Best new cars for 2019
These are the best new cars set to arrive in 2019, featuring a particularly fine crop of EVs, hybrids, SUVs and sports cars...
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Land Rover Defender
Price: From £45,240On sale: Now
Arguably Land Rover’s most eagerly awaited new car of 2019, the reborn Defender made its debut at Frankfurt and it will arrive in showrooms early next year. First to appear will be the five-door 110, with a more compact 90 three-door due to follow; later, an even larger 130 edition, that can seat up to eight people, is expected.
Engine options comprise two petrols, three diesels and a plug-in hybrid petrol, capable of a claimed 91mpg. Four trim levels will be available from launch, as well as a range of accessory packs designed to suit the most extreme off-road conditions. There’s certainly something for everyone.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Price: From £31,575On sale: Now
Little may have changed on the outside of the latest Discovery Sport, but there’s a whole new car beneath the skin. The mid-sized SUV has shifted to the same ‘PTA’ architecture as the new Evoque, which means that, as well as mild-hybrid engines, a plug-in hybrid will be available for the first time.
There are also big changes in the cabin, where the Disco Sport’s clunky dashboard and centre console design have been replaced by JLR’s new 10-inch infotainment system that is also compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other clever tech includes JLR’s digital rear-view mirror, for a much clearer idea of what’s going on behind.
Mercedes GLB
Price: £34,200On sale: Late 2019
Mercedes’ SUV line-up continues to grow, moving into a new segment with the arrival of the GLB, which is ready to compete with the Audi Q3 and Land Rover Discovery Sport. The GLB shares a platform with the A-Class, B-Class and CLA but has a longer wheelbase for better cabin space. Five and seven-seat versions will be available, with Isofix mountings on four of the seats, while features such as USB charging points in the boot boost practicality.
The GLB will come with a choice of one petrol engine and two diesels. The 1.3-litre petrol GLB 200 offers 161bhp with front-wheel drive, the GLB 200d comes with a 148bhp 2.0-litre and a choice of four- or front-wheel drive, and the GLB 220d has 187bhp from the same diesel engine and four-wheel drive only. A 302bhp GLB 35 AMG has been confirmed.
Mercedes GLC 300 e
Price: From £45,000 (est)On sale: Late 2019
Mercedes has announced the final specs for its GLC 300 e, the first plug-in hybrid version of its mid-sized SUV. Sharing its powertrain with the E 300 e, this GLC has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 208bhp and 350Nm, plus a 121bhp electric motor, giving a total output of 316bhp and 700Nm.
With four-wheel drive as standard, the GLC 300 e can sprint from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and has a top speed of 143mph. The 13.5kWh battery can be recharged in 1.5 hours through a 7.4kW wallbox or five hours from a three-pin domestic socket. Customers will also be able to take their pick from front or four-wheel-drive models.
Mercedes-AMG A45 S
Price: From £50,570On sale: Now
It’s the hottest hatchback that money can buy, and now the final UK specification of the Mercedes-AMG A45 S has been confirmed. Its new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers 415bhp and 500Nm of torque, which is enough to sprint from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, and is the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the world.
As well as a high specification that includes a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and 4MATIC four-wheel drive, the A45 S features a drift mode for the first time, while the comprehensive MBUX infotainment system now has bespoke AMG features, including a telematics function and a companion phone app.
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S Shooting Brake
Price: From £53,570On sale: Now
Completing Mercedes’s range of high-performance compact cars is the CLA 45 S Shooting Brake, which is available to order in the UK. Sharing its sophisticated four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with the AMG A 45 S, the hottest CLA offers 415bhp and 500Nm of torque, sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. As well as enabling the CLA 45 S to reach 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds, the advanced 4MATIC+ transmission has a drift mode for extreme cornering.
The CLA also benefits from having a slightly wider track compared with its A-Class hatchback sibling, while the shooting brake design provides 505 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place
MINI Clubman JCW
Price: From £34,250 (est)On sale: Now
MINI has updated JCW versions of the Countryman and Clubman, with a major power boost to keep them at the top of the compact performance hierarchy. The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit now has 302bhp and 450Nm of torque, with drive to all four wheels via a new eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Clubman JCW can reach 62mph from rest in 4.9 seconds and is limited to a top speed of 155mph.
Elsewhere there are changes to the front and rear suspension, a 10mm reduction in ride height, and upgraded brakes. The Clubman and Countryman both ride on 18-inch wheels, while LED headlights and a 6.5-inch touchscreen are also included as standard.
MINI Electric
Price: From £24,400On sale: Now
MINI is taking its first step along the EV highway with the new MINI Electric, the company’s first model to run solely on battery power. The three-door-only hatchback has a 32.5kWh battery pack along with the 181bhp electric motor from the BMW i3S, giving a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 93mph, with a claimed WLTP range of up to 144 miles. Wearing Cooper S badges to hint at the performance on offer, MINI Electric models have different front and rear bumpers to the standard hatch, door mirrors shared with the MINI Clubman, and a blanked-off grille that is available in a choice of colours. Offered in three trim levels, the MINI Electric comes with a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, automatic air-conditioning and cruise control.
Nissan Juke
Price: From £17,395On sale: November
The Nissan Juke kicked off the huge trend for small crossovers, and the long-awaited second-generation version has been confirmed, with a host of new tech and big gains in efficiency. Bigger than the original, the new Juke is 23kg lighter thanks to the adoption of the Alliance’s CMF-B platform, which underpins Renault’s Captur as well. Although the sole engine option at launch is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol, the new platform makes hybrid and electrified powertrains possible.
As well as having more space inside and higher quality, the latest Juke also benefits from upgrades in safety technology, with the semi-autonomous Nissan ProPILOT system capable of controlling throttle, braking and steering on multi-lane roads.
