Asian automakers strut their stuff on West Coast
Ever since the first Japanese cars were unloaded in the Port of Los Angeles in the late 1950s, California new car buyers have always been receptive to Asian automakers. And at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, automakers from Japan and Korea had plenty to offer.
Kia
With 27 straight months of record-breaking American-market sales, Kia debuted new versions of two of its top sellers, the Forte Sedan and the Sorento crossover.
Lower, longer and wider than the 2013 model, the 2014 Forte Sedan debuts, offering two four-cylinder engines: a 148-horsepower 1.8-litre; and a direct-injected 2.0L with 173 h.p. Luxury car features include three-mode steering, rear backup camera and heated and cooled seats.
Kia says more than 80 per cent of its 2014 Sorento is new or significantly redesigned. Fresh exterior styling, a redesigned cabin with more room and upgraded engines (direct-injected four with 191 h.p. and a 290-h.p. direct-injected six) are included, plus Kia’s second-generation UVO telematics and infotainment system, programmable power rear liftgate, second-row sliding sunshades and a blind spot detection system.
Toyota
Toyota unveiled its new, Canadian-made 2014 RAV4 compact crossover. With sharper styling (appearing on most new Toyotas), the front- or all-wheel-drive fourdoor loses its previously optional six-cylinder (the lone power plant will now be a 176-h.p. four). The 2013 version’s decrepit four-speed automatic transmission now has two more gears for 2014. The exterior-mounted spare tire is now found underneath the car and its side-hinged trunk door is now hinged at the top.
Subaru
Ready to take on the Toyota is the new 2014 Subaru Forester. Not varying too much from the current model in size — it’s still Impreza-based but gets more styling. The compact crossover’s powertrain upgrades are far more significant. The 2013 rendition’s 170-h.p. 2.5L boxer four-cylinder continues as the base engine. But a turbocharged version of the 2.0L unit found in the Subaru BRZ/ Scion FR-S sports car twins, now making 250 h.p., is the new upgrade mill.
Mazda
During the North American reveal of its new 2014 mid-sized Mazda6 sedan, the company confirmed that besides a fuel-efficient Skyactiv-G (gas) 2.5L four-cylinder with 184 h.p., an optional diesel mill would become available.
No power or torque specs are available yet, but the 2014 Mazda6’s 2.2L Skyactiv-D (as in diesel) is expected to be 20 per cent more fuel efficient than its gas counterpart. Mazda also revealed its three-row, seven-passenger 2013 CX-9 crossover, with new styling. And the new Mazda6’s 2.5L Skyactiv-G will be an option in the 2014 CX-5 compact crossover — a 29h.p. bump over the base 2.0L four.
Honda
Honda already released exterior shots of its 2014 Civic sedan, but interior upgrades include premium materials, a redesigned instrument panel and centre console, added chrome and optional rear-view camera.
Honda says the new Canadianmade 2013 Civic will also have a quieter cabin, and upgrades to its steering and suspension aim to improve its diving characteristics.
Honda’s premium Acura brand debuted the 2014 production version of its flagship RLX luxury sedan we first saw as a concept at the New York Auto Show. A front-drive version with Acura’s Precision All-Wheel Steer (that adjusts the angle of the rear wheels independently for better agility and braking), and a 310-h.p. V-6, goes on sale next spring. A 370-h.p. hybrid version — using the same 3.5L V-6, but with three electric motors (one in the automatic transmission and one on each rear wheel, which delivers all-wheel drive with independent torque vectoring) — will follow later in 2013.
To promote the new RLX as Acura’s technological showpiece, the sedan comes with a high-end Krill audio system, Adaptive Cruise Control (with low-speed follow function) cloud-based AcuraLink and a backup camera.
Mitsubishi
Finally, an all-new 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander, weighing about 90 kg lighter than the outgoing model, made its North American debut.
A 2.4L four and 3.0L V-6 will initially be available in both five- and seven-passenger iterations. In early 2014, though, the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle arrives with front- and rear-mounted electric motors combined with a gas motor to effectively offer AWD.