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

Mercedes-Benz Lets You Light Up Your Hood Ornament

Mercedes-Benz's new dealer-installed illuminated logo option kind of looks like the glowing arc reactor in Iron Man's chest — though anyone who's seen the blockbuster films knows Tony Stark's luxury brand of choice is Audi. Still, it's not Robert Downey Jr. who stars in Mercedes-Benz's new commercial, but the automaker's three-pointed star itself, now illuminated with LED and light-tube technology to further punctuate the point, just in case the standard iconic logo wasn’t enough for luxury shoppers.

The video ad, posted to YouTube on Wednesday, features a photographic retrospective of Mercedes models through the decades that have borne the three-pointed star; it's accompanied by a sweeping orchestral score. The ad tempts viewers with the taglines, "Mercedes-Benz has offered the star for years … now we even make it shine," and "Discover the Illuminated Star."

May's Fastest- and Slowest-Selling Cars

From Land Rover's posh Range Rover to the redesigned Toyota RAV4, SUVs took 10 of the top 16 spots on May’s fastest-sellers list. Expectedly, redesigns ranked high on the list. The 2014 Subaru Forester is selling so fast Subaru dealers can't keep up inventory, and the Range Rover, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class — all redesigned — have repeat appearances among the fastest sellers.

The updated Mercedes E-Class demonstrates shoppers also respond well to a refresh as they do to a full redesign. And the new Lincoln MKZ Hybrid continues to sell, adding steam to the redesign's slow start. It worked well for Ford's struggling luxury brand: The MKZ had its best-ever May in the nameplate's more than seven years, Ford said Monday.

Then you have the old-timers. The 2013 Toyota RAV4 had its fifth month among the fastest-selling cars. The 2013 Ford Fusion, in hybrid or regular form, has made its seventh appearance in eight months. So did Audi's Q5 SUV, despite being in its fifth model year.

Cars in May averaged 56 days to sell. That's a little slower than April 2013's 51 days and a few ticks slower than May 2012's 50 days. Here are May's fastest and slowest sellers:

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

Recall Alert: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 272 model-year 2013 GL-Class SUVs due to a problem with the second-row seat belt anchors, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected vehicles include GL350 Bluetec, GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and GL63 AMG models manufactured between May 15, 2012, and Oct. 4, 2012. The second-row seat belt anchor fitting bolts may not be properly torqued, which could cause seat belt anchor bolts to continually loosen. In a crash, the belted passenger may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.

Mercedes-Benz will begin notifying owners this month, and dealers will check and tighten the bolts of the seat belt anchor fittings for free. Owners can call Mercedes-Benz at 800-367-6372 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236; for more info owners can go to www.safercar.gov.

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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

If you love big, fancy trucks, Mercedes-Benz has just the vehicle for you. Cars.com reviewer Aaron Bragman calls the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class the best seven-passenger premium SUV on the market. The base Bluetec diesel is both efficient and affordable. But watch your wallet — options can quickly rocket the GL-Class' price sky high.

2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Review

2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, Other Sport SUVs Head to 2013 Detroit Auto Show

At next week's 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, expect a couple SUVs to make a splash in the high-horsepower club — traditionally the province of super-sedans and exotic sports cars. Porsche will unveil a Cayenne Turbo S, complete with a turbo V-8 that kicks out 550 horsepower. That's 10 hp more than last year's Cayenne Turbo with an optional Turbo Power Kit.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Across the show floor, Jeep will unveil an updated Grand Cherokee and an SRT8 version with a Hemi V-8 the size of Utah. Today's Grand Cherokee SRT8 makes 470 hp; will the 2014 make the 500-hp club? Stay tuned.

The stupid-powerful SUV club goes on. Mercedes-Benz unveiled the GL63 AMG at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show — a $116,925 (excluding a destination fee), three-row SUV with a 550-hp, twin-turbo V-8. No doubt it will be on display in Detroit. Likely so will the automaker's 518-hp ML63 ($97,005), a rival to BMW's 555-hp X5 M ($89,745). Land Rover's redesigned Range Rover, whose sybaritic Supercharged edition ($99,950) boasts a 510-hp, supercharged V-8, will certainly be on display.

Enjoy them all in one place if you can. Seeing one of these on the road will be rare — and you may only spot the taillights.

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2013 Detroit Auto Show: What to Expect
2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show
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December's Fastest- and Slowest-Selling Cars

Automakers won't report December sales results until later today, but we have data on the month's fastest and slowest sellers. The redesigned Toyota Avalon hit dealerships in the first week of December, and it stormed the fastest-selling list, with regular and hybrid versions averaging just eight days apiece on dealer lots. Shoppers moved toward the Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup truck, too. That’s likely a result of an improved construction market; November housing starts hit their second highest rate since mid-2008.

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, which hit dealerships in September, spent its third month among the fastest sellers; the new-for-2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek also marked its third month on the list. Of the 18 fastest-selling cars, 10 were repeat performers, with such regulars as the redesigned Subaru Impreza and new Scion FR-S. The Kia Soul's severe mileage downgrade doesn't seem to have sapped demand, and neither has the popular hatchback's age. It debuted way back in early 2009, but in December it placed among the fastest sellers for the third month in a row.

Auto-Parking System Challenge

By James R. Healey, USA Today and Kelsey Mays, Cars.com

The simple act of parking your car is the focus of extraordinary technology. Backup cameras and warning sensors have become old hat. Surround-view cameras are slowly arriving, and the big step is cars that parallel-park themselves.

Well, sort of; they find a parking spot that's big enough and they do the wheel work. You still must operate the accelerator and brake pedals to be sure you get out of the traffic flow quickly and then don't whack the parked car ahead of or behind you.

Lexus introduced auto-parking in the U.S. on its 2007 LS 460 full-size sedan. That system had a high gee-whiz factor, but was cumbersome to use. It's gone now — discontinued after the 2012 model. Almost nobody bought it, so Lexus "removed that option," spokesman Bill Kwong said.

Though the luxury brand has axed auto-parking, mainstream Toyota still sells the feature as a Prius v option. It's also available as a stand-alone feature ($395) on the $24,000 Ford Focus Titanium. Auto-parking no longer is strictly a luxury item, though that's where it's mainly found.

Auto-parking systems become mainstream

Now that these systems are working themselves into the mainstream, USA Today and Cars.com wanted to find out if today's parking systems work better than the original Lexus setup, and thus are more likely to become popular.

Cars.com Family Reviews the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

With a starting price of $63,305, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL350 isn't for the budget-minded. For those families who can splurge, they'll get a three-row SUV that mixes power and refinement with a turbo Bluetec diesel V-6 engine that handles city streets as easily as it does mountain highways, says Cars.com Family reviewer Courtney Messenbaugh. Because it's a Mercedes, there's plenty of luxury to be found, including the burl walnut wood trim and massaging front seats.

2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Review