Of the many things the Big Apple is famous for, cars are also among them. One of the year’s biggest automotive spectacles — the New York International Auto Show  (NYIAS) — is going on right now until April 3, and there has been some seriously interesting news coming out of the east coast event.

2017 Mazda MX-5 RF

The fourth generation of everyone’s favourite modern roadster, the Miata, was released last year in soft-top form, and it was only a matter of time before a hardtop version would be announced. And now it has: introducing the MX-5 RF. Sporting fastback looks, it features a retractable rear window and the roof can be fully stowed. Surprisingly, the storage capacity in the trunk remains the same for both models.

In North America, the RF will utilize the familiar SKYACTIV-G 2.0 gasoline engine.

2017 Toyota Prius Prime

Toyota is touting the latest plug-in variant of the new Prius as the being the “best-equipped, most technologically-advanced model to date.” Greater battery capacity and an improved hybrid system give the Prime a 22 per cent reduction in fuel consumption compared to its predecessor, resulting in a projected 1.96 Le/100 km (litres equivalent) and a total range of over 965 kilometres.

Design highlights include very cool quad-LED headlights, lightweight aluminum used for the hood and carbon fibre for the hatch, and an available 11.6-inch interior multimedia screen.

Genesis New York Concept

Following closely behind the debut of the production G90 sedan, Hyundai’s recently separated luxury division now turns its attention to something sportier. The New York Concept is a hint towards the brand’s future styling direction, represented here by a long hood, unique fender vents, tapered rear deck and copper-coloured accents. Inside, a massive 21-inch LG 4K display dominates the dash connected to an interface combining touchpads and 3-D gesture control.

A hybrid powertrain generates 241 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission