SAN ANTONIO — General Motors paid special attention to smoothness and quietness, neither normally associated with big pickups, in redesigning its full-size trucks for 2014.

Knowing that a majority of pickups are used as personal vehicles at least some of the time, the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra were tested by GM over many miles of smooth roads and normal highway surfaces as well as on cratered paths.

It worked. The 2014 Chevy Silverado crew-cab models tested here are, in fact, remarkably smooth and quiet — a big deal if you take road trips with your family or work crews.

The 2014 trucks go on sale in June, but only as crew cabs with 5.3-liter V-8s. Other engines and cab/bed configurations come later this year.

To do more work with less fuel, GM trimmed weight, using more aluminum. A typical configuration is a crew cab, 5.3-liter V-8, with four-wheel drive (4×4) weighing roughly 5,200 pounds for 2014, about 200 pounds less than the 2013. A similar Ford F-150 or Toyota Tundra is close to 5,600 pounds. Chrysler’s Ram 1500 is about 5,300 pounds.

If your truck weighs less, it generally can carry more. Test Drive thinks that’s more important in a pickup than towing capacity. Almost everybody carries stuff. But most people don’t tow — understandable because it can slice your mileage in half and make you nervous as an over-caffeinated cat if you’re not used to it.

Without special-duty gear to boost capacity, Silverado crew 4×4 V-8 totes 1,957 pounds of people, cargo and accessories, according to Chevy. A similar Ford: 1,700 pounds. Tundra maxes at 1,575 and Ram’s just 1,490 pounds, according to the automakers.

Towing capacity is harder to compare. Automakers don’t necessarily measure towing capacity the same way. Assuming GM and Ford are close in their methods, the Silverado configured as above, without heavy-duty towing gear, can tow 6,600 pounds or 9,600 pounds, depending on axle ratio. The Ford: 7,700 to 9,300 pounds.

Lighter weight also should mean lower fuel consumption. In real-life runs around here, V-8, 4×4, crew-cab Silverados turned in low to mid-18s on the trip computer’s mpg meter. That’s about 1 mpg more than a similar F-150, driven similarly.

Texas, the biggest truck market in the U.S., gets about half the factory’s production the first two months, so it might be awhile before your local dealer is awash in 2014 Silverados.

Testing was done with two adults aboard and was done without cargo; with 1,200 pounds in the bed; and with a tow of 8,700 pounds. Driving included mostly Texas two-lane blacktop, plus meandering on a really lame “off-road” course (a rural Midwest gravel driveway in winter would be more challenging).

Regardless of conditions, the Silverados maintained remarkably smooth, quiet poise.

Besides good manners under all conditions, what else stood out:

Powertrains. The new base 4.3-liter V-6 and optional 5.3-liter V-8 are dramatically updated from the engines of the same displacement they replace. Aluminum block and heads, no more cast iron. Both scoot quickly, pull loads gracefully and deliver decent fuel economy. Six-speed automatic works well and doesn’t leave you feeling as if you’re missing something by not having an eight-speed as Chrysler Group’s Ram does. The 6.2-liter V-8 wasn’t available to test.

The engines will run on E85 (which is, despite the name, 83% alcohol) and have higher power ratings doing so. The engine computer retunes the engines a bit to take advantage of alcohol’s higher octane. But E85′s energy content is 27% less than in pure gasoline, the Department of Energy says, increasing fuel use.

Seats. Comfort varies. Test Drive liked the cloth bench seat the best, and many must agree: Chevy says 70% of its trucks are built with the bench seat. Physiques differ, and yours might like the buckets.

Column-mounted gearshift. Loud applause for using a lever instead of a knob or push-buttons, and for keeping the shifter where it belongs in a truck.

Instruments. Big tachometer, big speedometer, four smaller gauges, all arrayed on the instrument panel. No goofy screen that you’re supposed to customize. More applause.

Styling. Pickups aren’t sports cars, and styling is secondary. Even so, Silverado looks a bit cartoonish, with an overdone grille (unless you get the Z71 package) and fender bulges. The rectilinear wheel openings, though long a Chevy signature, still look like a round peg is being stuffed into a square hole. At some angles, in some colors, the goofy look fades and Silverado looks pretty cool.

Interior. Well put together, and the surfaces are attractive to see and touch, but some of the bulges and angles seem needless, as if trying too hard to make a statement.

Infotainment. Continues GM’s good execution, easy operation.

Plugs. The high-end test trucks had multiple USB plugs, two 12-volt outlets and a 115-volt outlet. That’s how a truck should be outfitted.

Cargo bed. Spray-in bed liner’s now a factory option, for those who prefer that to a drop-in liner but don’t want to trust their new truck to Joe’s Bedliner, Bait and Barley Shop. The optional soft-drop tailgate is a welcome feature that should be standard on all pickups. Not unique, though. Tundra’s had it since 2007.

Back seat. Bigger aisle between the seat and door pillar makes it less likely you’ll tangle your feet getting in, and 2 more inches of rear legroom is welcome. Yet, it still doesn’t look or feel as spacious as rivals.

Stew it all together and you have a truck with excellent manners, solid performance, top-flight capabilities that’s so-so on eye appeal and still needs a better back seat.

What? Full remake of full-size pickup, which is General Motors’ best-selling vehicle.

When? Four-door, five- or six-passenger crew cab with 5.3-liter V-8 on sale in June.

Extended cab, standard cab and V-6 engine available about two months later; 6.2-liter V-8 will be available this fall.

Where? Silao, Mexico. Extended and standard cabs, Flint, Mich.

How much? Base crew cab with V-6, rear-wheel drive starts at $32,710 including $995 shipping. Typically equipped V-8, crew cab, four-wheel drive is about $45,000.

What makes it go? All engines now use aluminum blocks and cylinder heads.

Base 4.3-liter V-6 rated 285 horsepower at 5,300 rpm, 297 pounds-feet of torque at 5,300 rpm (297 hp, 330 lbs.-ft. using E85 fuel).

Optional 5.3-liter V-8 rated 355 hp at 5,600 rpm, 383 lbs.-ft. at 5,600 rpm (380 hp, 416 lbs.-ft. on E85).

Optional 6.2-liter V-8 not yet rated.

All use six-speed automatic transmission.

How thirsty? 5.3-liter V-8 rated 16 mpg in the city, 23 highway, 19 combined city/highway (rear-wheel drive); 16/22/18 (four-wheel drive). V-6 and 6.2-liter V-8 not yet rated.

Trip computers in test trucks on rural two-lane roads, using some full-throttle acceleration and two adults aboard, registered:

V-6, four-wheel drive; no cargo: 17.5 mpg (5.71 gal./100 mi.)

V-8, rear-drive, no cargo: 18.5 mpg (5.41 gal/100 mi.)

V-8, four-wheel drive, no cargo: 18.2 mpg (5.49 gallons per 100 miles)

V-8, four-wheel drive, 1,200 lbs. of cargo: 17.8 mpg (5.62 gal./100 mi.)

V-8, four-wheel drive towing 8,700 lbs.: 9.5 mpg (10.53 gal./100 mi.)

Burns regular (or E85), holds 26 gallons.

Overall: Gentrified workhorse.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

It was hard to foresee in 1996 what a stampede Toyota would trigger as it launched in the U.S. the $15,000 RAV4 — and Honda the philosophically similar CR-V later that year.

The car-based vehicles appealed to people who wanted something SUVish but less daunting — with a tall seating position, styling that was neither car nor a truck, trimmer and more fuel efficient than the truck-based SUVs that dominated then.

That was before Detroit makers could lay legitimate claim to matching the Japanese brands in quality and reliability, so RAV4 and CR-V were no-brainers for many shoppers.

Nowadays, Honda’s CR-V and Ford’s Escape are battling for the title of best-selling SUV in the U.S. Escape’s ahead for the first quarter.

RAV4′s a ways down the list, finding five or six buyers for every 10 CR-V or Escape buyers.

So after a seven-year run, the third-generation RAV4 exits and the updated, fourth-generation 2013 RAV4 makes it debut.

Because it uses a chassis and engine similar to its predecessor, it’s hard to call it “all new,” which is the industry’s favorite description. But it’s significantly different.

On sale since late January, the new RAV4 is under-performing the overall new vehicle market. RAV4 sales are up 3.9% and new vehicle sales are up 6.4%, Autodata says. It’ll take another couple of months to sense how strong a seller the new RAV really is.

Chassis dimensions and overall size are similar to the outgoing model. But a V-6 or third-row seating no longer are offered. And the carryover four-cylinder engine loses three horsepower to its predecessor, an invisible difference to the driver.

Test Drive’s response is lukewarm after time behind the wheel in a top-end RAV4 Limited model with all-wheel drive. It’s a yes-but vehicle.

For instance, yes, it has slightly more cargo room, but it gives up passenger space, especially headroom, legroom, second-row hip room.

The “yes” items first:

You might like the Toyota because it has a tighter turning circle than rivals Honda CR-V or Ford Escape. That tight-turn ability really makes your life easier in parking garages or maneuvering through jams caused by the more selfish motorists in drop-off lines at school or the train station. It’s a quality-of-driving-life issue that captures the attention of too few automakers. Loud applause for Toyota’s attentiveness.

Oddly enough for a mainstream model from a somewhat unsporty brand, you might enjoy RAV4 because its four-cylinder gasoline engine likes the spurs. Nail the gas, use the manual-shift mode of the automatic transmission and you’re actually having fun. Solid roar, quick gear changes, rapid-feeling progress. Nice.

The upgraded interior is another attraction. The previous model was down at the heels inside. The high-end Limited test vehicle was anything but, with its two-tone leather and nice-touch surfaces.

Tailgate now opens upward, the conventional way, instead of swinging sideways. Seems a better setup for most people most of the time. It can open upward now because it’s no longer supporting a gate-mounted spare tire. Instead, there’s a mini-spare tucked under the cargo floor.

The generally smooth, quiet way the RAV4 goes down the highway is alluring. Quiet enough on the highway that it begs for a long road trip.

The optional all-wheel drive ($1,400) anticipates when it’ll be needed — hard acceleration, corners — instead of waiting for the front wheels to slip before going to work. It balances the cornering feel and eliminates the nose-heavy personality the vehicle otherwise would have.

And now the “but” section:

The engine that’s appealing under hard throttle drones annoyingly when driven easily, and the shifts sometimes are sloppy.

The generally refined chassis bounds and hops over wrinkled and oft-patched asphalt.

The infotainment system is a snob. It seemed to make fast friends with Test Drive’s oh-so-hip Windows phone. But it didn’t remember the phone next time in the vehicle. You know the type, all smiles and enthusiasm at the party, but later you get the, “Sorry, who were you again?”

No excuse, because the RAV4 system would list the Windows phone as the connected, default device. But without a redo electronic nudge from the phone’s Bluetooth link, it actually had no connection. A colleague with an iPhone reported no problems at all, though.

Styling, while not unpleasant, doesn’t stand out. You could be hard-pressed to find your new RAV at the mall parking lot, without using the remote key fob to flash the lights. Especially if the vehicle is silver or gray, as so many seem to be nowadays.

The RAV’s lack of eye-candy quotient might be a blessing. When Japanese brands attempt to deliver high style, it’s sometimes just weird.

The latest RAV4 is an upgrade vs. the one it replaces. It is an easy purchase to defend. But it’s not one that generates passion or even serious enthusiasm.

DETAILS

What? The latest remake of vehicle that pioneered small, crossover SUVs in 1996. Four-door, compact SUV available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Five-passenger only; optional third-row seat discontinued.

When? On sale since January.

Where? Made in Canada.

How much? FWD models’ base prices including $845 shipping: LE, $24,145; XLE, $25,135; Limited, $27,855. AWD is $1,400 more. Limited AWD test vehicle with navigation, high-end infotainment suite, blind-spot monitor: $31,415.

What makes it go? 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine rated 176 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 172 pounds-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm, six-speed automatic transmission. The V-6 has been discontinued.

How big? Slightly bigger than Honda CR-V or Ford Escape, and a little smaller than Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. RAV4 is 179.9 inches long, 72.6 in. wide, 65.4 in. tall (67.1 in. with roof rails), on a 104.7-in. wheelbase. Weighs 3,435 to 3,600 lbs. Rated to carry 900 lbs. of people, cargo accessories. Tows 1,500 lbs.

Passenger space, 101.9 cubic feet (100.7 cu. ft. with sunroof). Cargo space: 38.4 cu. ft. behind second row, 73.4 cu. ft. when second row is folded.

Turning circle diameter, 34.7 ft. (36.7 ft. with optional 18-in. wheels).

How thirsty? FWD rated 24 miles per gallon in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, 26 mpg in combined city/highway. AWD: 22/29/25. Trip computer in AWD test car registered 22.4 mpg (4.46 gal. per 100 mi.) in suburban driving.

Burns regular, holds 15.9 gal.

Overall: Generally refined chassis (but choppy ride on some surfaces), roomy interior, so-so drivetrain, undistinguished styling.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

General Motors said its first-quarter earnings fell 13.8%, to $865 million, on continued weakness in the European market. Last year, GM made $1 billion in the first quarter.

The relatively small decline was a surprise because some analysts had predicted a drop as big as 40%.

“Solid 1Q results…driven in part by lower than expected losses in Europe,” said auto industry analyst Ryan Brinkman of J.P. Morgan in a note to clients after the earnings were announced.

Most automakers are staggering in Europe. Recession in some countries and slow or no growth in others has left millions of people who’d normally buy new cars unwilling or unable to do so.

GM’s net income for the first quarter works out to 58 cents per share, down from 60 cents a year earlier.

Revenue the quarter was $36.9 billion, down 2.3% from $37.8 billion a year ago.

The automaker said it earned $1.4 billion in North America this year, down 13.9% from $1.6 billion a last year.

GM lost $175 million in Europe, an improvement over a loss of $294 million in the quarter last year.

EUROPEAN RATE CUT: Central bank tries to boost economies

GM is last of the Detroit automakers to report first-quarter results. Ford Motor reported a profit for the quarter of $1.6 billion, up 15.4%, driven by the best North American results in more than a decade. That overcame a loss in Europe of $462 million.

Chrysler Group reported net income of $166 million in the quarter, down 65% from a year earlier.

GM plans to shut a German Opel plant at Bochum, costing 3,000 jobs by the end of 2014 and — because closing a factory in Europe is difficult — signaling how bad the situation is and how serious GM is about finding a remedy for the loses. In return the automaker promised to invest $5.2 billion in developing new Opel models by the end of 2016.

GM is trying for European profits by 2015. If it takes that long, GM would have lost money in Europe for 15 consecutive years.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

The overhauled 2013 Nissan Sentra isn’t as ugly outside as the previous version.

High-end Sentra models have nicely finished interiors.

Navigation is only $650, instead of being available only as part of a $2,000 to $3,000 package, in the way most car companies force-feed their buyers.

Bluetooth, in models where it’s available, does a commendable job finding and making friends with your phone, as well as accessing the music you might have stored there.

There’s more space inside than you’d expect in a compact sedan, especially for rear-seat riders.

The trunk’s bigger than it used to be and more accessible.

Prices are lower than some rivals’ stickers.

Those are solid attributes of the car, which went on sale last October, replacing a Sentra that seemed 100 years old, though Nissan insists it was only six.

But they aren’t compelling attributes. Nothing to match, say, Hyundai Accent’s sexy styling, Ford Focus’ Euro-crisp handling, Honda Civic’s seemingly indestructible reputation — despite Civic’s horrible stumbles on the 2012 redesign that had to be fixed fast for 2013.

And whatever allure Sentra’s attributes have is seriously undercut by a dreadful drivetrain and front seats that have lumbar bulges tailored by a sadist, with no adjustment knob or lever to moderate the pain.

Physiques differ, of course, and yours might fit the seats better. But it seems plain wrong to give you no lumbar adjustment in a car that the automaker says is meant to draw more upscale buyers — more like the ones you’d see hovering around Civics in a Honda showroom. The ones who like a premium touch or two and come from households averaging $70,000 annually or so, instead of Sentra’s $50,000-$60,000 range.

Never mind whether the other guys let you manipulate the seat’s bulge (Civic doesn’t). It’s the right thing to do. And Sentra’s redesign could have incorporated the feature during development at low cost, and thus one-upped rivals.

Likewise, it seems incorrect not to offer a power seat at any price. Or not to have Bluetooth standard.

And mileage-madness is insufficient reason to cut power and refinement from the greasy parts that make the car go.

The 2013 Sentra is hobbled with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder rated 130 horsepower and 128 pounds-feet of torque. The 2012 had a 2-liter four-banger good for 140 hp, 147 lbs.-ft. That car weighed 100-plus pounds more, but still seemed to scoot a little better than the new one.

New one has a better miles-per-gallon rating: 30 to 34 in city/highway mix, vs. predecessor’s 27 or 30.

But it’s not worth the compromise in driving feel.

The new engine is done no favors by Nissan’s beloved CVT — continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission — which sends the already coarse-voice powerplant into paroxysms of amplified strain when the driver asks to accelerate.

A CVT under throttle revs the engine high and keeps it there until the car sort of catches up. A normal automatic, a good one, steps elegantly through gear ratios, allowing engine speed to rise and fall as the driver’s right foot commands.

Ah, you say, but the CVT surely must be why the new Sentra engine uses less fuel. Nope. The previous one was saddled with a CVT as well.

The test car recorded a decent mileage reading, by Test Drive’s lead-foot standards, in the mid-20s. But in large part that was because the Sentra was just no fun to drive briskly. The unpleasant underhood complaints discouraged enthusiasm.

If you drive especially gently, and engine noise is a price you’ll pay for better mpg, and you’re willing to buy an up-level version of Sentra to get the good interior and the navi and the Bluetooth, then the new Sentra might seem a solid partner.

But it’s disappointing to have to portray it thus.

Nissan has seemed distinctive, in the way Chrysler always has, by being feistier, more fun, more roguish than the bigger makers.

Nissan gave us the Datsun 510 sedan in the late 1960s, regarded at the time as “a poor man’s BMW.” It delivered to our shores the 1970 Datsun 240Z, an affordable and sophisticated sports car.

More recently, Nissan gave us Porsche 911 performance for half the price in the GT-R. Its Leaf battery car, while not everybody’s path to bliss, blazes new trails.

So it’s sad to see Nissan backing away from the edge as it does with the 2013 Sentra.

Cars should be safe, of course, but the next priority should be that they are fun and satisfying to drive. Sentra isn’t.

DETAILS

What? Remake of front-drive, four-door compact, to be more competitive with Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra and the like.

When? On sale since October.

Where? Made at Aguascalientes, Mexico.

How much? From $16,780, including shipping for base S model with six-speed manual, to $23,490 for SL top model with all factory options. Nissan dealer accessories add another $1,690. High-end SL test car — leather, navigation, alloy wheels — was $22,400.

Special FE fuel-economy models go into production in December and will be $400 more than similar non-FE. You get 1 mile per gallon more on the highway; Nissan gets to advertise a 40-mpg car.

What makes it go? 1.8-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine rated 130 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 128 pounds-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. Base S has manual transmission; others have automatic continuously variable-ratio transmission (CVT).

How big? Similar to Civic, Corolla. The Sentra is 182.1 inches long (182.5 in. SR sport model), 69.3 in. wide, 58.9 ion. tall on a 106.3-in. wheelbase. Weighs 2,822 to 2,851 lbs. Rated to carry about 900 lbs. of people, cargo, accessories, depending on model. People space, 95.9 cubic feet. Trunk, 15.1 cu. ft. Turning circle diameter 34.8 ft.

How thirsty? Manual transmission rated 27 miles per gallon in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, 30 mpg in city/highway mix. CVT rated 30/39/34. FE fuel-economy model will be rated 30/40/34. Test car trip computer registered 26.3 mpg or 3.8 gallons per 100 miles, in normal suburban driving because it wasn’t much fun to drive vigorously. Burns regular, holds 13.2 gallons.

Overall: Coarse drivetrain, back-breaking seats kill the appeal.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Tesla Motors says that if the battery pack fails in your sexy Model S electric sedan for any reason except deliberate abuse, you can have a replacement, free, for eight years.

That warranty length matches mainstream automaker’s pledges about their electric-car batteries. But Tesla goes a bit further.

The Model S’ bigger 85 kwh battery pack is warranted for eight years or unlimited mileage. The smaller, 60 kilowatt-hour pack, is eight years or 125,000 miles, whichever comes first. The usual is eight years/100,000 miles.

“We don’t think anybody could put enough miles on to kill the (85 kwh) pack. That could turn out to be wrong, but we have half-a-million miles on one in the lab,” says Tesla chief Elon Musk. “Even the 60 kwh customers will be able to take it well over 200,000 miles.”

Keep in mind that Musk founded SpaceX, a private rocketship company that considers space its back yard and has sent two resupply missions to the International Space Station. In that context, 100,000 miles, more or less, or so might not seem far at all.

SpaceX, by the way, just sent a rocket called Grasshopper some 800 feet up, hovered it there briefly, then returned it to Earth. A step toward a reusable rocket.

Tesla recently reported its first quarterly profit, and sold more cars than it anticipated.

The Model S is the only Tesla. The Lotus-based, six-figure Roadster sports car that was the first Tesla no longer can be sold here. As a small maker, Tesla was temporarily exempt from some safety testing, but that exemption has expired.

Why not redesign the sports car to meet U.S. safety regulations?

Musk says he’d rather pursue “a strategy that ultimately gets us to a compelling mass-market (electric) car.” He has lower-price models under development.

Besides, he says, “I do not think there is a shortage of sports cars for rich people.”

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Cheap new cars can be a disappointment zone.

If you go looking for the $12,780 2014 Nissan Versa sedan that went on sale Tuesday as America’s lowest-price new car, good luck. Dealers almost never stock the lowest-price model.

They say nobody buys the bottom version, and shoppers say that’s because they aren’t available. Automakers say the so-called “take rate” for the lowest-price version of any model runs from 2% to 5%.

Using that new Versa as an example, the bottom-price model has a manual transmission. Few can or will drive a stick-shift nowadays. Moving up to the conventional four-speed automatic adds $1,000.

And you still don’t have the high-mileage version you probably saw advertised.

That’s the one with the CVT (continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission), which is rated an appealing 40 mpg on the highway. Lowest-price CVT model is the S Plus, starting at $14,580, including shipping.

Suddenly, instead of a chops-licking, less-than-$13,000 new car, you’re getting close to $15,000.

At which point buyers often start thinking about nicely equipped, lightly used cars instead of new ones.

It’s not just Nissan. Most automakers price their vehicles that way.

Of course, there’s more profit in even slightly higher-price models, so that’s what car companies want to make and dealers want to keep on the lot and in the showroom.

In addition to being hard to find, bare-bones cars just aren’t that desirable, even among those who swear they “just want basic transportation.” Often “basic” means sans air conditioning, power windows and a radio.

Power windows sounds like a luxury until you picture yourself reaching from the driver’s seat across the car to hand-crank the passenger-side window.

Using Versa again, the average transaction price is $16,092, according to research and shopping site TrueCar.com. Three cars have lower average transaction prices: SmartForTwo ($14,264), Chevrolet Spark ($14,707) and Mazda2 ($15,528).

Transaction price is all-in, out the door, so it includes taxes and license fees as well as factory rebates, shipping and dealer discounts.

And cheap-to-buy often isn’t cheap to own. A low-price vehicle frequently depreciates faster than a more expensive car, so at trade-in time, the gap between the value of what you have and what you want is pretty big. Depreciation is the single biggest cost of owning a car, but often overlooked because it doesn’t hit until years after you buy the car.

The 10 cheapest new cars in the U.S.

The list was complied by kbb.com and USA TODAY research. Rankings are based on sticker prices, including shipping charges. All are 2013 models except the 2014 Versa.

•Nissan Versa S Sedan, $12,780
•Chevrolet Spark LS Hatchback, $12,995
•Smart ForTwo Pure Coupe, $13,240
•Ford Fiesta S Sedan, $13,995
•Kia Rio LX Sedan, $14,350
•Ford Fiesta S Hatchback, $14,995
•Chevrolet Sonic Sedan, $14,995
•Toyota Yaris 3-door, $15,165
•Kia Soul, $15,175
•Hyundai Accent GLS Sedan, $15,340

The 10 cheapest cars based on average transaction price

ATP is the all-in, out-the-door price that includes taxes, license, factory rebates, dealer discounts. Complied by TrueCar.com.

•Smart ForTwo, $14,264
•Chevrolet Spark, $14,707
•Mazda2, $15,528
•Nissan Versa, $16,092
•Ford Fiesta, $16,361
•Scion iQ, $16,688
•Kia Rio, $16,786
•Toyota Yaris, $16,881
•Hyundai Accent, $17,102
•Honda Fit, $17,651

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Nissan says the 2014 Versa sedan went on sale Tuesday starting at $12,780 including shipping, keeping its status as lowest-price new car in the U.S., at least compared to everybody else’s 2013s in showrooms when Nissan did the math.

That’s for the base S model with five-speed manual transmission. The top model, SL with CVT (continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission), starts at $17,680.

Despite the low price, it is the most unloved car on the market, according to a Consumer Reports survey of owners. Only 49% say they’d definitely buy another Versa. That’s worst of any small car, and below the worst score of any of the other types of vehicles the magazine rates for owner satisfaction. Those bottom out at 51% for the GMC Sierra 1500 pickup with V-6 engine.

The most-loved models are those with 80% or more of owners saying they’d definitely buy another. Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid is tops at 92%, edging the Porsche 911 and Chevy Corvette at 91%.

Still, it’s hard to ignore a $13,000 new car.

Nissan doesn’t list power ratings for the car’s 2014-model’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. But the same engine in the 2013 model was rated 109 horsepower.

Besides low prices, a big part of the Versa’s appeal is fuel economy. Models with CVT are rated 31 miles per gallon in the city, 40 mpg on the highway and 35 mpg in city/highway mix.

The base S model with manual is rated 27/36/30 mpg. S with four-speed automatic is 26/35/30.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Luxury automakers have created sub-brands within their flagship models by stretching the wheelbases a few inches and the prices a few thousand dollars.

The long-wheelbase models reek of stature, because they bear more than a passing resemblance to limousines, and they are pretty hot stuff among some well-heeled buyers.

BMW says they are about 70% of all 7 Series sales. Audi says 80% of its A8 buyers go long, and Mercedes-Benz has, in effect, only long versions of the S-Class sedans, because they are the length of other makers’ long-wheelbase (LWB) models.

They aren’t simply for show. For what amounts to a relatively modest price difference (when you’re starting at about $80,000) the long versions provide back seats with enough room to merit their own ZIP codes. Taking friends to dinner, or toting long-legged kids cross-country, is a lot nicer with so much room back there.

BMW gave its 7 Series sedans some new goodies for the 2013 model year. Among drivetrain updates: The 740 entry-level 7 Series cars now offer all-wheel drive as well as rear-drive just like the others, and all 7s get eight-speed automatic transmissions, up from the six-speeds most had.

The 740s have turbocharged six-cylinder engines, 750s have turbo V-8s and 760s have turbo V-12s. Each has standard and longer “L” versions.

Test Drive settled into a 740Li to see if the base turbocharged six has enough power for such a big fella, to check out the new eight-speed, and to see what compromises, if any, the extra length imposes. For long-wheelbase buyers, the 740Li seems appealing, because it has the size and style of the other “L” versions but a lower price and better mileage.

Driving experience. The first thing that happens when driving the 740Li is that you feel like a chauffeur. You tend to concentrate on smoothness and elegance behind the wheel, rather than exercising the spirited turbo six. You’re tempted to pick up passengers at random to dragoon into the back seat.

But the roominess, comfort and, in heavily optioned versions such as the test car, the personal attention you get in back are hard to resist. Not only heating and cooling, but also massage. Not unique, but unusual and a treat — if you can find somebody to drive so you can ride in back.

One thing chauffeurs learn is that they should halt so gently that the passenger can barely sense when movement stops. Try it. It’s quite a challenge. In the 740Li, it’s a satisfying and fun exercise because the brakes work well.

The 740Li is no balky boat to pilot:

The 3-liter turbo six, similar to what motivates a more common 5 Series, is sufficient to yank the 2-ton sedan to smile speed in brisk fashion. And makes spirited sounds doing so.

If you had five people aboard, a trunk filled with luggage and were climbing the Rocky Mountains, you might wish for more pep. But you won’t traumatically revisit those days of your youth trying to do the same thing in a Volkswagen Bus.

Handling agility belies the car’s size. No need to be more cautious than in a sedan of somewhat lesser size. BMW’s suspension tuning remains first rate, providing responsive handling without a harsh ride.

BMW does nice eight-speed automatics. The one in the 740Li calls little attention to itself because it simply works right: shifting up or down. People new to BMW might be put off, however, by the operation of the electronic switch masquerading as a gearshift lever.

So, no need to sacrifice driving pleasure to get the extra room of an “L.” BMW does inflict some things on you, though:

Big doors. If you open a door all the way, then buckle up, you won’t be able to reach the door handle to close the door. If you’re attentive, you can find the stops that hold the doors partway open, but habit surely will make that the exception.

Big turns. The long car’s turning circle dictates careful parking.

Complications. BMW has its own sequence for shutting off the car and for unlocking it from the inside. Even after you own a BMW awhile, you’ll still get it wrong now and then.

Perhaps perversely, the iDrive main control, the pinnacle of absurd complexity when it was introduced years ago on the 7 Series, has become much simpler, more intuitive. Once you get the hang of the big console knob and the buttons surrounding it, it’s among the best control systems.

Pricing. The 740Li starts at a bit more than $78,000, or $4,000 more than the standard 740i. In that neighborhood, not so bad. But it’s hard to imagine a buyer not wanting many of the options on the test car, which weighed in at just less than $110,000.

Options add up. Once your guests realize they get no massage because your thrift denied them the Luxury Rear Seating Package ($3,700), will they ever go to the opera with you again?

The M Sport Package ($4,600) may seem superfluous, but it’s why the car has such a nice ride/handling balance.

Perhaps you listen so little to music that the Bang & Olufsen Sound System ($3,700) is over the top. Until you hear it once.

Could you skip the Rear Entertainment Package ($2,800) because everybody in back will be glued to smartphones and tablets?

Long-wheeelbase, top-end sedans are a fixture. The 740Li has the class, comfort and performance to be a reasonable choice.

DETAILS

What? Update of 7 Series flagship. Four-door, five-passenger, full-size luxury sedan. Rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. Standard or long-wheelbase (Li) versions.

When: On sale since August.

Where? Made in Germany.

How much? 740Li (tested) starts at $78,195 including $810 shipping, which is $4,000 more than 740i standard-wheelbase model. Heavily optioned test car was $109,795. Starting prices of other 7 Series models range from $81,195 to $140,200.

What makes it go? 740 models have 3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder rated 315 horsepower at 5,800 rpm, 332 pounds-feet of torque at 1,300 rpm. 750 models have 4.4-liter turbo V-8 rated 443 hp at 5,500, 479 lbs.-ft. at 4,000. 760 models have 6-liter turbo V-12 rated 536 hp at 5,250, 553 lbs.-ft. at 1,500. All now have eight-speed automatic transmission.

How big? Long-wheelbase models are 205.3 inches long, 74.9 in. wide, 58.3 in. tall on 126.4-in. wheelbase (5.5 in. longer than standard wheelbase). 740Li weighs 4,350 lbs. Trunk space, 17.7 cubic feet. Turning circle diameter, 41.7 ft. (standard wheelbase, 40 ft.)

How thirsty? 740Li rated 19 miles per gallon in town, 28 on the highway, 22 in city/highway mix. 740Li test car registered 16.6 mpg (6.02 gallons per 100 miles) in mix of city/suburban driving. Burns premium, holds 21.1 gal.

Overall: Extra size brings hassles; standard wheelbase should suit most people.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Chevrolet says the diesel version of its Cruze compact sedan will be rated by the government at 46 miles per gallon on the highway, the best of any non-hybrid car.

But mileage ratings in the city and in city/highway mix aren’t so spectacular.

City rating: just 27 mpg; mix, 33 mpg.

While the highway number gives Chevy a win over chief rival Volkwsagen Jetta TDI diesel’s 42 mpg highway rating, the Jetta TDI prevails in the other categories. It’s rated 30 mpg in the city and 34 mpg in mixed driving.

VW is the only mainstream purveyor of diesel at the moment. The 2014 Cruze diesel goes on sale in some cities the next few weeks, then nationwide and in Canada by early this fall.

Mazda also joins the mainstream-brand diesel parade this summer with a diesel version of its redesigned, 2014 Mazda6 midsize sedan. It has given no details on that car.

Diesels are more expensive than gasoline cars, and diesel’s usually pricier than gasoline. But diesel vehicles usually can go much further on a gallon.

Chevy had forecast 42 mpg on the highway when it unveiled the car at the Chicago auto show in February. Chevrolet says it was being conservative and that its engineers have been working on continuous incremental improvements to boost mileage.

Cruze diesel, which comes only with a six-speed automatic transmission, starts at $25,695, including $810 shipping. Jetta TDI with automatic is $24,885; manual starts at $23,795.

Chevy says the Cruze has more standard features than the Jetta, including leather seating, larger wheels and a longer powertrain warranty.

The Cruze diesel is rated 148 horsepower, 258 pounds-feet of torque. Jetta: 140 hp, 236 lbs.-ft.

Chevy notes that it sells Cruze worldwide and has sold more than 33,000 diesel-power models in other countries since the compact launched in 2010.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.