2014 Kia Forte

version is a full-fledged passenger model inside.

2013 Toyota RAV4

Toyota unveiled its muchawaited redesigned 2013 RAV4 small crossover. It goes on sale early in the new year at prices still to be announced.

The fourth generation of what Toyota says was the “original small crossover SUV” when it rolled out 16 years ago was a big event — a redo of one of the four core products for the world’s largest automaker. And it has been seven years since the last redesign.

But most might still find the new RAV4 more conservative than other recent redesigns, such as Ford’s Escape, Kia’s Sportage and the new Mazda CX-5.

The RAV4 finally has a traditional liftgate (with power available) and a doughnut spare under the cargo floor rather than the spare tire on the rear door.

The interior of the new RAV4 received substantial upgrades, such as soft-touch materials on the dash, nicer trim and upgraded lighting.

The carried-over 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with a modern six-speed automatic. On front-drive models, the combination will be rated at 31 miles per gallon on the highway, an increase of 2 mpg, and 24 mpg in the city, Toyota says. All-wheel-drive models are rated 29/22.

The RAV4 comes in Sport and Eco modes and the number of trims is cut to three: LE, XLE and Limited. Navigation will be available on most models. And all models get a backup camera and 6.1-inch dashboard screen. Safety upgrades include eight air bags and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic sensors.

Kia unveiled its redesigned 2014 Forte compact sedan, showing off a sleeker car with more interior room and upscale features typically found on fancier cars.

The intro came after Kia opened its auto-show news conference with an apology to customers and the assembled press for recently having to restate mileage ratings on several models, including the Rio subcompact and quirky Soul.

The new Forte sedan comes just 31⁄ years after the original arrived in the U.S., and it has became the brand’s No. 2 segment in sales volume. Kia said the sedan model shown here will be first on the market at the end of the first quarter, with a hatchback and coupe to follow. Pricing was not announced.

The new Forte compact is about 1 inch longer than the outgoing model and now has total interior volume that actually falls into the government’s midsize-car segment.

In addition to the new look and an upgraded interior with more soft-touch materials and chrome accents, the Forte has a new chassis. Standard is a 148-horsepower 1.8-liter fourcylinder. A 173-horsepower 2.0-liter is optional.

Fiat 500L

Watch out, Mini: Here comes the hatchback version of the Fiat 500.

Basically, the 500L is the familiar Italian-inspired minicar with a squared-off back. Toyota took a similar ap-

proach with its Prius in making the Prius V. In Fiat’s case, the 500L is sized just about right to take on the popular Mini fun cars.

Fiat even refers to its “small-wide” architecture. The 500L is 26 inches longer than a Mini but 6 inches wider and higher. And the 500L adds up to 42 percent more interior space than the 500. It’s all about keeping customers as they get older and families grow.

The hatchback is powered by Fiat’s 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine designed to provide 160 horsepower. It will come with either a manual or automatic six-speed transmission.

Beetle ragtop

Volkswagen unveiled the Beetle convertible in a trio of unique “launch” colors that will go out of production once 1,000 of the special-edition models are produced.

The regular but brand-new version of the Beetle ragtop hits showrooms this month, starting at $25,790. No limit on making that one.

The convertible styling differs slightly from the hardtop Beetle, and the foldingtop car sits slightly lower. The top can be operated while the car is moving up to 30 mph. Many convertibles lock out top movement if the car’s under way.

The top drops in 9.5 seconds and goes up in 11 seconds, VW says. Those times are about half what it often takes on other folding-top cars.

The three special-edition versions all have standard leather interiors rather than the normal leatherette. The trio and the eras they are meant to represent are:

1950s: Black, tan interior, wheels with large chrome centers, 2.5-liter five-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 170 horsepower and 177 poundfeet of torque. $26,890.

1960s: Denim blue, twotone seats, 2-liter turbo four rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It’s the only model that offers the turbo engine in a denim-blue car. Price not given.

1970s: Toffee brown, a color not otherwise available on the Beetle droptop, and 2-liter engine. Price not given.

Land Rover and Jaguar

If you want to make a grand entrance, Land Rover and Jaguar decided, there is no better way than the Paramount Studios movie lot.

The two British brands, now owned by India’s Tata Motors, once again created a lake by flooding the parking lot where Charlton Heston, as Moses, parted the Red Sea for “The Ten Commandments” and Jim Carrey tried to escape a cloistered life by boat in “The Truman Show.” The backdrop was a screen flashing images of the vehicles in action and Great Britain’s fluttering Union Jack.

The scene gave Land Rover a chance to send the Range Rover splashing through tire-high water to get to the review stand. The Jaguar made an equally grand entrance through billowing fog.

The Range Rover sports cleaner lines and a simplified cockpit in which the glove box and other storage is virtually invisible. The rear bench seats now have power recline with massage. And a new system senses the terrain and adjusts the suspension and traction accordingly.

The Jaguar F-Type will come with three supercharged engines, ranging from 340 to 495 horsepower. There’s a sport suspension with active damping, assessing body motion and rolls 100 times a second and acting to counteract the effect.

Mazda6 diesel

Mazda showed the showroom-ready version of its stylish Mazda6 midsize sedan and dropped this bomb: It’ll have an optional diesel engine.

That’ll make Mazda only the second mainstream maker to offer a passenger-car diesel in the U.S. Volkswagen is the other.

The 2014 Mazda6 will be on sale in January with the 184horsepower, 2.5-liter gasoline four. The 2.2-liter diesel will follow later in the year. Pricing was not announced.

Also in January — in line with Mazda’s philosophy of “race what you sell” — a diesel Mazda6 in 400-horsepower racing trim (but with 60 percent stock parts, Mazda says) will become the first diesel to compete in the prestigious Rolex 24-hour endurance race on the Daytona Speedway’s road course.

Veloster’s wheels

Hyundai has created a hot concept version of the sporty Veloster that asks the question we never thought to ask: Why do a car’s wheels all have to be the same color?

The Veloster C3 Roll Top concept takes the three-door coupe to a new level. The front wheels and back wheels are different colors. What’s more, the roof is a roll top, not unlike the desks of the past century. With the top and tailgate open, there’s room for a kayak.

It’s powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 201 horsepower.