Lakeland Automall

The 2012 Mazda 5 compact minivan replaces the bells, whistles and bulk of a full-size minivan with small-car maneuverability and affordability. The Mazda 5 is basic and practical transportation. Forget about the integrated DVD players and excessive horsepower ? not going to find it here ? but consider features such as sliding side doors and seating for six.

Built off the chassis of a Mazda 3 and stretched by an additional five inches, the Mazda 5 has a nimble profile. A short engine compartment and curved sweeping lines that blend both nose and tail help conceal the Mazda 5's minivan identity.

The Mazda 5 is available in three trim levels, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. Alloy wheels, full power accessories, steering-wheel-mounted cruise control, remote keyless entry and auxiliary audio input jack come standard on the Sport and Touring models.

Our Grand Touring test model came with leather upholstery found throughout the interior, heated front seats and a sunroof. Individually heated captain-style chairs are found up front. The same type of seats are found in the second row with ample foot room. Both have flip-down armrests. The third row with cramped seats and limited foot room make it a kids-only section that my older two children dove into right away.

The Mazda 5 drives like a much smaller vehicle. A 2.3-liter inline four-cylinder engine produces 153 horsepower, provides adequate power and confidently merges with highway traffic. Fuel efficiency is disappointing at 21mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. I would have expected better fuel-efficiency from a car this size.

This compact minivan is a unique alternative for the urban environment considering its small footprint and its minivan accessibility. Lack of extra storage space and a tiny third row of seats can make a family road trip uncomfortable, but our test Mazda 5 came equipped with a factory roof rack ready to handle a large cargo box ? a necessity for any family trip in this car but also a gas mileage drag.

Fans of Ken Block's over-the-top, on-the-edge driving style will be excited about the the driver's latest news. He will be taking his Ford Fiesta and the Gymkhana party to Austria, Australia and the United States in the inaugural Gymkhana World Tour.

Block's Gymkhana videos have earned millions of views on YouTube, and Ford and Block are exciting to bring the experience to a live audience. Block will personally design the course and develop the Gymkhana routine for the tour.

"I'm really excited about my Gymkhana World Tour this summer. I'm delighted that Ford is continuing to support my love of Gymkhana in the way that they are," said Block. "It's something that I really enjoy doing and the fans love it as well, so to have Ford on board as I go to do this sort of thing is amazing."

Out at each stop on the tour, Monster World Rally Team will create mini Gymkhana videos which will showcase the event. The first GWT event will be on July 10 in Vienna, Austria. The final stop will be in Australia just prior to the Rally Australia at Calder Park in Melbourne on September 2-3.

"What started out as an opportunity for Ken to go out and apply his skills in Gymkhana has now evolved into a worldwide phenomena that has garnered over 70 million views on YouTube and now has become a world tour," said Jamie Allison, Director Ford North America Motorsports. "We are thrilled and excited because it is Ken showcasing to the world our global platform, Ford Fiesta, and just how fun Ford cars are to drive."

Check out the video below to get a closer look at Block's incredible driving style

Hyundai, which has seen its U.S. sales rise twice as fast as the overall industry, is stocking U.S. dealers with two new cars designed to maintain that momentum in the subcompact and midsize luxury segments.

The 2012 Accent and Genesis, both of which are imported from South Korea, are reaching dealerships now. The Accent, which starts at $15,955 for a four-door GLS, and $16,555 for a five-door hatchback, will be the freshest model in a segment where Ford's Fiesta has gained significant traction. Its competitors include the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic.

John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motors America, boasted that every version of the Accent will achieve 40 m.p.g. on the highway, while most competing subcompacts can reach that level only with a specialized engine package.

Accent is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. A direct injection fuel system helps distribute gasoline more efficiently to the engine. Buyers can choose between six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

The new Genesis sedan is offered with a 3.8-liter V6, a 4.6-liter V8 or a 5.0-liter V8. The engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The V6 version starts at about $35,000. The 5.0-liter V8 Genesis starts at $47,350 and can range higher.

This fall, Hyundai will launch the Veloster, a sporty coupe powered by the same 1.6-liter engine as in the Accent.

Hyundai has benefited from American consumers' reawakened interest in fuel economy. Krafcik said the new cars Hyundai sold in June averaged 35.7 m.p.g.

"We're already above the government's 2016 standard (35.5 m.p.g.)," Krafcik said. "We're confident we can get our average above 50 m.p.g. by 2025."

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 02/28/2011

Kelley Blue Book?s www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, named the 2011 Hyundai Sonata to its annual list of  Top 10 Family Cars. Sonata joins a list of family-friendly vehicles, including the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, 2011 Ford Explorer, 2011 Honda Odyssey, and the 2011 Volkswagen Golf.

Nancy Gioia, Ford's director of global electrification, told our colleague Jewel Gopwani at the Detroit Free Press that Ford expects 10% to 25% of its sales by 2020 will be vehicles that in some way run on batteries, up from about 2% now.

Of those electrified vehicles, 70% will be hybrids, 20% to 25% plug-in hybrids, the rest pure electrics.

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