While consumers' interest in the plug-in electric vehicles has reached an all-time high, buyers still have some issues with the Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt, according to J.D. Power and Associates. Car shoppers said the Leaf was unattractive in the survey; they also said the Volt was too expensive. Read more about that, and our other top stories of the week, with the links below:

1.  Shoppers Say Chevy Volt Expensive, Nissan Leaf Ugly in Study
2.  2013 Ford Escape Goes Green, Literally
3.  Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: January 2012
4.  Woman Wins Suit Against Honda
5.  2013 Honda Accord Sedan Shrinks, Gets Plug-in Hybrid Model

Kim Kardashian was spotted in the passenger seat of Jonathan Cheban’s Bentley down in Miami recently. We’re just gonna through this out there and say it’s probably Kim’s money that actually bought that Bentley. Just sayin.                             Related posts: Cindy Crawford Drives [...]
Related posts:

1. Cindy Crawford Drives a Bentley Continental GT
2. Paris Hilton and Her Bentley Continental GTC
3. Did J’Lo Buy Her Boy Toy A Bentley?

One of our readers spotted Julio Jones’ Dodge Challenger on the streets of Atlanta this past weekend and was able to snap a couple photos. The Atlanta Falcons wide receiver has personalized rims that say “11 Jones” on each one. Thanks to Spewak for the photos and for keeping an eye out for celebrity cars [...]
Related posts:

1. January Jones With A Range Rover Evoque
2. Last Weeks Guess Who – January Jones
3. Chace Crawford’s Dodge Challenger SRT8

One of our readers spotted Julio Jones’ Dodge Challenger on the streets of Atlanta this past weekend and was able to snap a couple photos. The Atlanta Falcons wide receiver has personalized rims that say “11 Jones” on each one. Thanks to Spewak for the photos and for keeping an eye out for celebrity cars [...]
Related posts:

1. January Jones With A Range Rover Evoque
2. Last Weeks Guess Who – January Jones
3. Chace Crawford’s Dodge Challenger SRT8

Although most of us know by now that Nicolas Cage and the Mayans got it wrong and the world probably won't end in 2012, Chevrolet wants you to know that the apocalypse is no match for its Silverado pickup.

In the morbidly amusing Super Bowl ad, a survivor drives his Silverado out of the rubble to meet up with friends, but he learns that one of his buddies didn't make it. Actually, "Dave drove a Ford." Ouch. Sounds like the gloves are off between the perennially dueling automakers. The Twinkies (and their infinite shelf life), however, keep the friends smiling amid a hailstorm of frogs.

GM is really pushing its bow-tie brand this year; this 60 second ad is one of five spots that Chevrolet is debuting on Super Bowl Sunday. Watch them all here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Chevrolet/home.

Here's what we have our eye on today:

• On the heels of a free-trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea, Ford plans to expand its sales in the country by 50% to about 6,000 vehicles in 2012, the Detroit News reports. Sales will include the 2013 Fusion and Escape, as well as the Explorer, Taurus and diesel Focus.
• Toyota estimates it will sell 9.58 million vehicles globally in 2012, up 21% over 2011’s 7.95 million, Bloomberg News reports. The automaker is betting big on a sales lift from its redesigned Camry, whose U.S. sales improved 55.9% in January, as well as more versions of its Prius hybrid.
• Chrysler will trade Eminem for Clint Eastwood in its Super Bowl commercial this Sunday, The Wall Street Journal says. Last year's two-minute spot won an Emmy; its follow-up will be the same length, sources told the publication, with the venerable Eastwood "giving the country a pep talk."
• At the White House's behest, import automakers transported executives and fuel-efficient cars, including fuel-cell vehicles from Honda and Mercedes-Benz, to the nation's capital for President Barack Obama's tour of the Washington Auto Show. But Bloomberg reports Obama paid little notice, spending most of his half-hour tour alongside a Dodge Dart, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford C-Max and Chevrolet Malibu, among other cars from Detroit automakers. Michael Stanton, head of the Association of Global Automakers, told Bloomberg his member automakers "were just terribly disappointed" at the apparent snub.
• Automakers and car dealers added 15,000 of January's 243,000 jobs, the Labor Department reports. Today's better-than-expected report dropped unemployment to 8.3%, the lowest since February 2009, notes Bloomberg.

Toyota is recalling 427 Toyota RAV4s from the 2011 model year because of a defect involving the side curtain airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles, which were manufactured from Nov. 24 through Dec. 19, 2011, do not use the correct propellant that helps to initiate the expansion of the airbag. As a result, one or both side curtain airbags might not deploy in an accident, increasing the risk of injury.

Toyota will start notifying owners in March, and dealerships will replace one or each of the side curtain airbags, if necessary, free of charge. Owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Maserati has issued a recall for 1,768 GranTurismos and GranTurismo convertibles from the 2008-10 model years because of a faulty lamp assembly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were manufactured from June 2008 to March 2010, both the taillights and brake light could fail because of the faulty lamp assembly. This could lead to reduced vehicle visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Maserati will notify owners this month, and dealers will inspect and replace affected rear taillamp assemblies free of charge.

For more info, owners can call Maserati at 201-816-2600 or NHTSA’s hotline at 888-327-4236.

Honda is recalling 347 Accord sedans and Crosstour hatchbacks to address airbag issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

In certain vehicles, the side curtain airbags for the driver and front passenger may have a faulty inflator. In the event of an accident, the affected airbags will not deploy, increasing the risk of passenger injury.

Honda will begin notifying owners on Feb. 10, and the affected airbags will be replaced for free. Owners can call Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.