Study: Traffic Worst in Los Angeles

As you gradually slip into gridlock-induced madness this week during your daily commute, try to think of it this way: At least people have jobs to go to. According to INRIX, an international provider of traffic information and driver services, spiking traffic congestion following two years of decline is attributable to a U.S. economy on the mend. The most bountiful beneficiary of this recovery is Los Angeles, where drivers waste the greatest proportion of their lives staring at someone else's brake lights.

INRIX's Traffic Scorecard Annual Report shows that in the first three months of 2013, congestion was up 4% compared with 2012, when it dipped 22%. Traffic was up in 61 of the nation's 100 most-populated cities, while seven of 2012's cities with the worst traffic experienced greater congestion (led by Boston with a 30% spike). Those increases accompanied a 1.3% rise in U.S. employment, the report stated.

Most-Watched Videos of the Week

Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays attended the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show and got a look at the updated-for-2013 Toyota RAV4. In this week's most-watched video, Mays says upgrades to the crossover are a good start, but that the true test in this competitive class will be on the road. Check out that video above and see what other videos were popular this week:

• 1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
• 2. 2013 Honda Civic sedan
• 3. 2014 Kia Forte
• 4. 2014 Mazda6
• 5. 2014 Porsche Cayman

BMW i8 Spyder Concept: Photo Gallery

It may look like something out of near-future sci-fi, but the BMW i8 Spyder concept's future as a production car is nearer than it seems. The automaker has said it will build the high-performance hybrid plug-in by 2014. BMW has even brought some of its space-age features a bit more down to earth in preparation.

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Interior features, from tech to color schemes, now more closely resemble their production counterparts. While the convertible Spyder lacks a backseat, it's unlikely drivers will think long about that as they accelerate from zero to 62 mph while enjoying a 94 mpg combined rating. Check out the gallery below.

Nissan Hi-Cross Concept: Photo Gallery

Today's Nissan Hi-Cross Concept may very well be tomorrow's Rogue — and not a moment too soon. The automaker's compact crossover hasn't received a substantial update in five years, and with the implied potential for both a hybrid model and a third-row option, Nissan could fill an existing void in the class.

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The seven-passenger Hi-Cross, making its North American debut at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show, uses Nissan's first in-house engineered front-wheel-drive hybrid system. The crossover's high-waisted design features slanted, vertical headlights and trapezoidal taillights. Exaggerated fenders help define the front end, with prominent styling lines along the hood and grille. Check out more photos below.

BMW i3 Concept Coupe: Photo Gallery

The i3 Coupe is the latest iteration of BMW's many compact electric concepts. It gives us a better idea of what the upcoming production model will look like.

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The rear-wheel-drive coupe has a body made of weight-saving carbon fiber and gets power from an electric motor that makes 170 horsepower. BMW says the car can go about 100 miles on a full charge. Check out more photos below.

Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force Concept: Photo Gallery

The media days of the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show are over, but the public days are going strong and there's still a lot to see. Mercedes kicks off the first in a series of concept photo galleries from the show.

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The automaker unveiled a futuristic-looking version of its G-Class glam wagon. The Ener-G-Force Concept wears a high shoulder line, small windows and rooftop-integrated emergency lights for police duty. The design concept rides on 20-inch wheels and — like the concept itself — wears hard-to-miss LED headlamps that form the letter G. Check out more photos below.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: She Said, She Said

The 2014 Transit Connect Wagon is not a minivan, according to Ford, but this people mover certainly has many of the features of one: a low step-in height, sliding doors and seating for seven in the long-wheelbase version.

While at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, Cars.com Family writers Carrie Kim, a mom of one, and BreAnn Ahara, a mom of three, checked out the Transit Connect Wagon and came away with differing opinions on whether it will work well for families.

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Carrie Kim: I know I'm definitely in the minority of most moms, but I'd rock a Ford Transit Connect Wagon. Seriously, I would. I'm not asking for one for Christmas or anything, but if I needed to transport people with a lot of stuff, I think it would work. And by work, I mean not only well, but comfortably and efficiently, too.

BreAnn Ahara: Yes, Carrie, you are definitely in the minority. I don't understand where Ford is going with this wagon. As a minivan-loving mom who favors function over form, you couldn't pay me to drive around in that thing. Wait. Scratch that, you probably could pay me ... and considering that the only people up to this point that I've seen driving around in the Transit Connect are the local ADT reps, apparently that's true for most.

Latest Compact SUVs Cater to Families of All Kinds

One of the hottest car segments for families — and all car shoppers — is the compact SUV. New versions of the popular Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and the Mitsubishi Outlander were unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week. All three can undoubtedly handle family duty in their own ways, but they each have different strengths when compared to one another.

2013 Toyota RAV4
Before its redesign, this was the SUV I'd recommend most to my friends with kids but would never actually drive myself, but the all-new RAV4 is something I'd not only consider but enjoy. The tried-and-true RAV4 has been a winner for families because of its reliability and spacious cargo area. That's because it had an awkward-to-open swing-gate with a spare tire attached to it, allowing for more room inside.

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The new RAV4 got a drastic makeover; now it's chiseled and polished with a liftgate (the spare tire is underneath the cargo area), but it hasn't lost all of its interior space. The cargo area is slightly smaller than in the previous generation, but it's still large, especially when compared to sleeker competitors such as Kia Sportage. The second row is roomy and provides more legroom than the redesigned Ford Escape. Simply put, the RAV4's biggest strength is that it looks great and still manages to feel larger inside than it really is.

An L.A. Auto Show Photo Gallery

Staff photographer Evan Sears does a remarkable job of capturing the dozens of new models that debut at every auto show for Cars.com. As an editor wandering the show floor, however, I like to snap my own photos of what catches my eye with my smartphone. Last year, I discovered Olloclip lenses for my iPhone4 and fell in love with how it made my amateur shots look wild. This year, I was lucky enough to get the latest Olloclip for the iPhone5 just in time for L.A.

Check out the photo gallery below to see the results.

A Fiat for the Family?

Fiat claims it made the new 500L to accommodate families, and after the big reveal at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show this week, I want to put my family in one.

My small family of three values style and fuel efficiency and enjoys a smaller car. With a toddler in a forward-facing safety seat and no double stroller to fit in the cargo area, we get by just fine in unorthodox family vehicles and own a VW Jetta.

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The Fiat 500L brings the playfulness and fun of the 500 in larger — if not gigantic — form. The beauty is in how the automaker optimized what space the car does have.