Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

If the persevering popularity of the 2013 Toyota RAV4 is any indicator, we should've included it on our list of Top 10 Cars for the 2012 Apocalypse. As the scrappy crossover has been the lone occupant of the No. 1 spot on our list of most-read reviews for the entirety of 2013 so far, it seems an extinction-level event would leave behind only the cockroaches and the RAV4. Despite a spirited challenge to the RAV4's stranglehold on the top spot, list newcomer the 2014 Mazda CX-5 managed just better than two-thirds the traffic, good for second place. Otherwise, holdovers from last week did some spot swapping.

Check out what was popular this week:
1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
2. 2014 Mazda CX-5
3. 2014 Subaru Forester
4. 2013 Ford Explorer
5. 2013 Ford Fusion
6. 2013 Ford Escape
7. 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
8. 2014 Kia Sorento
9. 2013 Toyota Avalon
10. 2013 Nissan Pathfinder

Cars.com Reviews the 2014 Mazda CX-5

When the Mazda CX-5 entered the competitive crossover market last year, it might have rocketed straight to the top of the heap if the automaker could have fixed one thing: the engine. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says that with the 2014 CX-5, Mazda has eliminated that weak spot. A 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine boosts power sufficiently to overcome the sluggishness of the old 2.0-liter without great sacrifice to gas mileage. Some may feel the "unapologetically" firm ride offers far more information about what they're driving over than they need, but otherwise the CX-5 has little to apologize for. Read Hanley's review below.

2014 Mazda CX-5 Review

2014 Subaru Forester Rises Seven Spots in Small-SUV Affordability

A few weeks ago we threw the redesigned Toyota RAV4 into our compact crossover affordability index, and the popular Toyota ranked right around the group's average. Subaru fans may notice the outgoing 2013 Forester sat near the bottom, largely because the small SUV got mediocre gas mileage and required stepping up a trim level to get a telescoping steering wheel — one of seven features we included in our pricing scheme.

Our affordability index compared 13 models — each was the least expensive trim level that included common equipment like an automatic transmission, Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, remote keyless entry, a USB/audio jack port and tilt/telescoping steering. We also factored in the destination charge and four years of gas.

With its 2014 redesign, the Forester moved up seven spots, thanks to more standard features and better gas mileage. In fact, the new Forester is the third most affordable compact crossover on the market, behind the Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport — and it has standard all-wheel drive.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Despite some midlist musical chairs, this week's most-read reviews played a familiar tune. The 2013 Toyota RAV4 and 2013 Ford Explorer held their ground at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The 2013 models of the Toyota Avalon, Acura RDX, Subaru XV Crosstrek and Ford Escape simply rearranged third through sixth place. Meanwhile, the 2013 Ford Fusion entered at No. 7, bumping the Nissan Altima to No. 8; the 2013 Mazda CX-5 ascended one spot to No. 9, forcing out the Honda Accord to make room for the 2013 Cadillac ATS in 10th.

Check out what was popular this week:

• 1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
• 2. 2013 Ford Explorer
• 3. 2013 Toyota Avalon
• 4. 2013 Acura RDX
• 5. 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
• 6. 2013 Ford Escape
• 7. 2013 Ford Fusion
• 8. 2013 Nissan Altima
• 9. 2013 Mazda CX-5
• 10. 2013 Cadillac ATS

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

There wasn't a lot of movement among our most-read reviews this week, with six of the top 10 spots going unchanged and the 2013 Toyota RAV4 holding onto first place. The Toyota Avalon jumped two spots to No. 5, bumping the Acura RDX and Nissan Altima down to sixth and seventh place, respectively. The Chevrolet Equinox entered the list in eighth place, knocking the Audi A4 off completely as the Honda Accord and Mazda CX-5 held their places at ninth and 10th.

Check out what else was popular this week:

1. 2013 Toyota RAV4

2. 2013 Ford Explorer

3. 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

4. 2013 Ford Escape

5. 2013 Toyota Avalon

6. 2013 Acura RDX

7. 2013 Nissan Altima

8. 2013 Chevrolet Equinox

9. 2013 Honda Accord

10. 2013 Mazda CX-5

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

With the new year comes some new blood, at last, in the No. 1 spot among Cars.com's most-read reviews of the week. In 2013's first top 10, the Toyota RAV4 has supplanted the Subaru XV Crosstrek — the reigning champion for nearly six weeks. Meanwhile, the consistently popular 2013 Ford Explorer review found its way from the bottom half of the list up to No. 2 this week, bumping the XV Crosstrek down to third.

Check out what else was popular this week:

• 1. 2013 Toyota RAV4
• 2. 2013 Ford Explorer
• 3. 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
• 4. 2013 Ford Escape
• 5. 2013 Acura RDX
• 6. 2013 Nissan Altima
• 7. 2013 Toyota Avalon
• 8. 2013 Audi A4
• 9. 2013 Honda Accord
• 10. 2013 Mazda CX-5

2014 Mazda CX-5: What's Changed

• Most significant changes: Addition of 2.5-liter engine
• Price change: TBA
• On sale: January 2013
• Which should you buy, 2012 or 2013? The 2013 still has everything you need; pick the 2014 only if you want the extra power

Mazda's CX-5 was just released in February to rave reviews and placed second in our $25,000 Compact SUV Shootout this summer. Sales followed. So, why is Mazda changing things so soon?

Well, the automaker isn't changing much at all.

More 2012 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The 2014 is identical to the 2013 in all respects except for two additions: one to make you go faster, one to keep you safer. Yes, there is irony there.

2014 Mazda6: First Look

• Competes with: Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion 
• Looks like: Mazda isn't giving up on midsize sedans without a fight  
• Drivetrain: 2.0- or 2.5-liter four-cylinder; six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission  
• Hits dealerships: Early 2013 

Despite Mazda's troubled finances, the carmaker is charging ahead with a full suite of new high-efficiency and more-worldly automobiles — look at the refreshed Mazda3 or the new Mazda CX-5 for examples. The latest model to get this treatment is the all-new third-generation Mazda6, which is debuting at the 2012 Moscow International Automobile Salon.

The new 2014 model features a slightly smaller and lighter body, two high-efficiency engines and a new regenerative braking system.

Daily News Briefs: Aug. 1, 2012

GM entered the month of July with more than five months’ worth of pickup trucks at its Chevy and GMC dealerships. That's the most the company has held since April 2009, Bloomberg News reported today. GM says its building up its truck inventories in preparation for the all-new models that'll come out next year. The model changeover at GM's plants will slow down initial production – GM's truck plants will be closed for 29 weeks — and could constrain supply, which is its reasoning for bolstering truck supplies, according to the newswire. But with demand sinking for GM’s trucks —  Chevrolet Silverado sales were down 12.5% and GMC Sierra sales down 11.8% in July — dealers are resorting to steep discounts on the model. Some experts told Bloomberg that GM’s plan could potentially backfire if truck sales don’t  "pickup."

In other news:

Cars.com's $25,000 Compact SUV Shootout

One of the most popular segments in the auto industry is the compact SUV. Why? It's the mix of practicality, utility, price and now fuel economy. There are three all-new or redesigned compact utes on the market since the Chevy Equinox won our last match-up just 18 months ago.

This time out we set some new rules. The contenders had to get 30 mpg on the highway and have an as-tested price under $25,000, not including the destination charge. Battling it out were:

• 2012 Chevy Equinox
• 2013 Ford Escape
• 2012 Honda CR-V
• 2012 Hyundai Tucson
• 2012 Kia Sportage
• 2013 Mazda CX-5

Let us know which car you think won the day in the comments before you go check out the full story.

Cars.com $25,000 Compact SUV Shootout
Cars.com $25,000 Compact SUV Shootout: Cargo Results
Most-Efficient Mazda CX-5 Has Least-Accurate Trip Computer