Nissan has released information about its new Pathfinder Concept today, as well as the new technology thats going to help make it a more comfortable SUV for the whole family.

While the Pathfinder also features a new exterior, which works with a new CVT to provide better fuel economy, Nissan also shows us a few new features designed to upgrade the cars comfort. Drivers will certainly enjoy the heated and cooled front seats, as well as the heated steering wheel. Passengers should appreciate features like the heated second row seating, and the tri-zone climate control. Its also worth mentioning the advanced Bose speaker system that has 13 speakers.

The Pathfinder concept features a large multifunction display which provides the driver with real-time traffic and weather information. Also making an appearance is Nissan’s Around View Monitor, which gives the driver a full 360-degree image of the area around the car.

One last innovative feature is the second row’s “child-seat mode” which allows the row to move forward while a child seat stays in place, so a passenger can get into the third row.

GALLERY: Nissan Pathfinder Concept

New details on the 2013 Ford Escape are available thanks to a consumer survey page posted on the company’s website.

While the pricing details aren’t concrete, it gives us more information than we had last December when we reported that the American giant planned to drop their hybrid powertrain in light of lackluster sales and new engines that came close to the same fuel economy without electric motors.

Now we know that there will be four trim levels: the S, SE, SEL and Titanium. Prices increase along with the length of the package name. According to the page, the base “S” might start at $21,970, though the prices and features may change based on customer feedback.

The features list is slim, but will probably include an AM/FM radio and single-disc CD player with MP3 compatibility and six speakers as well as Ford’s MyKey, Safety Canopy and driver knee and side airbags.

The top-of-the-line “Titanium” package upgrades you to HD radio and a 10-speaker Sony sound system. Also Sync with MyFord Touch and a partial leather interior.

The mid-range SE and SEL models differ, but it’s hard to believe that Ford will really restrict features between the different Escapes, especially given that this is a tentative list.

GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape

China is the new land of opportunity as businessmen gain newfound wealth from its booming economy. However, some have learned the hard way that money cannot buy happiness.

Last week, a Porsche owner was upset that his Cayenne SUV, worth a reported 2.7 million yuan, suffered a string of problems during the 2 months he owned it. Claiming that the serious problem nearly caused him to crash on two occasions, the Porsche dealership of Shenzhen agreed to fix the vehicle. Unfortunately, the problem inexplicably continued to resurface.

Although the Porsche dealer offered the owner to swap for another Cayenne, the owner demanded his money back instead. Eventually, the Shenzhen Porsche dealer submitted to the Cayenne owner’s demands under the condition that he sign a confidentiality agreement and to not disclose why he returned his Porsche. However, the agreement fell through and the Porsche dealership chose not to take back the lemon Cayenne after all. Taking matters into his own hands, the Cayenne owner decided to return his Cayenne on a flatbed truck and staged a loud protest right outside the dealer doors.

While the situation is certainly negative publicity, a senior executive from a premium car brand believes that incidents like this one would barely affect sales. As the Chinese economy continues to prosper, the demand for high luxury vehicles will not slow down.

Last year, a similar protest story involved a disgruntled Lamborghini Gallardo owner that hired a bunch of men to publicly destroy his defective Italian sports car on China’s World Consumer Rights Day.

[Source: China Car Times]

If you have been a fan of the turbo-charged motor in the current Acura RDX, you may not like what you’re about to read.

At the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit MI., Acura unveiled the 2013 RDX, which is to ditch its unique turbo-charged motor for a more conventional 3.5-liter V6 motor.

This new engine does pack a bigger punch. It develops 273-hp, that is 33-hp more than the current model. Acura said its customers were not very happy with the fuel-economy of the turbo-charged motor, so it has gone with a more conventional V6. Helping it achieve better fuel-economy will also be its new 6-speed automatic gearbox (current version has five-speeds). Acura has already carried out EPA testing for this vehicle, and the result is 20-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway.

The new model will be available as either a front-wheel drive or all-wheel model.

The new RDX will also be longer than the out-going model, which didn’t offer much rear-seat legroom or much trunk space.

So in many areas, the new RDX seems to be a better vehicle than the one it replaces. Will it still be as much fun to drive? We will let you as soon as we get to drive one.

GALLERY: 2013 Acura RDX

The Tesla Model X is something of an enigma, but thanks to some tweets that went out last month it sounds like it will be faster than a Porsche Cayenne and roomier than an Audi Q7.

Once again, thanks to internet chatter we’ve got some more information on this hum-dinger of an SUV. A member on the Tesla Motors Club forum said he read in the Barclays Capital research report that there would be an unveiling on February 9. According to a post by Autoblog earlier today, that date is now confirmed.

So far, Tesla has been leading the EV industry in style and performance, consistently proving that being without an internal combustion engine isn’t the end of the world, though it may be the end of your bank account. Their first release, the Tesla Roadster, is a head turner that makes you feel like Tony Stark. Next they released the Model S, touting it as the worlds first premium electric sedan. The Model X is sure to follow their attention magnet tradition.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Thanks to Bentley‘s strongest sales performance since 2008, the gentlemen of Crewe are looking to expand their line-up with the introduction of a new luxury SUV by 2014.

Known for its generous application of wood and leather, Bentley does not intend to compete against the likes of Cayenne or Range Rover. Instead, Bentley aims to position its SUV above any other SUV currently on the market. Expect prices to begin at $140,000 plus.

Volkswagen, Bentley’s German owner, also plans to carry this project over to its Lamborghini operation as well. A new Lamborghini SUV would become the third model in the brand’s exotic line-up and would also mark the return of the Lamborghini SUV after the LM002 “Rambo Lambo” was built from 1986 to 1993.

In 2008, Lamborghini first unveiled the 4-door Lamborghini Estoque concept car. Although the sedan was well received by both the press and public, a strong demand for sporty soft-roaders from emerging markets like China, Russia, and India suggest that a high-performance SUV for Lamborghini may be better going forward.

An official Lamborghini address on the matter is expected by the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

Kanye West once rapped that the Mercedes G550 was “his favorite toy”, but West, along with other rappers and oil shieks, will be sorely disappointed to learn that the new AMG versions expected to debut will make their lowly G550 look dated.

The G55 will get an updated twin-turbo 525-horsepower 5.5L V8, similar to other Mercedes AMG cars, to replace its supercharged V8. A mild facelift will also follow. But what’s really making news is the rumored G65, which should come with a twin-turbocharged V12 engine and a pricetag of $327,000. The V12 will put out 612 horsepower and roughly 738 lb-ft of torque. The excessive price tag and power figures are in play thanks to an ultra-exclusive run of only 250 cars.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz G55 and G65 AMG

Remember the Chrysler TC by Maserati? It was an American car with some Italian influence and the end result was simply awful.

Let’s hope this alliance will bear better fruit this time around, as Maserati is set to unveil their Kubang SUV concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.

The Kubang, which will be the first SUV to wear a Maserati badge, will be based on the chassis of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. While power will be provided by an Italian engine (Maserati uses Ferrari engines in their cars), the vehicle is expected to be produced in America at Chrysler’s Jefferson North facility.

The Kubang concept was last seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in September, and while we cannot confirm if the Detroit unveil will be of the same vehicle or something different, we do know that Maserati will unveil an SUV at the N.A.I.A.S.

Put the two together and its easy to figure out that possibly a more production ready version of the Kubang will bow in Detroit.

We will be covering the Detroit auto show and will bring you all the latest news from the show, as it happens.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Toyota announced today the MSRP for the 2012 RAV4 compact sport utility vehicle. The overall price point on the compact crossover is being increased by an average of $100, or 0.4 percent on all models.

You can get the RAV4 in three different trim packages: the base RAV package, the middle of the road Sport package and the top of the line Limited package, with a choice between a 2.5-liter four cylinder engine or a 3.5-liter V6. Toyota also offers a choice between front wheel drive or electronic on demand four wheel drive.

The starting MSRP is $22,650 and stretches in range up to $28, 650. The 2012 RAV4 will hit dealers on December 20th.

GALLERY: 2012 Toyota RAV4

Kelly Blue Book Released their list of the 20 most researched vehicles and three of the top five spots belong the Honda products. The Civic and Accord placed first and second respectively, with the Toyota Camry in third, the Honda CR-V in fourth and the Ford F-150 in fifth.

The Hyundai Sonata and Elantra placed sixth and seventh respectively, with the Elantra cracking the top 20 for the first time. The top five brands overall were Toyota, Ford, Honda, Chevrolet and Hyundai, with the Toyota Prius as the sole hybrid on the list. Check out the full list below, after the jump.

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