Auto News 5

The squashed-roof, 2012 Volkswagen Beetle that went on sale in September 2011 proved VW could bring both Golf-level driving dynamics and more masculine lines to a car that had been known more for its bud vase and other girly features than for pleasing enthusiasts. On the day before the 2013 Beetle convertible debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the question on our minds as we set off from the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, heading up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, was: "Can VW chop off its roof and still appeal to men?" After all, four-seat, brightly colored ragtops don't exactly engender images of Vin Diesel, do they? What we have here is a car that was redesigned specifically for men, transformed into a convertible, an automotive body style that is inherently more appealing to women. Can Volkswagen have it both ways?

Hyundai's Veloster is fun no matter the trim level or model: buyers of the 138-hp Veloster or 201-hp Veloster Turbo know they're getting a funky, four-door hatchback with eye-popping looks. Hyundai's newest Veloster, the C3 Roll Top Concept, takes the so-called urban design of the Veloster to its logical conclusion by replacing the roof with a sliding convertible top and including all sorts of hipster-friendly design elements.

Toyota revealed the all-new 2013 RAV4 at the Los Angeles Auto Show this morning. The 2013 RAV4 will go on sale at the beginning of next year.

The humble Hyundai Veracruz, on sale in its current iteration since 2007, was one of the last holdouts of "old Hyundai," a crossover that soldiered on with bland exterior design while brandmates like the Sonata and Elantra added fancy new powertrains and sharp exterior looks. No more: Hyundai's seven-passenger crossover, now named Santa Fe, enters the 2013 model year with "new Hyundai" written all over it.

Fiat gave us our first look at the new 2013 Fiat 500e electric vehicle earlier this month, but as the elettra-Cinquecento is now making its formal debut at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, we now have a better idea of what lies beneath the skin.