Debuts at Chicago Auto Show include Acura hybrid, souped-up Shelby GT500

Consumers Digest saw automakers reveal 2013 models for several vehicles at Chicago Auto Show, which opened to the media Feb. 8. The debuts included the first gasoline-electric hybrid production model from Acura, a new Ford Mustang Shelby that leaves its predecessor in the dust and the first GMC model that offers a front-center air bag as an option.

Here’s a roundup of the 2013 debuts from the show. Pricing wasn’t announced for any of the models. All of the vehicles will be available in dealerships this year.

Acura ILX

The sedan is Acura’s first gasoline-electric hybrid. It has a 1.5-liter engine and an Integrated Motor Assist electric motor. It has an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated fuel-economy rating of 35 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. The model also is available as a gasoline-only vehicle that has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an EPA-estimated rating of 24 mpg city and 29 mpg highway, or a 2.4-liter engine that has an estimated mileage rating of 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.

 

Acura RDX

Acura’s redesigned crossover SUV is sleeker and has more punch under the hood. The RDX has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that has 273 hp, which is 33 more than the previous 2.3-liter four-cylinder had. The vehicle has an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

 

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

If you want to burn rubber, the 650 horsepower that the Shelby GT500’s 5.8-liter V8 engine generates is all you need. In fact, Ford says the Shelby GT500 has the most powerful V8 engine in the world. It should arrive in showrooms this summer.

 

GMC Acadia and Acadia Denali

GMC adds plenty of upgrades in safety technology to otherwise modest redesigns of these models. The Acadia will be the first GMC vehicle to have as an option General Motors’ front-center air-bag system, which reduces front-passenger injuries in side-impact collisions. Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert systems also come standard on the Acadia Denali and as an option on the Acadia. The systems rely on radar sensor technology to detect objects and notify a driver through visual and audio warnings.

 

Hyundai Elantra Coupe and Elantra GT

Hyundai has expanded the Elantra beyond the existing sedan with the two-door Elantra Coupe and the Elantra GT, which is a four-door hatchback model. The Elantra GT carries a 1.8-liter, 148-hp four-cylinder engine, which Hyundai estimates will deliver 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway. Hyundai also says the Elantra GT’s use of high-strength steel makes this model the lightest four-door hatchback in among compact cars (2,784 lbs.). Hyundai estimates that the Elantra Coupe will get 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway for the version that has a manual transmission and 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway for the automatic-transmission version.

– K. Fanuko and P. Snyder