

Jeep Wrangler

Jeep’s latest take on its rugged all-wheel drive mixes modern tech with original design. It gets new eTorque mild-hybrid technology to offer significant improvements in efficiency.

Peugeot 508

Peugeot's saloon is due an overhaul, and a bold new look is reported. It's the last bastion of the French saloon in the UK, following the demise of the Citroën C5.

BMW 8 Series

The big 8er is back, this time as both a coupé and convertible, and BMW isn’t holding back on making a range-topping M8 this time around, either. The 8 Series is one in a number of projects wrought by BMW to take the brand further upmarket, and it will stand as a rival to the Bentley Continental GT and Mercedes-Benz S-Class

DECEMBER - BMW X7

The largest SUV BMW will make takes the new BMW luxury styling, as previewed on the divisive X7 iPerformance concept. Rivals will include the Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz GLS and Audi Q7.

Hyundai Kona-E

Hot on the heels of its Juke rival, the standard Kona, an electric variant will be launched this year with an expected range of 240 miles as part of Hyundai’s focus on alternatively fuelled vehicles.

Audi A1

The A1 moves to the MQB platform, so growth in exterior dimensions is inevitable. Increases in driving dynamics and refinement also mooted.

Mercedes-AMG GT

Upmarket four-door Porsche Panamera rival from Mercedes’ performance division. Launch version will get 4WD and 604bhp twin-turbo V8; higher-powered hybrid set to follow in 2019.

Audi RS5 Sportback

Four-door Audi Sport creation gets the same 444bhp twin-turbo V6 as the two-door; slightly higher price tag come sales launch in December.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Rolls-Royce’s Project Cullinan - the road car will likely take a different name - will create what it calls an ‘all-terrain, high-sided vehicle’. It’ll be based upon the new aluminium architecture which will underpin all future Rolls-Royces, starting with the newly introduced Phantom VIII.

The brand’s first four-wheel drive model in its history, the Cullinan will serve as a sister model to the Phantom, with a bluff front end and Range-Rover like boxiness in its design. There will be no diesel option unlike Bentley’s Bentayga - diesel is too unrefined, and Rolls-Royce would rather adopt electric powertrains, with no halfway point marked by plug-in hybrids.

Kia Proceed

Kia’s moving away from three-door hatchbacks, so is replacing the formerly three-door Proceed with a shooting brake, a gorgeous concept of which was revealed at the Frankfurt motor show.

Porsche Cayman GTS

Porsche’s sharpest 718 model yet sticks to the formula of its forebears and picks the driver’s favourite options and applies them in optimised form. It’s good – we gave it 4.5 stars – but the news gets better: it’ll precede a GT4 variant that’ll, praise Stuttgart, get a flat six engine.

Mercedes-Benz GLE

Large SUV gets replaced, and will be sold before 2018 is out. It'll look more similar to the rest of Mercedes' range, as the brand seeks to unify its styling across all models.

Skoda Kodiaq vRS

Details are still scarce on the hot version of the seven-seat Kodiaq. Expect petrol and diesel versions, and Skoda sources promise “lots of torque”.