Civic, car sales, electric cars

As crossover models become more popular in the market and the trend toward electrification of the auto industry expands, Japanese automakers are cutting back on models and renewing their product lines. Honda's Fit and Civic coupes and Toyota's Yaris, once popular models, are on the way out, while Nissan's once-market-leading Versa is also likely to disappear.

Honda reluctantly abandoned the Fit and Civic in favor of a partnership with GM to develop the EV

Honda America makes most of its profits from crossovers, though it has focused more on passenger cars than its rivals. But the company hopes to appeal to younger consumers with popular models such as the Civic compact.

Still, Honda is feeling the pinch as consumers turn to crossovers that carry more weight and have more room to drive. The company will stop producing the Fit and Civic coupes, two classic models, because of falling sales.

Fit: This small car will be discontinued after 2020. The diminutive sedan, launched in 2006, has been Honda's entry level model, popular with buyers who want to make creative use of space and have relatively interesting driving features. But the fit's US sales have suffered as consumers have switched to HR-V and civic hatchbacks. But the Fit sister Model, the Jazz, is stubbornly alive in other markets.

Civic: Honda plans to discontinue the coupe after 2020 as sales of the two-door version have plummeted to 6% of all versions of the Civic. While the 2021 sedan and hatchback version will not be affected, the 11th Generation Civic will debut as the 2022 model in the spring of 2021, and the redesigned hatchback will be launched this fall.

Meanwhile, Honda is working with GM to develop two electric cars and strengthen its hybrid lineup to improve its industry-leading fuel economy and reduce emissions.

Electric cars: Honda is working with GM to develop two electric cars based on the common platform and using GM's new Ultium battery. Both models will be designed by Honda and are likely to be crossovers, which are expected to go on sale in 2024. As a result, under the original timetable, these models could be unveiled in 2023.

Honda Clarity: Honda's new energy model is coming with a plug-in hybrid and pure fuel cell version for the 2021 model. The Clarity is a replacement for a zero-emission car in the absence of a pure electric Honda in North America. The electric Clarity was eliminated last year because it had a range of just 89 miles.

Nissan is trying to make a comeback with a massive revamp of its North American product lineup

Nissan is revamping its products as it tries to make a comeback in the US, its second-largest market. The product push will reduce Nissan's average life span from more than five years now to nearly three years, with about 70 percent of its product lineup being refreshed by mid-2021.

Nissan has already redesigned or upgraded most of its cars, and the brand is readjusting its key crossover lineup, starting with its best-selling Rogue. Meanwhile, With Ariya coming to the fore, Nissan will officially enter the emerging market for electric crossovers next year.

Versa: Nissan has redesigned the 2020 Version of the Versa with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that boosts its power from 109 to 122 HP. Nissan is likely to update the entry-level Subcompact again in the second half of 2022, but the Versa is likely to be phased out of the U.S. market at the end of the current year model's life cycle as demand for smaller sedans wanes.

The Leaf: Nissan launched the Leaf early last year with a 62-kilowatt-hour battery pack and 226 miles on a single charge. Nissan may redesign the Leaf in the first half of 2023, with the next generation expected to be built through a new electric vehicle platform that nissan shares with its alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi.

Rogue: Nissan is set to re-design its 2021 type Rogue, which is expected to debut this year. The design concept for the upcoming Rogue is based on the 2018 Xmotion concept car, but with more driving space.

The 2.5-liter in-line four-cylinder engine will provide 181 HP for the new Rogue, an 11 HP increase over the current version. The compact crossover will also feature updated suspension and steering systems to improve driveability and reduce engine noise.

In addition, Nissan updated the interior of Rogue Sport this year, adding standard safety technology and driver assistance, but a sporty version of Rogue could be eliminated in the future. Dealers say the car got lost between Rogue and Kicks.

Ariya: This is Nissan's second electric model and one of eight new electric models the company plans to launch globally, which will be available by the end of 2021.

Built on a new architecture, Ariya is about the size of Rogue and has a range of up to 300 miles. The crossover ditches Nissan's traditional "shield" grille and will debut new technology, including dual motors, all-wheel drive and Nissan's next generation autonomous driving system.

Meanwhile, other Japanese automakers are working on a new generation of products, Infiniti is preparing to revive its product line with a series of releases, and Acura is working on a number of product redesigns and improvements. Toyota will also introduce a subcompact crossover and a redesigned Mirai fuel-cell car. Lexus will focus on improving light trucks to appeal to younger consumers.