An all-new hybrid compact crossover, the Kia Niro, makes its global debut at the Chicago Auto Show.

An all-new hybrid compact crossover, the Kia Niro, makes its global debut at the Chicago Auto Show.

Trucks and SUVs take spotlight at Chicago Auto Show

The Chicago Auto Show, largest in the nation, opened to the public on Feb. 13 and continues through Sunday.

Thursday and Friday of last week were Media Preview days, when manufacturers reveal all-new or completely redesigned vehicles to members of the automotive media. For me this is always worth a trip to the frigid Windy City in the middle of winter.

This year, SUVs and trucks dominated those reveals – reflecting the current trend among consumers, who are pushing sales of those products beyond those of cars.

Here’s a look at some highlights from the preview.

NISSAN ARMADA

Nissan got a head start by ushering in the 2017 Armada full-size SUV at an off-site location on the eve of the media preview. It was the second-generation Armada’s public world debut.

The massive, rugged, body-on-frame Armada has been given a partial exterior makeover and the previous powertrain has been replaced. The new engine is a 5.6-liter, 390-horsepower V8 joined to a new seven-speed automatic transmission.

Armada’s list of standard features has been embellished to include such features as navigation with traffic and weather information, an 8-inch color display, heated front seats, and a 13-speaker Bose audio system.

An alphabet soup of available safety and security features includes PFCW (predictive forward collision warning), BSI (blind spot intervention), BCI (backup collision intervention), and AVM with MOD (around view monitor with moving object detection).

Armada offers seating for up to eight passengers and has three trim levels: SV, SL and Platinum, all available in two-wheel or four-wheel drive. When properly equipped, both drive configurations have a towing capacity of 8,500 pounds.

The 2017 Armada will reach local dealerships this summer, and Nissan will announce pricing and fuel economy ratings closer to the on-sale date.

KIA NIRO

On Thursday morning, Kia set the media preview in motion with another global debut, the introduction of its all-new Niro hybrid compact crossover. Kia is projecting a 50-mpg combined fuel economy rating for the 2017 Niro (pronounced as in Robert De Niro). Together, the hybrid motor and gas engine produce 146 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

With five-passenger seating and a rear cargo area accessed from a rear hatch, Niro offers versatility and practicality along with economy. Kia promises a “very un-hybrid-like driving experience” thanks to Niro’s simplified hybrid system. It’s neither intrusive nor obvious, Kia says, and delivers “seamless transitions of power.”

Among the driver assistance features available on the new Niro are lane departure warning, smart cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and blind spot detection with rear cross traffic alert. These systems are offered on other Kia vehicles, but Niro stands out for also having an all-new assist system called Eco-DAS (for Driver Assistance System), featuring Kia’s first use of Coasting Guide and Predictive Energy Control, a sophisticated technology similar to one typically seen only on premium brands. Its purpose is to maximize fuel economy and optimize engine efficiency overall.

Niro is scheduled to go on sale early next year, and a plug-in hybrid version will follow.

RAM POWER WAGON

Ram’s big bring-out was the 2017 Power Wagon, redesigned inside and out and reengineered for augmented off-road capability.

Appearance modifications include a restyled grille with bold silver RAM letter badging, black headlamp and taillamp bezels, powder-coated bumpers, unique 17-inch aluminum wheels, and a black “Power Wagon” decal across the tailgate bottom. A vertical stripe behind the cab with “Power Wagon” spelled out in a rotated font is a throwback to a popular Power Wagon design from the 1980s.

Power Wagon’s 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine cranks out 410 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque. It’s joined by a six-speed automatic transmission with manually operated Borg Warner transfer case. Maximum towing capacity is 10,030 pounds.

A hill descent control system takes the guesswork out of negotiating steep downhills in rugged terrain. Engage the system with the push of a button and it automatically regulates braking for a controlled descent.

A dual-alternator system, the first of its kind for three-quarter and one-ton pickups with gas engines, combines 220- and 160-amp units to produce 380 amps, an output that is best-in-class.

Battery currents are continually monitored by intelligent battery sensor technology that systematically shuts off certain onboard electrical systems during low-battery conditions to prevent continued battery depletion.

A Warn 12,000-pound electric winch is standard equipment, mounted behind the front bumper, “able to hang competitors off the ground,” Ram says.

The 2017 Ram Power Wagon hits the market in fourth-quarter 2016.

TOYOTA TACOMA TRD PRO

Toyota unveiled the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro pickup, outfitted by Toyota Racing Development to deliver serious off-road capability to outdoor enthusiasts and others seeking those qualities in a midsize truck.

Black taillight bezels, hood scoop and fender flares, plus TRD Pro badging on the front doors and tailgate will draw attention to this truck whether off-road or on.

Power comes from a 3.5-liter V6 paired with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

On-demand 4WD with a transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential, both electronically-controlled, is standard on the Tacoma TRD Pro. So is a V6 tow package that includes a Class IV receiver hitch, automatic transmission fluid cooler, engine oil cooler, power steering cooler, 130-amp alternator, 4- and 7-pin connector with converter, and trailer sway control.

For models fitted with an automatic transmission, Crawl Control automatically modulates the throttle and brakes during extreme off-road conditions. Another feature, hill start assist control, minimizes backward rolling on steep inclines when the driver’s foot leaves the brake pedal and goes for the accelerator pedal. A multi-terrain select system offers five different modes for regulating wheel spin in varying driving conditions such as snow, sand and mud. Tacoma TRD Pro’s standard Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain tires have a hand in traction delivery, too.

Trucks equipped with a manual transmission come with an active traction control system that employs the four-channel antilock brakes to manage power flow to the wheels without interfering with throttle input.

Pricing, powertrain specifications and fuel economy ratings will be announced at a later date. The 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro goes on sale in third-quarter 2016.

Mary Lowry is an independent automotive writer who lives in Snohomish County. She is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a board member of the Northwest Automotive Press Association.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Black Press Media operates Sound Publishing, the largest community news organization in Washington State with dailies and community news outlets in Alaska.
Black Press Media concludes transition of ownership

Black Press Media, which operates Sound Publishing, completed its sale Monday (March 25), following the formerly announced corporate restructuring.

Maygen Hetherington, executive director of the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association, laughs during an interview in her office on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Maygen Hetherington: tireless advocate for the city of Snohomish

Historic Downtown Snohomish Association receives the Opportunity Lives Here award from Economic Alliance.

FILE - Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs poses in front of photos of the 15 people who previously held the office on Nov. 22, 2021, after he was sworn in at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Hobbs faces several challengers as he runs for election to the office he was appointed to last fall. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs: ‘I wanted to serve my country’

Hobbs, a former Lake Stevens senator, is the recipient of the Henry M. Jackson Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Mark Duffy poses for a photo in his office at the Mountain Pacific Bank headquarters on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Mark Duffy: Building a hometown bank; giving kids an opportunity

Mountain Pacific Bank’s founder is the recipient of the Fluke Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Barb Tolbert poses for a photo at Silver Scoop Ice Cream on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Tolbert: Former mayor piloted Arlington out of economic brink

Tolbert won the Elson S. Floyd Award, honoring a leader who has “created lasting opportunities” for the underserved.

Photo provided by 
Economic Alliance
Economic Alliance presented one of the Washington Rising Stem Awards to Katie Larios, a senior at Mountlake Terrace High School.
Mountlake Terrace High School senior wins state STEM award

Katie Larios was honored at an Economic Alliance gathering: “A champion for other young women of color in STEM.”

The Westwood Rainier is one of the seven ships in the Westwood line. The ships serve ports in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast Asia. (Photo provided by Swire Shipping)
Westwood Shipping Lines, an Everett mainstay, has new name

The four green-hulled Westwood vessels will keep their names, but the ships will display the Swire Shipping flag.

A Keyport ship docked at Lake Union in Seattle in June 2018. The ship spends most of the year in Alaska harvesting Golden King crab in the Bering Sea. During the summer it ties up for maintenance and repairs at Lake Union. (Keyport LLC)
In crabbers’ turbulent moment, Edmonds seafood processor ‘saved our season’

When a processing plant in Alaska closed, Edmonds-based business Keyport stepped up to solve a “no-win situation.”

Angela Harris, Executive Director of the Port of Edmonds, stands at the port’s marina on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Leadership, love for the Port of Edmonds got exec the job

Shoring up an aging seawall is the first order of business for Angela Harris, the first woman to lead the Edmonds port.

The Cascade Warbirds fly over Naval Station Everett. (Sue Misao / The Herald file)
Bothell High School senior awarded $2,500 to keep on flying

Cascade Warbirds scholarship helps students 16-21 continue flight training and earn a private pilot’s certificate.

Rachel Gardner, the owner of Musicology Co., a new music boutique record store on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. Musicology Co. will open in February, selling used and new vinyl, CDs and other music-related merchandise. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Edmonds record shop intends to be a ‘destination for every musician’

Rachel Gardner opened Musicology Co. this month, filling a record store gap in Edmonds.

MyMyToyStore.com owner Tom Harrison at his brick and mortar storefront on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burst pipe permanently closes downtown Everett toy store

After a pipe flooded the store, MyMyToystore in downtown Everett closed. Owner Tom Harrison is already on to his next venture.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.