Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Down but seemingly never out, the 2013 Toyota RAV4 spent last week at No. 3 only to reclaim the top spot on our list of most-read reviews this week, sending one-week champ the 2014 Acura MDX plummeting all the way down to No. 10. Another most-read-reviews regular, the 2014 Subaru Forester, returned to the list at No. 3 after abruptly disappearing last week. Here’s what else was popular:

1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
2. 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
3. 2014 Subaru Forester
4. 2013 Chrysler Town & Country
5. 2013 Ford Escape
6. 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
7. 2013 Nissan Altima
8. 2013 Honda Accord
9. 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
10. 2014 Acura MDX

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: May 2013

The last time Ford sold 70,000 F-Series pickups in a single month was March 2007 when unemployment was just 4.4%. The best-selling truck eclipsed that mark again in May 2013, gaining 30.6% to hit 71,604 sales. That's the best May since 2005, an era when the F-Series' clipped along at 800,000 or more sales a year.

Such is the pickup rebound, fueled by a construction market that saw some of the highest housing starts in recent months since 2008. The Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Chrysler's Ram pickups all had 20%-plus gains for the month — and this comes with little increases in incentives versus May 2012. Ford's recent plans to add jobs to its Kansas City, Mo., facility, where the F-150 is built, seems like a safe bet.

While Ford led Detroit's sales gains, Nissan's 24.7% sales increase led the largest Asian automakers. Sales for the Altima boomed 40.8%, and that's with slightly lower incentives versus a year ago. The rival Honda Accord added 11.7% to stay ahead by fewer than 1,500 sales. Virtually every Honda sale in May "represents a purchase by an individual customer," Honda sales chief John Mendel said in a statement — a reference to Honda's fleet sales, which are by far the lowest among the seven largest automakers.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Perhaps the 2013 Toyota RAV4 has the magic combo of a lavender-pants-suited Kaley Cuoco and her little dog, too, to thank for conjuring its continued domination on our list of most-read reviews. The ad campaign, prominently featured during this year's Super Bowl — starring Cuoco, of TV's "The Big Bang Theory," as a doggy-toting, wish-granting genie — no doubt is also being credited in part with the crossover's substantial sales increase this year. Want to know what else was popular this week? Your wish is our command:

1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
2. 2014 Subaru Forester
3. 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
4. 2013 Chrysler Town & Country
5. 2013 Ford Escape
6. 2013 Nissan Altima
7. 2013 BMW 3 Series
8. 2013 Toyota Avalon
9. 2013 Dodge Dart
10. 2013 Honda Accord

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

2013 Honda Civic Gains NHTSA Five-Star Safety Rating

The 2013 Honda Civic sedan has earned the highest safety rating of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the automaker announced Thursday. This adds to the top honors the 2013 Civic received from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program, the Civic sedan received a five-star overall vehicle score despite scoring four stars in frontal tests. It received five stars in side-impact crashes and has a four-star rollover rating.

The 2013 Civic sedan and coupe previously received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS, which included a top score of Good in the stringent new small-overlap frontal collision test. Honda noted that the Civic sedan and coupe are the first and only small cars to earn the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ rating; however, IIHS is still implementing the new test, and in the past, we've seen additional vehicles added to the organization's award lists.

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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