Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

The 2013 Toyota RAV4, which spent the first three months of 2013 atop our most-read reviews list, is once again at No. 1, overtaking the also-popular 2014 Subaru Forester. Following its long reign, the RAV4 relinquished its throne to the Forster to hold the No. 2 spot for a month before returning to the top spot for a week – before losing it again to the Forester last week only to reclaim it this week … whew! The other significant change this week is at No. 10, where the 2013 Nissan Altima returns to the list.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
2. 2014 Subaru Forester
3. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
4. 2013 BMW 3 Series
5. 2013 Ford Escape
6. 2013 Buick Encore
7. 2013 Toyota Avalon
8. 2013 Honda Accord
9. 2013 Dodge Dart
10. 2013 Nissan Altima

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

After relinquishing the No. 1 spot for a week to former longtime champ the 2013 Toyota RAV4, the 2014 Subaru Forester reclaimed its position this week atop our list of most-read reviews. Farther down the roster, this week’s order might be a little different, but the names are all the same.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2014 Subaru Forester
2. 2013 Toyota RAV4
3. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
4. 2013 Toyota Avalon
5. 2013 BMW 3 Series
6. 2013 Ford Escape
7. 2013 Buick Encore
8. 2013 Dodge Dart
9. 2013 Honda Accord
10. 2014 Mazda CX-5

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Just when we thought it was out, readers pull it back in. The godfather of persistently read reviews — the 2013 Toyota RAV4 — muscled its way back to the head of the family this week after being relegated to the No. 2 spot on our list of most-read reviews for a month by the 2014 Subaru Forester. Before that, the RAV4 enjoyed a three-month reign at No. 1 that we were beginning to think might never end. Ousted by a measly 109 page views, the Forester had to settle back into second place. Meanwhile, the 2014 Mazda CX-5 returns at No. 8 after a brief absence, while the 2013 Dodge Dart comes in at No. 10 after a long one.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
2. 2014 Subaru Forester
3. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
4. 2013 BMW 3 Series
5. 2013 Ford Escape
6. 2013 Buick Encore
7. 2013 Toyota Avalon
8. 2014 Mazda CX-5
9. 2013 Honda Accord
10. 2013 Dodge Dart

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: April 2013

Nissan and Ford led a strong month for the auto industry, with sales up 23.2% at Nissan and 17.9% at Ford thanks to big gains among both carmakers' strongest sellers. Nissan Altima sales gained 35.4% while Ford Escape sales spiked 52% — despite similar year-over-year incentives on both and lower dealership supply for the Escape.

It may seem bizarre that the Altima, then, isn't among the top 10 best-sellers. It's been there for ninth months straight, and in March it was the best-selling car (not truck) in America. But a year ago, sales were dismal — less than 17,000 in April 2012 — so even a healthy spike kept Nissan off April 2013's top 10.

The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord had higher-profile struggles. The Camry's sales drop could signal plateauing demand for Toyota's seventh-generation family sedan, whose year-over-year sales have declined for three straight months. The new Accord, meanwhile, is just 7 months old, and shoppers found significantly lower discounts versus the 2012 Accord a year ago. It's a factor that could affect Accord sales through autumn. Still, Ford didn't seem to have a problem with that. Anyone considering the new Fusion found a similar situation — lower discounts versus year-ago levels — but it didn't stop shoppers from flocking toward the popular sedan, whose sales boomed 23.7%.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Last week's top four most-read reviews stayed put this week, with the 2014 Subaru Forester and 2013 Toyota RAV4 once again occupying Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, and the 2014 Chevrolet Impala and 2013 Ford Escape holding fast in fourth and fifth. Meanwhile, at No. 7, our 2013 Mazda CX-9 review makes its debut roughly two months after first appearing on Kicking Tires, and the 2013 Ford Explorer returns at No. 10. Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2014 Subaru Forester
2. 2013 Toyota RAV4
3. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
4. 2013 Ford Escape
5. 2013 BMW 3 Series
6. 2013 Honda Accord
7. 2013 Mazda CX-9
8. 2013 Buick Encore
9. 2013 Toyota Avalon
10. 2013 Ford Explorer

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

There was no movement this week atop our list of most-read reviews, as the 2014 Subaru Forester maintained its commanding lead in the top spot and the 2013 Toyota RAV4 hung tough in second. Further down the ranks, however, the list hosted an encore appearance from one car and the debuts of two others. The 2014 Chevrolet Impala returned this week with a vengeance, rocketing straight up to No. 3, while newcomers the 2013 BMW 3 Series and 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI bowed at Nos. 6 and 9, respectively.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2014 Subaru Forester
2. 2013 Toyota RAV4
3. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
4. 2013 Ford Escape
5. 2013 Buick Encore
6. 2013 BMW 3 Series
7. 2013 Honda Accord
8. 2014 Mazda CX-5
9. 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI
10. 2013 Toyota Avalon

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Although there was no movement in this week's top two spots, the 2014 Subaru Forester substantially increased its lead after toppling longtime champ the 2013 Toyota RAV4 last week. The new Forester saw nearly double the RAV4's traffic in its second week atop our most-read reviews list. Meanwhile, the 2013 Buick Encore compact crossover — which Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays said stuffs a whole lot of refinement and features into a tiny package — debuted big at No. 3.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2014 Subaru Forester
2. 2013 Toyota RAV4
3. 2013 Buick Encore
4. 2013 Ford Fusion
5. 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
6. 2013 Ford Escape
7. 2013 Honda Accord
8. 2014 Mazda CX-5
9. 2013 Toyota Avalon
10. 2013 Nissan Pathfinder

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

It's like when Rocky made Ivan Drago bleed in "Rocky IV," proving the Soviet boxer was not a machine and could, indeed, be defeated. Although far from symbolizing the fall of Cold War-era communism, the 2013 Toyota RAV4's defeat after a three-month reign atop our most-read reviews list is, nonetheless, a glorious victory for our new champ, the 2014 Subaru Forester. Meanwhile, the 2013 Toyota Avalon returns to the top 10 this week at No. 9, and the 2013 Honda Civic debuts in the bottom spot.

Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2014 Subaru Forester
2. 2013 Toyota RAV4
3. 2013 Honda Accord
4. 2013 Ford Fusion
5. 2013 Ford Escape
6. 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
7. 2014 Mazda CX-5
8. 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
9. 2013 Toyota Avalon
10. 2013 Honda Civic

March Sales: SUVs Gained, Cars Fell

March was a decent month for the auto industry. New-car sales improved 3.4%, riding a trend that began in late 2012. Since last November, auto sales have reached annualized rates not seen since early 2008, according to Automotive News data. Still, car sales fell 1.2% as popular nameplates — the Nissan Altima, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata — saw double-digit drops. In fact, sales for seven of the top 15 best-selling cars fell.

What propped up the industry in March? SUVs.

Light-duty trucks — a group that includes SUVs, pickups and minivans — gained 9%. If you drill it down to just SUVs, including car-based crossovers, sales grew a significant 11.2%. March opened with gas prices nearing a five-month high but colder temperatures than 2012's unseasonably warm March — dueling factors for SUV sales, it would seem. But a renewed consumer advance toward SUVs, especially small crossovers, drove overall gains.

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: March 2013

With the top seven automakers reporting numbers — which account for the vast majority of new-car sales — March sales have crept up around 3.2% over year-ago levels. Honda, GM and Ford saw the largest gains, but no major automaker saw a double-digit increase.

The top sellers are a reshuffle from February's list; all 10 are back. The Nissan Altima jumped three spots from February, and despite an 8% sales drop, it's the best-selling sedan by just 100 cars in March. Madness? Not really. Look back at March 2012 and the Altima even beat out the Chevrolet Silverado for a podium finish in monthly sales.

Lower year-over-year incentives played against Nissan's redesigned sedan as surging competitors — the Honda Accord and the Ford Fusion — saw larger gains. Ford says the Fusion had its best sales month in the nameplate's 7 1/2-year history, and this happened with fewer incentives than on last year’s outgoing model. The Escape hit its highest monthly total in its 12-plus-year history. Those two cars — and rising Explorer and F-Series sales — overcame falling Focus, Edge and Mustang sales to drive Ford to a 5.7% year-over-year increase.