Unusual Suspect: Ford F-150 Works as Family Car

There are a slew of minivan alternatives out there for large families who don't want to succumb to the rolling stereotype. Three-row crossovers are the most popular choice, but I'm always looking for something unique that can fit families with more than two children.

The Ford F-150 in a SuperCab or SuperCrew configuration is one such unusual suspect. Not only can it handle your family, but it also does a sound job of hiding the truth about your mundane familial existence. It's even a ride with sex appeal.

BMW Zagato Coupe Concept: Photo Gallery

BMW has always been more aggressive with its roadsters' styling; check out the avant-garde 2003-08 BMW Z4 for an example. For folks who think the aggressive look of the current BMW Z4 is just too conventional, feast your eyes on the BMW Zagato Coupé Concept. Co-developed with automotive design consultancy Zagato, this one-off design could point toward a more radical-looking Z4 in the coming years. Continue below for more photos.

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Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Kia Rio5

In the growing sea of new and redesigned subcompact cars, Kia's Rio was easy to overlook. Not anymore, says Cars.com Editor Mike Hanley. The Rio 5-Door hatchback model's great gas mileage, appealing styling, decent cargo space and low prices mean shoppers looking in this class should put it back on their lists.

2012 Kia Rio5 Review

2013 Volkswagen CC R-Line: First Look

• Competes with: Buick Regal, Infiniti G, Nissan Maxima
• Looks like: New bumpers, side skirts and taillights give the CC a more menacing, aggressive look
• Drivetrain: 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: End of 2012

Volkswagen's CC received a face-lift for 2013, and now it's joining the automaker's sporty R-Line club. The 2013 VW CC R-Line will use the model's 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and will get a host of sporty styling upgrades, inside and out.

R-Line additions include a more aggressive-looking front bumper, new side skirts, an R-Line grille logo, a large lower air intake and projector-style chrome-ringed fog lights. It also features shaded taillights and specific 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Inside, there's stainless-steel scuff plates and new paddle shifters for the automatic version.

Daily News Briefs: May 29, 2012

The Toyota Prius is now the third best-selling car across the globe, according to Bloomberg News. The growth comes from strong sales in both Japan and the United States, Bloomberg News reports. With 247,230 models sold in the first quarter of 2012, the Prius trails only the Ford Focus (277,000) and the Toyota Corolla (300,800); the Corolla remains the best-selling car of all time. Prius sales have nearly doubled over last year on the backs of recent extensions to the Prius-brand lineup like the Prius v, Prius Plug-in and recently launched Prius c (known as the Aqua in Japan). The Toyota Prius remains Japan's top-selling version, with the Toyota Aqua in a close second place. The Prius brand was the fifth best-selling model in the U.S. for April.

In other news:

2012 Cadillac CTS Video

Now in its fifth model year, the Cadillac CTS has held up well compared to other entries in the midsize luxury sedan segment, according to Cars.com editor Mike Hanley. The CTS has a great interior and a refined feeling ride, says Hanley. But does it have what it takes to beat the BMW 5 Series in the handling department?

2013 Cadillac XTS: More Photos

On the verge of reaching dealerships, the 2013 Cadillac XTS has big shoes to fill; the model replaces both the DTS livery vehicle and the sportier STS large sedan, both of which are now defunct. The XTS combines an affordable entry-level price, sporty styling and new technology features to take on models like the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. Continue below for more photos.

Lapping Road America With Chrysler's Design Chief

Ralph Gilles tapped the drivetrain's Sport button and held down an adjacent key to deactivate the electronic stability system. We were in a 470-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT8 — Gilles at the wheel, me riding shotgun — about to hug the best four miles of asphalt anywhere in the Midwest: Wisconsin's Road America racetrack.

"Now we're in full 'oh s—t' mode," Gilles smiled.

I figured Chrysler's chief designer could careen around a racetrack in his own cars any way he liked, and it seemed like a good way to pass time after the 20-year company veteran spoke to journalists at the Midwest Automotive Media Association's Spring Rally last week. Careen we did, nearing 140 mph down the half-mile Kettle Bottoms, between the 11th and 12th of Road America's 14 turns. Gilles is a better track driver than me, but that's not saying much: My apexes are messy, my drifts fleeting. Any weekend enthusiast would show me taillights.

Gilles has also navigated Chrysler's own twists and turns. The 42-year-old designer jokes of still having nightmares of former CEO Bob Nardelli, whose tenure lasted all of 21 months, and he calls his current boss, Sergio Marchionne, a "globally minded" car guy. Gilles has led the automaker's design for three years, overseeing cars from the Dodge Dart to the SRT Viper. A year ago, Marchionne appointed Giles the CEO of Chrysler's SRT performance brand.

NHTSA Wants Parents to 'Look Before You Lock' This Summer

As the mercury rises this May, so does the risk of children dying of heatstroke in vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash-related vehicle fatalities of children younger than 14.

The agency reports that 33 children died of hyperthermia in overheated cars last year and 49 in 2010. Injuries are serious, too; NHTSA reports that an unknown number of kids are injured each year in hot cars, resulting in permanent brain injury, blindness and deafness. Many of these incidents occur when a child is playing in a vehicle unbeknownst to the caregiver. 

NHTSA's new campaign, "Where's baby? Look before you lock," is aimed at making it clear to parents that hot cars are deadly.

"Everything we know about this terrible danger to children indicates heatstroke in hot cars can happen to any caregiver from any walk of life — and the majority of these cases are accidental tragedies that can strike even the most loving and conscientious parents," NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said in a statement.

NHSTA offers the following tips to prevent heatstroke deaths and injuries from happening to your family:

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

The 2013 Acura ILX is the first model from the brand to share a platform with the Honda Civic since 2007. Despite sharing mechanics with the hum-drum Civic, the Acura has better ride quality and handling, a quieter cabin and better materials, according to Cars.com Executive Editor Joe Wiesenfelder. But does the model have what it takes to beat out the more affordable Buick Verano? Continue reading about the Acura ILX, and our other most read reviews of the week, with the links below:

1.    2013 Ford Escape 
2.    2013 Scion FR-S
3.    2013 Dodge Dart
4.    2013 Mazda CX-5
5.    2013 Infiniti JX35
6.    2013 Nissan Altima
7.    2013 Ford Mustang
8.    2013 Acura ILX
9.    2013 Chevrolet Malibu
10.  2012 Honda CR-V