Redesigned 2014 Nissan Rogue Gains an Optional Third Row

If you’re shopping for an affordable compact SUV with three rows of seats, the Dodge Journey is currently the only option in the class. However, that will change when the redesigned 2014 Nissan Rogue goes on sale in November. “For the first time Rogue offers optional 3-row/7-passenger seating, thanks to its improved interior packaging efficiency,” Nissan writes in a press release. “Among the many interior highlights are the exceptional passenger and cargo flexibility with its innovative EZ Flex™ seating System.”
The 2014 Rogue is slightly taller than the outgoing 2013 model, and it’s also a bit longer than compact SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. No word yet on how much cargo space the redesigned Rogue offers, but Nissan says that the new EZ Flex seating system allows all passenger seats to fold down, which makes it possible to transport long items like an 8-foot ladder. Kicking Tires writes, “The second row of seats also has a remarkable 9 inches of travel to adjust for third-row passengers' comfort.”

(Nissan)

The 2014 Nissan Rogue will come standard with a four-speaker stereo, a backup camera, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and a USB port. Available features include dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a nine-speaker Bose stereo system, navigation and satellite radio. A number of safety and driver-assistance features will also be available, including blind spot, lane departure and forward collision warning systems, as well as Nissan’s Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection system, which uses four cameras to provide a 360-degree view around the Rogue.
The redesigned Rogue will come in S, SV and SL trims, all of which are available with front- or all-wheel drive. A 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission are standard on all models. The EPA hasn’t released fuel economy estimates yet, but Nissan expects front-wheel drive models to deliver 26/33 mpg city/highway, or 28 mpg combined, which is quite good for the class.

(Nissan)

After an $860 destination charge, the base front-wheel drive Rogue S will start at $23,350, while the top SL AWD model rings in at $30,280. Nissan also announced some incentives if you want to reserve a 2014 Rogue ahead of time. The automaker is offering a $250 gift card for Rogue buyers or a promotional lease offer of $239 per month for 36 months with $2,599 due at signing. To qualify for either offer, you must sign up by Nov. 12 and take delivery by March 31, 2014.

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Officially Rated at 29 MPG Highway

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (General Motors)

The EPA has officially rated the redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray at 17/29 mpg city/highway, which works out to 21 mpg combined when equipped with a seven-speed manual transmission. The new Corvette has better fuel economy estimates than the 2013 model, which earned 16/26 mpg city/highway and a combined rating of 19 mpg.
General Motors says in a press release that the 2014 Corvette gets 28 mpg on the highway in its normal Tour drive mode, while 30 mpg can be achieved on the highway by switching to the Corvette’s Eco drive mode. Selecting Eco mode engages the Corvette’s Active Fuel Management system, “which disables four of the cylinders for improved fuel economy during light engine loads.” Fuel economy estimates for models with the six-speed automatic transmission have not been released yet, but GM says that Corvettes with automatic transmissions use Active Fuel Management at all times, unless the driver uses the steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters to put the Corvette in manual mode.
GM says that the Stingray’s fuel economy rating makes it “the most fuel efficient sports car on the market as no other car offers more than 455 horsepower and greater than 29 mpg highway.” In comparison, less powerful cars like the Ford Mustang GT and BMW M3 earn 18/25 and 14/20 mpg, respectively, while the more powerful Nissan GT-R gets 16/23 mpg. The 400-horsepower Porsche 911 Carrera S gets 19/27 mpg city/highway. While the 911 Carrera S earns two mpg less on the highway, it does earn a slightly higher combined fuel economy estimate at 22 mpg.
The 2014 Corvette Stingray will go on sale this fall, while convertible models will hit dealer lots by the end of 2013. After a $995 destination charge, the Corvette Stingray will start at $51,995 and $56,995 for coupe and convertible models, respectively.

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Mazda Unveils Redesigned 2014 Mazda3

(Mazda Motor of America)

Mazda officially introduced the all-new 2014 Mazda3 hatchback at a press event in New York today. The automaker says in a press release that the 2014 Mazda3 is completely redesigned, sharing almost nothing besides its name with the 2013 model.
“With more than 3.5 million vehicles sold globally, the Mazda3 is the brand’s best-selling and most recognizable nameplate, and its redesign for 2014 shows just how much attention to detail and care we put into this important vehicle,” says Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North America Operations.

(Mazda Motor of America)

Compared with the outgoing Mazda3, the new hatchback has a longer wheelbase, but it’s also slightly shorter, lower and wider. Mazda says that the result is an interior that offers more shoulder room in both rows, as well as comparable headroom to the car it replaces. An all-new Active Driving Display also debuts in the 2014 Mazda3, which displays information like navigation directions and speed on a clear pop-up panel. Mazda says that its Active Driving Display keeps vehicle information within the driver’s line of sight, and that the panel folds into a hidden position when the car is turned off.
For 2014, the Mazda3 will continue to offer the Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, as well as the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that’s currently available in the 2014 Mazda CX-5 and Mazda6. Mazda hasn’t provided fuel economy estimates for the redesigned Mazda3 yet, but the 2.0- and 2.5-liter engines will produce 155 and 184 horsepower, respectively. A six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission will be available.

(Mazda Motor of America)

The redesigned Mazda3 will have a new infotainment system, which Mazda says will come with Bluetooth, a USB port and an auxiliary input jack. The new system will also respond to voice commands and read emails and text messages through the speakers, as well as Twitter and Facebook updates. A Bose surround-sound stereo system and a navigation system will be optional.
The Mazda3 will also offer a number of new safety technologies for 2014, which Mazda calls i-Activsense features. These include automatic high beam control, which can automatically adjust your headlights for oncoming traffic and radar-based cruise control, which automatically adjusts the car’s speed based on the distance and speed of the car in front of it. Blind spot monitoring and lane departure and forward collision warning systems are also offered as i-Activsense features. Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support system will also be offered, which can automatically apply the brakes or increase breaking power at speeds less than 19 mph if an obstacle is detected.

(Mazda Motor of America)

The 2013 Mazda3 is currently our top-ranked affordable small car, so will Mazda’s updates make it an even stronger contender? We’ll see how the redesigned Mazda3 stacks up to the competition when it goes on sale this fall.

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GM Prices the Redesigned 2014 Cadillac CTS Sedan at $46,025

(General Motors)

General Motors has announced that the all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan will start at $46,025 after a $925 destination charge, which is $6,035 more than the 2013 model. GM says in a press release that the 2014 CTS will offer 20 new standard features, as well as “more interior space, power and technology” when it hits dealerships this fall.
The 2014 CTS will be offered with the choice of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.6-liter V6, as well as rear- or all-wheel drive. The automaker says that the V6 generates 321 horsepower. The turbo-four equipped CTS sedan will produce 272 horsepower and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, which makes it 1.5 seconds quicker than the 2013 CTS.

(General Motors)

A more powerful CTS Vsport model will also debut with a starting price of $59,995 after a $925 destination fee. The CTS Vsport will come with a new 420-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Edmunds reports that the CTS Vsport is not a replacement for the 2013 CTS-V sedan, which starts at $65,410 after an $895 destination fee and a $1,300 gas-guzzler tax. Cadillac Spokesman David Caldwell told Edmunds that the CTS Vsport will not carry a gas-guzzler tax.
Inside, the redesigned 2014 CTS sedan will come standard with Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system and an eight-inch touch-screen display, as well as an 11-speaker Bose stereo system with HD Radio. “It will also be the first Cadillac with advanced park assist, which takes control of the steering wheel when parallel parking,” writes Autoweek. “Also notable is a new 20-way adjustable driver’s seat with haptic feedback for lane-departure warning, also found on the ATS.”

(General Motors)

The current CTS sedan ranks highly among upscale midsize cars, where it competes with models like the BMW 3-Series, Infiniti G37 and its sibling, the Cadillac ATS. However, some auto writers say that the new CTS’ larger size makes it more fit to compete with luxury large cars like the BMW 5-Series. Jalopnik writes, “Instead of being somewhere between a 3 and 5 series BMW, the CTS has gone full 5 series.” The 2014 Cadillac CTS will start at about $3,800 more than the Audi A6, but it also undercuts the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and 5-Series by roughly $5,900 and $1,800, respectively. Unlike the sedan, the CTS Coupe and CTS Sport Wagon will carry over unchanged for the 2014 model year.

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