Auto News 5

It was the best-kept, worst-kept secret of this year's Detroit auto show: Ford used its press conference at the Joe Louis Arena to show a concept version of the next-generation F-150 pickup truck. Called the Atlas concept, the flashy truck provides several important clues as to the future of the Blue Oval's best-selling model.

The Acura MDX you can buy today at dealers is not an old car, nor is it a bad one; thanks to its handsome styling and endearing driving dynamics, all the SUV would need to last another six or so years on sale would be a nice freshening. Acura seems to agree with this statement: the 2014 MDX Prototype on the stand at the Detroit auto show isn't a massive departure from the current model; rather, it's an elegant follow-up to today's successful crossover.

Vehicles such as the LFA supercar (a car so intricate Lexus had to invent and patent a new way to build it) and GS sedan, which shakes off any preconceived notions about Lexus driving styles when you show it some corners, are reminders that Lexus can still build great cars.

Since 2011, the American-market Nissan Versa has been something of a Jekyll and Hyde: the Versa sedan is a relatively new model based on the international-market Sunny, whereas the Versa hatchback is an aging, lackluster-looking five-door based on the old Nissan Tiida. However, now that Nissan has taken the wraps off a new Versa hatchback -- named the Versa Note, after the international-market Nissan Note -- it appears that a newer, fresher Versa five-door was just running fashionably late.