Top 10 Most Anticipated Cars 2023

Cars, trucks, SUVs, EVs—these are our top 10 most anticipated cars for 2023.

The final few days of the year afford us a great opportunity to look ahead. Sure, at least part of it is due to the endless supply of leftovers, as we stumble around in a tryptophan-fuelled fog, unsure of which day of the week it is.

But it was also a stellar year for the automobile. Parts shortages aside, we saw excellent new products in every segment. The best-selling vehicle in North America going electric, a bold new flagship for a luxury brand, a powerful send-off to the combustion-engined sport sedan, and an ugly duckling morphing into a smoke show—truly, something for everyone this year. As the industry looks to balance supply with demand next year, here in alphabetical order are the vehicles we can’t wait to get behind the wheel of.

(Honorable mentions: 2023 Honda Accord, 2023 Lucid Gravity, 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, 2023 Toyota Prius Prime, and 2024 Acura Integra Type S.)

Why we’re excited: We know affordability is always a key subject, so we’re kicking off this list with an entry-level car … sort of. The M2 anchors the BMW M lineup, but there’s nothing entry-level about a 453-horsepower, rear-drive coupe. The second generation of the M2 isn’t any wider than lesser 2 Series coupes—unlike the last one—but it gets its own unique sheetmetal, not to mention an honest-to-goodness manual transmission. That traditional approach extends to the M2’s drivetrain: this is officially the last M car to be purely internal combustion, as all models after will have some level of electrification. We say bring it on.

When does it launch: Spring 2023.

Why we’re excited: From the M2, we completely swing in the opposite direction, to a hand-built, ultra-rare EV four-door. The 2024 Cadillac Celestiq is an 18-foot-long exclamation point on the end of the brand’s new mission statement. Built on a modified version of GM’s Ultium battery-electric platform, the Celestiq will sit atop the range, with a $300,000 starting price putting it in Bentley and Rolls-Royce territory. Almost every aspect of the interior can be customized, with Cadillac stating the goal is for every car to be a “one of one” experience. Out-there features include a four-panel electrochromatic glass roof (so every person can have their own level of opacity), a 55-inch pillar-to-pillar curved glass display, and no less than 41 speakers.

When does it launch: December 2023.

Why we’re excited: The Corvette flipped tradition when it went mid-engined for the current C8 generation. That try-new-things approach will continue next summer, as a hybridized model will join the lineup. Where exactly the hybrid ‘Vette will fit in is currently unknown, though a recent configurator leak confirmed some tidbits. There’s the name, for starters: E-Ray. The wider body from the Z06 is obvious, with a unique front fascia for good measure. Interior photos show a “Regen on Demand” button, which suggests drivers will get to toggle different levels of battery-assisting regenerative braking. Whether the electrons flow to the front or the rear is a whole other question: will this be the first AWD Corvette? Whatever the answer, we just want to drive it.

When does it launch: Summer 2023.

Why we’re excited: Chevrolet gets the unique distinction of the only double entries on this list. The second anticipated model from the Bow Tie brand is the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV. With an expected starting price of just $30,000 USD, the Equinox EV could bring electrification to a whole new part of the market. That starting price should net buyers around 250 miles (402 kilometers), too. Naturally, Chevrolet will sell higher trims too, including an RS model with the requisite red highlights. It’s time for Ultium to go mainstream, baby.

When does it launch: Fall 2023.

Why we’re excited: A new Mustang doesn’t come along often. This is just the seventh version since Ford created the pony car in 1964. The latest Mustang debuted this past September relatively traditional in character: no hybridization at all, at least from launch. Evolutions of the 2.3-liter turbo-four and 5.0-liter V8 powertrains are available, with 315 and 480 horsepower, respectively. The latter still offers an available six-speed manual transmission; the EcoBoost is now auto-only. V8 buyers can spec a performance exhaust for an extra 6 ponies, too. The looks are still recognizably ‘Stang-like too, with a squarer front-end and whiffs of the boxy Camaro in the tail. So far, so familiar.

It’s inside where Ford is going wild. A thoroughly modern cockpit design includes a pair of upright digital screens, joined together as one in higher trims. Tech is a big deal for the 2024 model, as Ford leans into the Mustang’s more modern approach to muscle.

Don’t forget the Dark Horse, either. This new trim sits atop the 7th-gen stack, with a 500-horsepower version of the Coyote and trick bits like optional carbon fiber wheels.

When does it launch: Summer 2023.

Why we’re excited: Hyundai has been on a roll lately, with the Ioniq 5 EV scooping up award after award. Now that the brand has launched its first dedicated EV, it’s time for one of the gas-powered models to follow it up. The 2024 Kona is the brand’s second-smallest SUV, but it’ll get a significant half-a-foot growth spurt over the outgoing model. This should free up space in the cabin to better compete with the subcompact-plus rivals out there. The Kona will once again feature an EV model, with a hybrid joining the fray too, but Hyundai has yet to release any details beyond their respective existences.

When does it launch: TBA

Why we’re excited: There’s a surprising lack of three-row EVs out there. Kia will do its part to correct that oversight later this year when it launches its second E-GMP model, the EV9. Previewed in 2021 at the LA Auto Show, the EV9 is generally Telluride-sized and -shaped, but with a sharper edge to denote its cutting-edge status. Not much is known about the eventual production model, but we expect broadly similar stats to the EV6, Ioniq 5, and Genesis GV60. We do expect a battery increase however, to make up for that larger footprint. A 90-ish kWh setup sounds about right. We’ll see the production model early 2023, but when the EV9 goes on sale is still unknown.

When does it launch: TBA

Why we’re excited: Mazda will debut its larger, more upmarket flagship model early next year. The 2024 Mazda CX-90 sits on a whole new platform, one that is rear-drive-based and made to fit longitudinal inline-six powerplants. Not only that, but there will be a plug-in hybrid powertrain as well. Mazda debuted the PHEV setup with a turbo-four in the CX-60, a model available in Europe. The new model will sit atop the range, and close the gap between Mazda and the established luxury brands (something we’ve looked at before). We’re excited to see where the brand heads next.

When will it launch: TBA.

Why we’re excited: Finally! It feels like it’s been years since we first got confirmation the 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz would be heading to North America. We’ve seen it in person now, multiple times, but that’s the European-spec model. Ours will be Costco-sized, stretched to accommodate an available third row of seats. The interior follows the same fun color schemes as the body, with an airy cabin chock full of useful storage cubbies. Under that so-cool retro bodywork lies Volkswagen’s MEB platform, the same one found under the ID.4. Will that still be okay in late 2023, as competitors are quickly improving their own EV platforms’ capacity and range? We don’t know, but nobody else has anything cooler looking than this, either.

When does it launch? Late 2023.

Why we’re excited: Even as it wraps up its life, the current Volvo XC90 is one of our favorite mid-sized SUVs. The 2024 Volvo EX90 is a new name for the newly electric model, as it moves into the full-battery future. That’s right: there will be no gas-powered EX90 option. The proportions are familiar, but the EX90 debuts a new version of the Swedish design language. Easily the coolest feature? The retracting headlight covers. They’re the flip-ups of the future!

Inside, the EX90 is all cool minimalism, with the trendy large-tablet center console design, plus a smaller screen ahead of the steering wheel. Volvo is promising the most advanced form of its driving assist suite ever, on account of tech upgrades up to and including LIDAR.

When does it launch: TBA.