Infiniti QX Sport Concept SUV

"The Infiniti QX Sport expresses power and purpose through what we describe as its 'proportional clarity', with an elegance that is uniquely Infiniti," said Infiniti design boss, Alfonso Albaisa. "The exterior design will appeal to an artistic sensibility. It has a more flowing, natural aesthetic than that evident in traditional premium SUVs."

The Infiniti QX Sport is a continuation of what we saw on the 2014 Q80 Hybrid Luxury saloon concept showing us how Infiniti's contemporary design language can and will be applied on a SUV. It has a flowing roofline that incorporates a crescent-cut pillar that's quickly becoming a staple of the brand's models these days, together with muscular and taut profile lines and a sharper front end.

While the restrained exterior design doesn't seem too far away from production, the interior is more exaggerated with the goal here being to give us a general idea of the lines and shapes of Infiniti's future SUVs. The Japanese company says the cabin "follows Infiniti's driver-centric, passenger-minded approach to advanced cabin architecture". A couple of things we'd hold on to would be the digitalized instrument panel and the standalone touchscreen for the infotainment system.

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New Chevrolet Trax Compact SUV

The New Chevrolet Trax will be offered exclusively with a 138hp 1.4-liter turbo engine paired to a 6-speed automatic in LS, LT and LTZ trim levels, with all-wheel drive available at an extra cost of $1,500. Standard kit across the range will include 10 air bags, GM's MyLink infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen, rearview camera, remote keyless entry and a 60/40-split fold-flat rear seat and fold-down front passenger seat, while among other options are a remote starter and OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. According to GM, the Chevy Trax returns an EPA estimated 26 city and 34 highway mpg.

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Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron

The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron has been named a finalist for the 2016 Luxury Green Car of the Year award, as well as the 2016 Connected Green Car of the Year award. Not bad for a compact hatchback that has very little to do with outright performance, which is what Americans generally expect from these types of sporty C-Segment cars, once already paying premium prices. The A3 Sportback e-tron however costs upwards of $37,900.

Still, you get a much more enjoyable car to drive compared to, say a Prius - which tends to be the popular choice. And that's OK, especially if you need more size and practicality. But if the A3 Sportback is "enough" for you, the e-tron might just be worth considering.

On January 21st 2016, at the Washington Auto Show, the A3 Sportback e-tron will find out if its nomination for the two previously mentioned awards will materialize into an actual prize. The two awards "recognize vehicles that exhibit laudable environmental achievement," according to Green Car Journal. "Along with improved environmental performance, traditional buyer touchstones like functionality, safety, quality, value and performance are also considered."

As for the connected award, the magazine will look at "the integration of connected technologies that enhance efficiency, safety and the driving experience."

Back in November, the A3 Sportback e-tron was also a finalist for the national Green Car of the Year award during the LA Auto Show, however the second-generation Chevrolet Volt snagged that one.

Since we've already established that the Audi is a pretty good driver's car, while still managing to be triumphant in its fight against poor fuel economy (around 1.5 l/100 km - 156.8 US mpg combined with the electric drive), we're just going to wish it good luck come January.

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Lamborghini Urus Hybrid Version

Initially, the final version of the SUV is expected to be offered with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo petrol V8 instead of the V10 and V12 naturally aspirated units from the Huracan and Aventador, which in itself is a break with tradition. Further down the road, a a plug-in hybrid variant is a very likely candidate for expanding its line up, as Autocar reports.

"When you add a 200kg battery to a super-sports car, you immediately change the weight distribution of the car. You destroy the DNA of the car", said the automaker's research and development boss, Maurizio Reggiani, who continued to talk about the LM002's spiritual successor: "In the Urus there will be a bigger luggage compartment, so you have the space where you can install batteries in a position that is good in principal for an SUV, and you don’t need a complete redevelopment or repackaging of the car."

Regiani pointed out that achieving less than 100g/km of CO2 is extremely challenging because 200kg (441lbs) of batteries have to be added to the vehicle due to the hybrid system, and then the engineers will try to cut down this weight again by using materials such as carbon fiber, titanium and magnesium.

Lamborghini's president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann is not convinced yet that this is the right path: "If you really want to have a hybrid car with, for example, an electric range of 50km, but you want to also maintain a good power-to-weight, you are raising the bar to a million-pound car", he said. "It is something that we cannot allow without then charging it back to the customers, and this is not a market that is so large it can last for seven or eight years. It will be dead after a couple of years."

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2016 Fiat 500X Crossover

Based on the same platform as the Jeep Renegade, the crossover is offered with two familiar four-cylinder gasoline engines, a 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo four-cylinder with an output of 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque and a naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir2 unit producing 180 hp and 175 lb-ft (237 Nm) of torque.

The turbo engine is offered as standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while the 2.4-liter unit can be had exclusively with a nine-speed automatic transmission on all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive models.

Just like the Renegade, the 2016 Fiat 500X is available with all-wheel drive with disconnecting rear axle which allows for reduced parasitic loss when all-wheel-drive capability is not needed, improving fuel efficiency. The crossover is equipped with a Dynamic Selector system, which allows the driver to choose from three modes (Auto, Sport and Traction +) according to driving conditions.

In the U.S., the model will be available in 12 exterior colors and five trim levels: Pop, Easy, Lounge, Trekking and Trekking Plus. The Trekking and Trekking Plus models feature a more rugged appearance thanks to unique front and rear fascia designs, and satin silver accents.

In terms of equipment, the 500X is available with features like Uconnect 6.5 radio with a 6.5-inch high-resolution touchscreen and navigation, Bluetooth streaming audio, Uconnect Access Via Mobile, a 3.5-inch color thin-film transistor (TFT) cluster display, Keyless Enter-N-Go, as well as heated front seats and steering wheel.

Fiat says the 500X offers up to 70 standard and available safety and security features, including Forward Collision Warning-Plus, LaneSense Departure Warning-Plus, Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path detection. Electronic stability control (ESC) with Hill-start Assist and electronic roll mitigation is standard on all models, as are seven air bags.

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