Sneak Peek Up Date: 2013 Nissan Altima

With the New York auto show just weeks away, Nissan continues to tease the public with more shots of the upcoming 2013 Altima. This time, it’s a look at the new sedan’s profile.

This time around, we get another peek of the muscular side view of the 2013 Altima sedan, which will face a reinvigorated midsize field that includes a revamped 2013 Honda Accord and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, not to mention the redone 2012 Toyota Camry.

Last week, the automaker showed off taillights for the new midsize sedan. The housing wraps around to the rear fender and is finished off with a boomerang-like design. Prior to that, we got a sneak peek of the front fascia, which features angular headlights, a bulging hood, and an upside-down trapezoid grille with a chrome-like finish. Nissan also showed off a few teaser videos. The first video is a quick, seven-second shot of the Altima’s roof, while the second teaser focuses on a front fascia with the optional HID headlights.

In addition to styling, Nissan hopes to keep the Altima on top of its game with updated powertrains. A four-cylinder engine will once again serve as a base engine, which is expected to get a revised CVT. Nissan will probably follow the Camry’s lead and bring back a V-6 for power-hungry customers. Finally, an all-new hybrid system is expected to debut a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder supercharged engine supplemented by an electric motor. The hybrid powertrain should also get the revised CVT, dubbed Xtronic.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Recall Up Date: 2006 Honda CR-V

Honda is recalling roughly 1300 2006 CR-V crossovers for trouble with the lower control arm assemblies.

The Problem: The original welding for the lower control arms on some CR-V models may not have been properly done during the initial manufacturing. If the welding was not completely properly, the right front lower control arm could break at the weld spot over time and affect the car’s handling and increase the chance of a crash.

The Fix: Despite there being no crashes or injuries related to the issue, Honda is instructing dealers to inspect the right front lower control arm, and replace it if necessary. Owners will be notified starting in mid-April by mail; they can also look online at www.recalls.honda.com to see if their vehicle’s VIN is being recalled or by calling Honda at 800-999-1009 and selecting option 4.

Number of Vehicles Affected: 1316 units of the 2006 Honda CR-V.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Spied: 2013 Audi Q5 Hybrid

Hybrids have a ‘holier-than-thou’ image of saving the rainforest and being friendly to all of nature’s creatures. This 2013 Audi Q5 Quattro Hybrid our intrepid spy photographer spotted cold weather testing is bird friendly too, except not in the way you were expecting.

What our spy photographer did to deserve such a reaction likely relates to him catching Audi’s face-lifted 2013 Q5 wearing next-to-no camouflage. Unlike the last Q5 we spied, this tester didn’t have any camouflage on its grille, allowing us to see Audi’s new corporate grille. Up front, this Q5 Hybrid Quattro also features Audi’s new headlight design, with its LED lighting element moving from the top to the bottom of the headlamp. This Q5 mule also sports an all-new front bumper, with a redesigned valance, and new fog light surrounds. Suffice it to say, those sweet-looking driving lamps mounted in the grille won’t make it into production.

Out back, the 2013 Q5 experiences a few more subtle changes than the front of the crossover. The taillights are redesigned, and the rear bumper is new. Also new are the exhaust tips, which are now D-shaped, as opposed to oval shaped.

The Q5′s profile remains unchanged, save for the “Hybrid” badge on the front-quarter panel. When it first debuted at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Q5 Quattro Hybrid sported a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 and electric motor combo under the hood, producing 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. Audi claimed the Q5 Quattro Hybrid could achieve 33.6 mpg. We’re not completely sure when we can expect the 2013 Q5 to make its debut, but it probably won’t happen until the third or fourth quarter of this year.

Thanks to: Motor Trend