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Competes with : BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G, Cadillac ATS

Looks like : A scaled-down Lexus GS

Drivetrain : Specifications are TBA, though the IS 250 and IS 350 trims return

Hits dealerships : Second quarter 2013

There's no more waiting to see what the 2014 Lexus IS will look like. Lexus gives us a look at both the interior and exterior of its fully redesigned compact sports sedan ahead of the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Lexus clearly took inspiration from the attractive LF-CC concept coupe shown at previous auto shows, though as of now, a coupe body style isn’t shown in the photos or mentioned in the initial announcement.

Regardless, this is an all-new IS sedan with fresh exterior and interior. Lexus says the new IS is wider and sits on a longer wheelbase for additional backseat comfort, plus the front seat is thinner for best-in-class knee room. The previous generation’s backseat was so small it made our Car Backseats to Avoid list.

Pictured here is the IS with F-Sport Package featuring a unique grille and front bumper design, as well as numerous interior enhancements to upgrade its performance look. The new interior seems to be a huge step forward over the current generation’s outdated, bland execution. Sporty F-Sport Packages feature an LFA-inspired gauge cluster with prominent tachometer in the middle of the gauges.

A growing trend among automakers' interiors is to include capacitive-touch controls to make the interiors look and function like a personal tablet computer (iPad, etc). The IS is the first Lexus to feature the controls and does so for its climate temperature controls.

The next-generation IS trim range should sound familiar with IS 250 and IS 350 trim levels, though an all-new IS 300h hybrid joins the lineup for the first time in Europe, Japan and other international markets. The U.S. market currently isn't scheduled to receive the IS 300h.

We'll know more about the IS when its specifications and features are fully unveiled at the 2013 Detroit auto show on Tuesday. Stay tuned to our 2013 North American International Auto Show coverage here .

Related
Lexus IS News  
2012 Lexus IS 350 Review
New Lexus IS to Debut at 2013 Detroit Auto Show

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Competes with: Chevrolet Volt, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Toyota Prius Plug-In
Looks like: A lot of small — but important — improvements could lift the Leaf's dismal sales
Drivetrain: 107-hp, 80-kWh electric motor with electrically variable transmission; front-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: February

Time will tell if a less-expensive trim level plus improved range and available faster charging can help the Nissan Leaf , which has struggled on the sales front since it arrived in late 2010. But that's what Nissan is hoping for with the 2013 version. There is a new Leaf S trim level, which slots below the SV and SL. Pricing is still pending, but it should start well below the 2012 Leaf SV's $27,700 (after a $7,500 federal tax credit) thanks to a number of equipment deletions: alloy wheels, a 7-inch dashboard display, cruise control, a navigation system and two of the six stereo speakers.

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The bigger news is a new 6.6-kilowatt onboard charger that comes with the SV and SL. It reduces charging times on a 220-volt (Level 2) outlet to just four hours versus the earlier seven. The faster charger is optional on the Leaf S, which otherwise gets a 3.6-kW charger to accept a 220-volt charge in last year's seven-hour span. All trims also accept a 110-volt trickle charger that plugs into a standard household outlet; a Level 3 DC quick charger is standard on the SL and optional on lesser trims.

The onboard charger now sits in the front of the Leaf, rather than the rear, which improves cargo room to 24 cubic feet — a huge improvement of 9.5 cubic feet over the 2012 Leaf. With the seats folded, cargo room increases to 30 cubic feet from last year's 24.

Nissan says range improvements come courtesy of better aerodynamics and a wider range of regenerative braking. We hope the braking changes don't compromise the Leaf's brake-pedal feel, which is excellent as regenerative brakes go. SL and SV grades get a "B" drive mode that increases regenerative braking during deceleration, as well as a more efficient hybrid heating system. The EPA rated the 2012 Leaf’s range at 73 miles on a full charge, but the agency has yet to rate the 2013 model.

Additional features on the Leaf SL include leather seats and 17-inch alloy wheels (versus the prior 16s); Nissan's Around View Monitor and a Bose stereo are now optional. The available navigation system adds Eco routes that maximize efficiency, as well as Google Places searching and Pandora functionality. All Leaf models get heated front and rear seats.

For 2013, Nissan moved Leaf production from overseas to Smyrna, Tenn., alongside half-dozen other Nissan and Infiniti products. The automaker also produces the Leaf's lithium-ion battery in Smyrna. After two dismal sales years, things can only improve. Nissan sold just 9,819 Leafs in 2012 — about even with 2011 and well short of the automaker's goal of 20,000 sales for the year. The rival Chevrolet Volt sold more than double that figure (23,461) in 2012, and even Toyota sold more Prius Plug-In hybrids (12,750).

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Related
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In the realm of towing capacity among heavy-duty trucks, the 2013 Ram HD carries a lot of weight. Newly reported figures confirm what the automaker promised earlier: The Ram HD 2500 and 3500 have some of the largest towing and weight ratings in the industry, thanks in part to beefed-up rear suspension and an upgraded Cummins motor generating class-leading torque. The 3500 will even usurp the Ford F-450 Super Duty as reigning maximum-towing-capacity champ. Read more about Ram HD's towing ratings at PickupTrucks.com by following the link below:

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Competes with: BMW X3 xDrive35i, Lexus RX 450h, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
Looks like: The Q5 got Audi's "S" treatment
Drivetrain: 354-hp, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with eight-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: Fall

If the 2013 Q5's supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 isn't quick enough for you — it hits 60 mph in 6 seconds — a new 2014 SQ5 cranks out an extra 82 horsepower and 52 pounds-feet of torque from the same-displacement engine for a total of 354 hp and 347 pounds-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic sends power to the ground via Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive, and Audi expects the SQ5 to hit 60 mph in around 5 seconds — a half-second faster than the rival BMW X3 xDrive35i .

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A gasoline counterpart to Europe's diesel-powered SQ5 TDI, the SQ5 hits U.S. showrooms this fall. Other changes include a firmer suspension that sits 1.2 inches lower and 20- or 21-inch wheels (the Q5 tops out at 20s). An optional Dynamic Steering Package varies ratio as well as assist, and Quattro vectors torque to sharpen handling like similar systems from BMW, Acura and others.

Gray accents line the grille and side mirrors while the cabin has gray gauges with white lettering — long an Audi S trademark. The SQ5 still carries counterintuitive 3.0T insignia despite the engine being supercharged not turbocharged.

Audi's small SUV sells about as well as the Mercedes GLK-Class and Acura RDX , but its sales fell short of the X3's in 2012. The SQ5 could help, given the popularity of today's 3.0-liter Q5, which accounts for more than a third of Cars.com new-car Q5 inventory. There's no word on pricing yet, but expect the SQ5 to start somewhere north of the $44,795 Q5 3.0T.

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Until now, new-car shoppers who want a navigation system have to pick a more expensive navigation-equipped vehicle at the dealership or have an aftermarket system installed into a lower trim level. At this week's 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, Chrysler announced plans to address that with a dealer-activated navigation system. Basically, the automaker will offer standard — but deactivated — navigation in cars equipped with the Uconnect dashboard screen. Pay for the option and dealers will activate it. It's sort of like how your TV's cable receiver could play a gaggle of premium channels but locks them out until you pay up.

Dealer-activated navigation requires Chrysler's Uconnect Access system, the latest version of Uconnect. It debuts in the 2013 Ram 1500 , 2013 SRT Viper and 2014 Fiat 500L , with screen sizes ranging from 6.5 to 8.4 inches. Dealers can activate navigation when you buy the car or if you decide you want it later on. Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said dealer-activated navigation will run $595 in the Ram, but there's no pricing on the other two yet.

We'll see if Chrysler finds many takers down the road. A handful of Ford owners are clamoring for a similar post-purchase option on cars that have MyFord Touch and its dashboard screen but not the navigation option. Dealer-activated navigation "is theoretically possible, but we’ve not seen the customer demand for it yet," Ford spokesman Alan Hall said. "Most people purchase navigation up front when they order or choose the car."

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