Catwalk of Cars for 2017

You may or may not have seen that KIA will be debuting their first performance saloon this year in the form of the Stinger GT. A 2.0litre 4cylinder turbo model will be available, with a modest 255bhp - but the star of the show will undoubtedly be the 3.3litre Twin Turbo V6 unit pushing out 365bhp… No, it’s not quite at BMW M3 performance levels, but neither is the price tag...

Although we don’t know much about the prices yet, we expect the KIA will come in at around £43,000 - which is an awful lot more affordable than the BMW but there are small hatches doing the 0-60 in under 5 seconds now - is 5.1 seconds the best KIA can do? Well, no. They argue this isn’t an outright ‘go fast’ car, it is a luxury cruiser which will eat up motorway miles and fancies itself as a grand tourer. 

The Compass isn’t a new marque for Jeep, as the current model has been in production since 2006 but it has become somewhat dated and is far from highly thought of among the motoring press.

Thankfully, an overdue replacement is due to debut this year, a Compass version 2.0, which will carry over the nonconformist aesthetic of the Jeep Renegade but in a much more substantial package.

The early photos show a 2 tone paint job with a contrasting roof and bonnet hump, as well as squared-off wheel arches and rugged protective plastics all over the exterior - quite a unique looking thing…

It appears the guys at Alfa have been keeping an eye on Jaguar’s success of late and have launched their attempt to emulate their recent triumphs. A resurgence back to being a prestige manufacturer was pioneered by the Giulia Quadrifoglio launched last year, but in 2017 we expect to see a striking new Stelvio SUV position itself alongside the Porsche Macan and Jaguar F-Pace.

The headline engine choice will be the 2.9litre twin turbo V6 from the Giulia Quadrifoglio - the engine which churns out 503bhp and will take the Stelvio from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 177mph. Diesels will be available too and probably in a similar setup to the diesel Giulias. Similarly, 4 wheel drive will be standard on the higher end of the product lineup but the more affordable options will be two-wheel-drive.

Volvos have become synonymous with well-built, reliable and safe vehicles which tick all the boxes in terms of practicality and comfort too. The V90 Cross Country is a lifted version of the V90 estate, offering even more comfort and capability. There will be four driving modes available: Rough road, comfort, eco and Dynamic. We anticipate that if you spend a lot of time jaunting motorways, this will be one of the comfiest motorway cruisers on the market.

Expect to pay over £40,000 for one of these when they’re released later in the year - but of that you get what we’re sure will be one of the best ‘all-rounders’ on the market. You also get exceptional seats - as featured in every Volvo.

The model 3 is to be the 3rd recent addition to the Tesla lineup, and the most affordable too. Prices will start from $35,000 in the US - which currently equates to a bout £25,000 in the UK (although that might change, a lot, who knows?)

As with the Model S and Model X the 3 will also be fully electric and encompass a more realistic and mass-market interior, while still boasting the same incredible technological capabilities in terms of electric and autonomous driving.

A new MX-5, but not like you’ve ever seen before. This MX-5 RF is (retractable fastback) a hard top version of the new MX-5 but it’s almost Targa-like in its design. The RF can easily be mistaken for a coupe as the rear half of the roof stays in place once the centre section has folded beneath the rear deck.

The price starts at £22,195 - which isn’t cheap when you consider the soft top starts at £18,495 - but remember this is an MX-5 and the real value is measured in smiles-per-gallon, which is where we’re confident the new RF will prove to be extremely rewarding. Thinking of ordering one? Too late - we’re only getting 500 in the UK for now, and they’ve all sold out. Annoying.

Another addition to the small SUV segment! This time from Suzuki and, wow, it looks like something straight off the streets of Japan, A Kei car on steroids, almost. Weighing just 855kg the new Ignis is coming to our roads and is a delightful package. The looks won’t appeal to everyone, but the driving will. Available with 4 wheel drive, front wheel drive, petrol or hybrid, there’s something for everyone. The basic two wheel drive is great fun thanks to the boxy dynamic and the fact the car is so lightweight, but the car is also pleasingly spacious inside and the 267litre boot is bigger than that of the Fiat 500, Volkswagen Up! And Hyundai i10 too. Not bad…

All this from just £9.490 - bargain.