The addition of a supercharged V-6 engine and plans for diesel and hybrid powertrains are the most significant changes to Audi鈥檚 Q5 crossover, which is getting an otherwise subtle update for the 2013 model year. Final U.S.-market specifications aren't out yet; what follows is a run down of the global changes and which of them we expect to see here. Most Audi Q5s sold in the past year were delivered with the standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and we expect the same to be true in the future. But a V-6 will remain on the options sheet. The 3.2-liter V-6 will be phased out of the Audi lineup at the end of the year, and in its place the Q5 will offer the company鈥檚 ubiquitous supercharged 3.0-liter V-6. An eight-speed automatic remains the only transmission available. The 3.0T鈥攖he T stands for Tsupercharged鈥攊s tuned to a few different power outputs, and Audi hasn鈥檛 yet announced which version will be in our Q5.

We expect it鈥檒l match the numbers for the base Q7, though, at 280 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. A hotter 3.0T could power an S version of the Q5, but there鈥檚 no guarantee such a model would be available in the U.S. Audi will offer a Q5 hybrid in the U.S. 2012. A gasoline-electric Q5 has been on sale in Europe for about a year鈥攜ou can read our first drive here鈥攁nd the company feels the time is right for a U.S. The Q5 hybrid mates a turbo four with an electric motor for combined output of 241 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. We'd expect EPA city and highway figures to both land in the high twenties. A diesel engine should be available in the U.S.-market Q5 some time in the first half of 2013, in keeping with a timeline laid out last year by the company's U.S. Only the most savvy automotive sleuths will easily spot the cosmetic changes for the 2013 Q5, which mostly bring the face into line with the rest of Audi鈥檚 lineup. The headlights look more like those on the recently refreshed A4 and feature xenon lights wrapped around the edges. Vertical chrome slats have been added to the Q5鈥檚 grille for a proper locomotive-like appearance. Alterations to the Q5鈥檚 interior are so minor that if you鈥檙e able to pick up on them, you probably have a career ahead of you detecting counterfeit currency for the FBI. We do know that the car will pack Audi鈥檚 latest infotainment gadgetry, including Audi Connect internet connectivity.

That drops to 28 combined if you opt for all-wheel drive--a small price to pay for those in less clement climates. It's a little sportier to drive than most, too. Of more usable size than the Juke, the latest Rogue still has respectable economy ratings. That's at least in part down to Nissan's persistence with continuously-variable transmissions to boost economy--the Rogue matches the frugality of several other vehicles here despite using a 2.5-liter gasoline engine. 22,790, it's competitively priced too. Actually, things aren't so bad--in the 2014 Encore you'll find the 1.4-liter turbocharged unit more familiar from cars like the Chevy Cruze and Sonic. The downsized unit is pretty efficient too, with the automatic transmission--up to 28 mpg combined. In terms of utility the Encore sits between the Nissan Juke and some of the other crossovers here--like the Juke, it sits on a subcompact platform but interior volume is greater than the average subcompact.

We were a little disappointed when we drove the Subaru XV Crosstrek a while back, but our disappointment doesn't stop it being one of the more efficient compact crossovers on the market. At 35 mpg highway, its four-cylinder boxer engine matches that of the Mazda CX-5's best efforts, though drops 1 mpg in the city and overall. You do get standard AWD into the bargain though, and an automatic gearbox that may be preferable for some drivers. If you can't stretch to the hybrid, the regular version is at least fairly close behind. Another German entrant you'd not normally find in "most efficient" lists, though perhaps this one should be a little further up--it is a diesel, after all. 38,980. As such, the Mercedes is more a purchase for existing prestige car customers looking to reduce their bills, than a buying wanting to save from the word go. You might have forgotten the Outlander Sport still existed--the smaller Mirage has taken more of the fuel economy headlines recently. But the compact crossover is actually respectably economical in two-wheel drive format. Power comes from a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and there's a continuously-variable transmission directing power to the wheels. 20,670 for models with CVT, it's less expensive than most here too. Subaru should be commended for getting a third entry on this list. The Forester can't quite match the XV Crosstrek for economy but that's to be expected--it's a larger, bluff-fronted vehicle. Reasonable highway economy of 32 mpg pulls combined economy to 27 mpg, one mile per gallon below that of the regular gasoline XV. All-wheel drive is again standard, as is a boxer layout to the four-cylinder engine.

Combining a new set of spy shots with known Mercedes styling cues, our car sleuths were able to put together an impressive rendering. Like all other Mercedes plug-in hybrids, the GLC will get its charger plug integrated into the rear fascia just below the passenger-side taillight. Now, I鈥檒l admit that I鈥檓 a little disappointed to see the GLK鈥檚 boxy shape disappear, but that being said, the proportions of this crossover might make the best canvas yet for the current design language. The spy shots include cues like the two-bar grille up front and the horizontal, LED taillights at the rear, and the overall roofline is more rounded with a sharper rake to the A- and D-pillars. Adding the known headlight design, aggressive front fascia and requisite body creases finishes off the rendering. Like the exterior, there shouldn鈥檛 be too many surprises when it comes to the interior of the GLC-Class.