The 2013 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list was just released and it looks as if the Asian automakers get to do the Happy, Happy Joy dance for building what it takes to make the Top Ten. General Motors also seems to know what will keep drivers and passengers comfy and cozy for their drives as well in order to make the list. For drivers, it gives us something to keep in mind when we are wondering what the next best commuter vehicle will be to plant our butts in.

WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief, Drew Winter, comments, “This year’s batch of winners really drives home the point that auto interiors are vital in the battle for consumers’ hearts and minds. It wasn’t uncommon all that long ago for auto makers to view interiors as the best place to take cost out of a vehicle program. They eventually figured out that’s a big mistake because people spend a lot more time looking at the inside of their car than the outside.”

The winners are determined by being time tested and driven during routine commutes and scored for “materials, ergonomics, comfort safety, value, fit-and-finish and overall design.” According to Ward’s Auto, they are also scored for how driver friendly they are to use in regard to using the technology and accessing vehicle information.

This year’s 2013 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors winners:

• Acura RDX – Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
• Cadillac XTS – General Motors Co.
• Chevrolet Spark – General Motors Co.
• Hyundai Santa Fe Sport – Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.
• Kia Forte – Kia Motors Corp.
• Lexus GS 450h – Toyota Motor Corp.
• Mazda6 – Mazda Motor Corp.
• Nissan Pathfinder – Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
• Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn – Chrysler Group LLC
• Toyota Avalon – Toyota Motor Corp.

Japanese automakers have one unfortunate commonality. They all have to issue recalls for faulty airbags. Apparently they all used an outside supplier, Takata Corp., for airbags that went into their vehicles built in the years 2000 through 2004. The airbags in question are the passenger front bags that do not inflate properly. As you can imagine, that could have significant implications in the event of a crash, especially for the front seat passenger. Toyota and Honda have both published information about their recalls from this fiasco at their respective websites. Nissan and Mazda have not commented yet but all will need to make sure to contact owners and get this issue taken care of.

Recall List:

Toyota – The following built between November 2000 and March 2004 – Lexus SC, the Toyota Corolla, Sequoia and Tundra and the Pontiac Vibe. The Camry sedan is also affected, but not in the U.S. market. This totals around 1.73 million Toyota models, 580,000 vehicles sold in North America and 490,000 vehicles sold in Europe.

Honda  - Civic, CR-V and Odyssey built within the same time period as Toyota and totals about 1.14 million vehicles. 561,400 vehicles were sold here in American and 107,800 in Canada.

Nissan – Specific models haven’t been announced, however there are around 480,000 Nissan models that will be recalled. 265,000 are here in the United States.

Mazda – Reports are stating that 45,500 vehicles worldwide will be recalled. The specific models haven’t been released as yet however Mazda 6 sedans and RX-8 sportscars here in America will be effected along with whichever other models are involved.

There is a risk of fires being started or of passengers being injured by metal fragments shooting up toward the windshield or down into the passenger foot well in the event of a crash. Because of these risks, drivers of the affected vehicles should contact their dealerships. While Honda has initiated sending recall letters to their drivers, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda have not announced when they will notify their drivers of this issue.

There has been a love/hate relationship going with wagons for quite a few years now, but Mazda is banking on love for their new 2014 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D Wagon. This diesel gives the efficiency of a diesel with the features of a paired down minivan, perfect for those who aren’t ready to go all the way to “soccer mom or dad” level, yet large enough for at least some team members and bag of balls and cones. The question is will it catch on or will Mazda Zoom Zoom fans prefer to hop right on over to a different style for the SkyActiv type engines?

The 2014 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D Wagon hosts a 2.2 liter SkyActiv-D engine, and yes, the D stands for diesel. This engine will produce 148 horsepower and 280 pound feet of torque which means you can count on power even if you won’t win any races. You will be able to go from 0 to 60 in about 8.7 seconds though. While that is not agonizingly slow but you certainly aren’t going to zoom which is why the American version of the Mazda Diesel version will feature a 2.2 liter turbodiesel that gives 173 horsepower and about 310 pound feet of torque. That will get you to 60 in half a second faster, still not zooming but definitely a half second more comfortable than the Italian version and you can still cash in on getting around 30 city miles per gallon and 40 highway miles per gallon, so giving up a few extra seconds could very well be worth it for your pocket book.

Whether America gets a wagon version of the 2014 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D or not remains to be seen. We just might have to settle for the coupe. Either way, the engine should be showing up later this year for those who value fuel efficiency over a complete zoom zoom driving experience.

Source YouTube

American drivers love compact crossovers because they provide the best of both worlds. On one hand they offer versatile layouts to be able to configure all sorts of cargo and passenger options, but they also offer a smaller size which typically equates to better fuel efficiency and easier parking navigation. The 2014 Mazda CX-5 is hoping to cash in on some of that popularity and while this model does “okay” in the compact crossover competition, many drivers have complained about how unremarkable their CX-5 models turn out to be, especially if speed counts. From the looks of it, Mazda did their best to accommodate improvements to resolve those complaints. If that’s enough to make the 2014 version a best seller or not remains to be seen.

The base model 2014 Mazda CX-5 hosts a 2.0 liter four engine mated to either a six speed manual gearbox for front wheel drive only or a six speed automatic which can be front wheel or all wheel depending on preference. This engine gives 155 horsepower which is not going to make the mark for those who want to feel that they are getting anywhere fast. Upgrading to the Sports models, including the Touring or Grand Touring options will give you a 2.5 liter four cylinder. That will give 184 horsepower which, while not super speedy, is still much more assertive than the alternative. It does have the SkyActiv technology though, so it can be a little zippy if not all out powerful.

The interior in the 2014 Mazda CX-5 is uninspiring, but still offers a comfortable ride with firmly bolstered seats. If you want more than the basic technology you will pay a bit more. In fact, if you want the best of the best, which is the 2014 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring model with all the bells and whistles, you will pay just under $30,000 which isn’t bad at all from a compact crossover.

Source YouTube

The race is on to see what vehicles will make it into the spotlight at the 2013 World Car Awards. The cars that are eligible for this prestigious award must be introduced and available for sale in at least one major market area between January 1, 2012 and May 30, 2013. While that gives quite a few models a chance for glory, the vehicles waiting for their debuts at the upcoming Chicago and Geneva auto shows might not make the cut unless they get to the dealers pretty darn fast after the coming out parties. The top ten finalists have been named though by the 66 journalists from around the world. The top three winners will be revealed at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013.

The journalists involved in the panel to choose the 2013 World Car winners are chosen based on their experience and professional work. It is a balance that is made sure to balance out representation from Asia, Europe and the U.K., North America, Russia, as well as other parts of the world. Their ballots are secretly cast.

The 2013 World Car of the Year Top Ten Finalists:

• Audi A3
• Land Rover Range Rover
• Mazda6
• Mazda CX5
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class
• Peugeot 208
• Porsche Boxster / Cayman
• Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT 86 / Toyota 86
• Volkswagen Golf
• Volvo V40

The Top Ten 2013 World Performance Finalists:

• Aston Martin Vanquish
• Audi RS 5
• BMW M6 Coupe / Convertible
• BMW M 135i
• Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
• Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster
• Porsche Boxster / Cayman
• Renault Clio Sport
• Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT 86 / Toyota 86

Best of luck to all the finalists. We’ll be sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to hear which models make it into the top three.

Source World Car Awards

The automakers who won the hearts of America’s Car Brand Perception know how to keep a good thing going and this latest Consumer Reports survey proves it. The top six brands from last year are the top six brands again for this year. This survey goes across the country to poll drivers about what they think of the available brands in seven categories including quality, safety, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation and environmentally friendly/green. All these scores are added up together and the car with the most points wins.

While the top six from last year held their spots, not all automakers lived up to expectations though. “This past year brought stability and increased sales to much of the automotive industry. Yet, the brand awareness scores for some like BMW, Buick and Hyundai have declined,” said Jeff Bartlett, deputy auto editor online, Consumer Reports. “The data shows that it has become harder for companies to compete for share of mind. Consumers are not seeing as much differentiation between brands as they have in the past.”

Best Overall brand perception Ratings:

• Toyota: 133
• Ford: 118
• Honda: 114
• Chevrolet: 94
• Mercedes-Benz: 77
• Volvo: 77
• Cadillac: 66
• BMW: 66
• Dodge: 56
• Tesla: 55

Worst Overall brand perception Ratings:

• Scion: 6
• Mitsubishi: 6
• Ram: 7
• Fiat: 8
• Mini: 10
• Land Rover: 11
• Jaguar: 15
• Mazda: 16
• Jeep: 16
• Porsche: 21

The survey also proved that quality and safety are the most important considerations for how drivers choose their new vehicles. Next is value and performance. Environmental factors while nice for everyone to talk about, boils down to what is going to help save money versus what will help save the planet, but if a car can offer both, then it immediately ranks higher in popularity.

Source Consumer Reports