Suzuki's much talked about new midsize sedan, the 2010 Kizashi is going to start at $18,999.

Even though the Kizashi S starts just under $19k, it still comes standard with power windows and locks, push-button start, dual-zone climate control and a nine speaker audio system. For $2,500 more buyers can get the Kizashi SE with a CVT, 17-inch alloy wheels and power driver's seat. The GTS model is available with either the CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. It also includes a 425- watt audio system, 18-inch wheels, Bluetooth and a moonroof. The top GTS model goes for $24,849. The top of the line SLS starts at $24,399 and includes leather seats, heated front seats, automatic headlights and wipers and rear parking sensors. The SLS tops out at $26,749. And of course all the prices are subject to a $735 destination and handling fee.

Honda has released the pricing for its controversial new 2010 Accord Crosstour crossover.

The 2010 Accord Crosstour starts just under $30k at $29,670 for the base 2WD EX model. The fully optioned 4WD EX-L with navigation will set you back $36,220. The EPA numbers have also been released and the 2WD model gets a combined 18/27 mpg, while the 4WD model gets 17/25 mpg. The Accord Crosstour comes standard with Honda's 3.5L V6 with Variable Cylinder Management.

Acura has been trying to change its portfolio to become more of a Tier 1 luxury brand, but it looks like those plans have changed. Acura had been working on developing new high-performance vehicles and its first V8 engine, but those plans have been canceled.

There is "a certain level of confusion" about Acura in the marketplace, Honda Motor Co. CEO Takanobu Ito told Automotive News at the Tokyo auto show. "We are in the midst of big changes. We've changed the direction of research and development."

Prior to the collapse of the economy Acura had plans to finally match the other top tier luxury brands with its first V8 engine and rear-wheel-drive, but those plans have been scrapped sending engineers back to the drawing board.

Instead of focusing on going head to head with brands like BMW, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito stated, "I see the future of Acura as a merger of BMW and Audi--something between high technology and high performance." Eighteen months ago Acura dealers were promised five new models, but as a result of the changes Acura will be in a "low-growth period of developing new products."

"We were thinking that we could come up with glamorous, gorgeous products that would sell. Now, our premium products will be expressed in advanced environmental technologies, rather than glamorous things attached to the product," Ito said.

Mitsubishi has released a single sketch of its upcoming compact crossover that will draw styling cues from the 2007 Concept-cX show car.

The new compact crossover, which will be smaller than the current Outlander will be released first in Japan in February 2010. It's expected to be offered in the US later in 2010.

For those of us that have been complaining that Honda didn't choose to offer the Euro Accord wagon in the US instead of the 2010 Accord Crosstour, you can stop your whining. Acura has confirmed that the Euro Honda Accord wagon will be offered in the US in 2011 as the Acura TSX sport wagon.

Acura didn't release any other info about the new sport wagon and it's not known what will be changed from the Euro version, hopefully not much. It is slated to arrive in the fall of 2010.

As we sit here and wait patiently for Subaru to unveil its version of the rear-wheel-drive coupe, that is a result of the collaboration with Toyota, more speculation continues to surface about what we might see. Toyota already unveiled a concept version of its coupe codenamed FT-86, the Subaru version has been codenamed 086A and will supposedly bigger and badder than its twin.

Well the latest reports are claiming that Subaru's coupe will be all-wheel-drive instead of the rear-wheel-drive setup of the Toyota version. The base engine will be a turbocharged 2.0L with 250 horsepower and the STI version will put out 308 horsepower. The Subaru coupe is also going to be bigger than its Toyota twin. Lastly more power, all-wheel-drive and bigger exterior dimensions also means that the Subaru version will be priced higher than the Toyota.

Although Honda now has the Insight and Civic hybrids and the upcoming CR-Z, Honda is missing a larger hybrid to compete with the Fusion and Camry hybrids. Honda did have an Accord hybrid with the last generation, but the fact that it was mated to a six-cylinder, many of us didn't notice it. Well it looks like Honda is finally working on a new hybrid system that will be offered in Honda's larger models like the Accord.

According to the Automotive News, Honda is working on a new hybrid system for its larger vehicles that will be different than the current system offered in the Civic and Insight. The new system will use two electric motors compared to the single electric motor that Honda is currently using.

"That is one major initiative we are working on," COO of automobile operations at Honda Tsuneo Tanai, told Automotive News. "The motor will have higher output. There will be dual motors, with a larger battery that enables the car to be driven in all-electric mode."

Tanai did not reveal when we can expect to see the new system and which vehicles it will be offered in. According to Japan's Nikkei business daily Honda is planning a hybrid minivan in 2011.

The Honda Civic has consistently remained near the top of the sales charts for years, but according to the latest reports, product chief Tsuneo Tanai has told engineers to go back to the drawing board for the next Civic. When gas prices spiked and the economy took a nose dive, the Civic was in high demand. It even managed to become the best selling vehicle in the US in May 2008. But Tanai is obviously not satisfied with the current state of the Civic and has ordered that the new Civic needs to be smaller, cheaper, lighter and more fuel efficient.

The change for the Civic was reportedly ordered last year, so it is not certain what this will mean for the next Civic which was expected to be unveiled at the end of 2010 as a 2011 model. Hopefully there won't be much of a delay since the Civic is going to have to go head to head with the next Focus and Chevy Cruze.

Toyota recently unveiled a concept version of its new rear-wheel-drive coupe in Tokyo. The production version that is the result of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru is expected to go on sale some time in 2012. Toyota hasn't announced what the official name will be for the coupe, but according to Autocar, the coupe could be named the Celica.

The concept is currently badged FT-86, but the latest rumors are suggesting that Toyota is currently evaluating the Celica name since it has a long history.

Motor Trend has announced the recipient of this year's 2010 Sport Utility of the Year Award and for the second year in a row it goes to a Subaru. The 2010 Subaru Outback has been named the SUV of the Year.

MOTOR TREND editor-in-chief, Angus MacKenzie, said, "The 2010 Subaru Outback offers a unique combination of comfort, efficiency, versatility and value. It boasts car-like refinement, drivability and gas mileage on the road, yet is as capable in the rough stuff as all but the most off-road focused sport utilities. Thoughtfully engineered, cleverly detailed and competitively priced, the Subaru Outback is a terrific all-rounder with broad appeal."

The Outback beat out the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, Toyota 4Runner and others to take this year's award. Last year the Subaru Forester took home the award.

Motor Trend has announced the list of SUV contenders for its "SUV of the Year" award.

Of course this award is great to whomever wins, due to all of the bragging rights that come along with it. It's usually heavily used in every ad campaign. Last year the Subaru Forester took home the award.

Which SUV do you think should win this year's award?

Subaru has given the details of what we can expect to see in Tokyo next month, but unfortunately we will not see a concept version of its version of the FT-86 coupe that it is working on with Toyota. For now we have to make due with the numerous sketches and spy photos.

More details continue to surface about Subaru's version (086A) and now we have more details of what might be in store for the STI version. According Japanese publication Holiday Auto, the regular Subaru 086A will be very close to Toyota's version, although it will have subtle styling tweaks, but will be powered by the same 2.0L flat-four boxer engine. The STI version gets more exciting by using the 2.5L flat-four with between 240-250 horsepower. The STI version would also get more styling tweaks to make room for a wider track and wheels. The addition of STi only aero parts lke a unique front bumper and rear spoiler are also expected.

Mitsubishi has released the pricing for its top Lancer Evolution model, the Lancer Evolution MR Touring. The MR Touring model starts at $40,990 and easily moves the car into the price range of many luxury models.

The MR Touring comes standard with the all the good stuff as the MR model, which includes the 291-hp turbocharged four-cylinder, six-speed dual clutch transmission, S-AWC all-wheel-drive system, Brembo brakes and 18-inch BBS wheels. What the Touring adds is a standard glass sunroof, a subtle lip spoiler and leather heated Recaro seats.

If those features aren't enough Mitsubishi has a list of extra's that can be added to the car and if you go crazy enough and select all of them you're looking at a price tag of $52,728. Wow!

Who remembers the Subaru SVX from the 90's? The SVX was produced from 1991 to 1997 and was Subaru's first attempt at making GT Coupe. Although the SVX failed to meet expectations, Subaru is reportedly working on a successor.

According to the latest reports, Subaru is working on a new coupe that will be based on the same platform as the Hybrid Tourer Concept that is going to be unveiled next week in Tokyo. The car would be powered by a turbocharged 2.5L boxer engine, although a hybrid powerplant is also a possibility. The SVX successor would target high-end performance models.

The SVX is in addition to the FT-86 coupe that Subaru is working on with Toyota.

Subaru has released more photos of the Hybrid Tourer Concept that is set to debut in Tokyo.

The gullwing Hybrid Tourer Concept is a four-passenger concept that is Subaru's first attempt at a hybrid vehicle. The concept is powered by two electric motors that get their juice from a lithium-ion battery pack and a 2.0L boxer engine with direct-injection.

Here are some more photos of Toyota's FT-86 Concept, thanks to ft86club that is set to debut in Tokyo.

Toyota unveiled a concept version of its upcoming rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, the FT-86 concept a few days ago. The coupe is the result of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, so we've all been waiting to see what the Subaru version is going to look like.

Autocar has posted a few sketches of what Subaru's version of the coupe may look like. Although the final design is far from finalized. There are supposedly a few hurdles within Subaru that need to be addressed first. Such as the fact that Subaru has built its brand upon the existence of all-wheel-drive in all of its vehicles. Subaru has never built a small rear-wheel-drive coupe. Subaru may rework the car to feature all-wheel-drive, but it may add weight. Subaru is also having issues sharing its technology with Toyota.

Subaru is supplying the 2.0L boxer engine and the basic platform for both cars. Also both cars are set to be produced at Subaru's facility in Japan.

Toyota is set to unveil it's version of the coupe, but it's not known when Subaru will.

In addition to the unveiling of the Leaf EV at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan is also going to show off another electric vehicle, the Land Glider Concept. Nissan boasts that its extremely narrow dimensions will help it maneuver through traffic in urban areas and make it easier to park.

The Land Glider concept holds two passengers in a cockpit that looks like it came directly out of a video game. What is interesting is that the concept has the ability to lean like a motorcycle through turns.

Check out the pics and video after the jump.

Green Car Journal has announced the five finalists for its Green Car of the Year award.

And the finalists are:

-Audi A3 TDI
-Honda Insight
-Mercury Milan Hybrid
-Toyota Prius
-Volkswagen Golf TDI

The winner of the 2010 Green Car of the Year award will be announced at the 2009 LA Auto Show on December 3.

Which car do you think should win?

If you were hoping that Honda was eventually going to release a non-hybrid version of its upcoming CR-Z hybrid, it looks like your hopes are lost. Although a CR-Z with the 2.0L from the Civic Si would have been awesome, according to a source it's not going to happen.

"This will definitely only be a hybrid," a source said. "The whole direction of Honda is hybrids and this car is designed all around a hybrid powertrain. The car isn't boring; it is responsive and fun."

Although the CR-Z has been dubbed the spiritual successor to the much-loved CR-X from the 80's, it's not going to be offered with a high revving conventional engine.

Infiniti virtually unveiled the 2011 Infiniti M at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August and today the automaker revealed plans for the introduction of the 2012 M35 Hybrid and its JDM equivalent the Nissan Fuga.

Infiniti's first hybrid, the M35 hybrid will not rely on Toyota's technology like the Nissan Altima hybrid, but rather a new internally developed hybrid system. The M35 hybrid will be Infiniti's cleanest and most fuel efficient model. It will primarily be powered by a 3.5L V6 that sends the power to the rear wheels. Infiniti claims that the hybrid components will only add to the driving experience and not take away from it, like most other hybrids. The electric motor is powered by a laminated lithium-ion battery that holds twice the power of nickel-metal hydride batteries and cools twice as fast because it's lamination.

The Infiniti M is expected to go on sale early next year as a 2011 model, with the hybrid following a year later as a 2012 model.

Honda has released interior photos of the controversial 2010 Accord Crosstour.

Honda describes the interior of the Accord Crosstour as "versatile" with its one touch lever, which is used to fold the rear seats from the cargo area and under floor hidden storage area. The dashboard is pretty much right out of the sedan version.

Does the interior help you like this car any better than before?

In addition to the release of more photos, Honda has confirmed that the Accord Crosstour will come standard with a 3.5L V6 with 4-wheel-drive being optional. Honda has yet to release the final specs, but the vehicle will be on sale in November.

We've been hearing for a while that Toyota and Subaru have been working on a new rear-wheel-drive coupe together. Well here is our first look at the concept that is going to be unveiled this month in Tokyo.

The concept is inspired by the Corolla-based AE86 sports coupe of the 1980's and was designed in France. It is powered by a 2.0L boxer engine from Subaru that sends the power to the rear wheels.

The production version is expected to be unveiled sometime next year with sales starting at the end of 2011. The expected starting price is around $20,000.

Honda's CEO Takanobu Ito recently stated that he sees Hyundai as a major threat to the Japanese automakers.

"Hyundai is awesome," said Takanobu. "They are undoubtedly a threat because their products are cheap, and the quality is improving."

Hyundai's sales have been improving, while many of its other competitors have seen its sales decline in the last year. Obviously new products like the Genesis are changing the perception of the brand and it's no longer seen as the throw away car brand of the 80's.

Kinda hilarious. It's a little hard to tell what she is saying throughout the whole commercial.

Nissan has released two sketches of its new Global Compact Car. The new car will be launched in Thailand next March and eventually will be sold in 150 countries. This will replace the current Micra in Europe

Nissan hasn't announced if the car will make it to the US where it would slot in below the Versa in Nissan's lineup. Although from these sketches it's much better looking than the Versa.

Nissan has released the official specs, photos and pricing for the refreshed 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe and Sedan.

On the outside the Altima gets a restyled hood, grille and front bumper and new wheels. Inside there are new fabrics and trim and revised option packages. A new nine speaker Bose audio system and the next-generation Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System with 6.5-inch VGA color touch-screen display are optional.

The powerplants remain unchanged with the 175-hp 2.5L 4-cyl, 275-hp 3.5L V6 and the 198-hp hybrid available only on the sedan.

Pricing starts at $19,900 for the base 2.5S sedan and goes all the way up to $29,600 for the 3.5 SR (no longer named SE) coupe.

Just like almost every other preview so far of the Tokyo Motor Show next month, most of the concepts being unveiled have some sort of electric motor under the hood. Mitsubishi is following suit with the unveiling of the Concept PX-MiEV, which features Mitsubishi's Plug-in Hybrid System in a CUV body.

The Concept PX-MiEV features two electric motors that power the front and rear wheels coupled to a 1.6L DOHC MIVEC gasoline engine that powers the front wheels and also acts like a generator. The new plug-in system allows users to plug into either a 100 or 200-volt outlet. The concept is capable of traveling in EV mode up to 30 miles, which can transfer power between the front and rear wheels when necessary. The Concept PX-MiEV also features the same S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) system as the Evolution X.

Mitsubishi's cocochi-interior "embraces occupants in a pleasantly comfortable cabin environment developed to a Clean, Stress-free and Safe & Reassuring theme." Some interesting highlights of the interior of the Concept OX-MiEV are seats that deactivate allergens and odors as well as bacteria, windows that keep out UV-A radiation so that you don't get a nasty farmer's tan or premature wrinkles from the sun and a negative-ion aroma humidifier.

Next spring, Nissan is going to start taking orders for the Leaf EV, with deliveries starting that fall. Nissan is expecting to receive 20,000 orders, which is well over the 5,000 Leafs Nissan has planned to lease in 2010.

For the first two years of production all Leafs will be imported to the US from Japan. By 2012 Nissan expects to have completed a $2 billion investment in its Smyrna, TN production facility to produce 150,000 electric vehicles and 200,000 lithium-ion batteries per year.

The Leaf is going to launch in Tennessee and Oregon as well as San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; and the Phoenix/Tucson are of Arizona. These areas have committed to installing 2,500 electric vehicle charging stations.

Subaru is going to unveil the Impreza WRX STI Carbon at the Tokyo Motor Show next month, but some of the details of the car make you wonder...why? The WRX STI is supposed to be the halo performance car for the Impreza brand, so when Subaru decides to put a carbon fiber roof on this edition, we say..great! It will lower the total weight and center of gravity, which means better performance. But wait... Now for some reason Subaru has decided to add a 5-speed automatic to this version...why?? An automatic? Really?? That makes no sense at all! Also who really cares about suede seats?

The third concept to take the Honda's stage at the Tokyo Motor Show next month alongside the CR-Z and Skydeck will be the EV-N Concept. At first glance the small electric EV-N immediately recalls Honda's N360 minicar from the 1960s.

The EV-N features lithium-ion batteries and seating for four. There is a communications system embedded in the front fascia, something that Honda calls HELLO, s solar roof and swappable seat fabrics. The front passenger door also has one Honda's U3-X personal mobility devices tucked in it for when you aren't riding in the car.

Check out the photos...

Subaru will be showing off the Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show next month.

The gullwing Hybrid Tourer Concept is a four-passenger concept that Subaru describes as "a new proposal for the future of [the] grand touring car."

The Hybrid Tourer Concept is powered by a horizontally opposed 2.0L direct injection turbocharged four cylinder mated to a hybrid motor system with lithium-ion batteries. The hybrid system is a two-motor system with a motor in the front and rear of the car. During normal driving the front motor is primarily used, but at start up and extremely low speeds the rear motor is mainly used.

Subaru of course didn't give any details if this concept will ever see production.

The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show is right around the corner and even though a number of automakers have already pulled out of the show, we can expect to see a number of reveals. Honda is set to unveil a near production ready Honda CR-Z in addition to the Skydeck concept shown here.

The Honda Skydeck Concept is a six seater minivan hybrid. Honda is most likely looking for other areas to apply its hybrid technology and this minivan concept could be a possibility. Of course those scissor doors wouldn't make it to production. Honda hasn't released any technical specs, but we do know that the hybrid system has been moved to the center console.

Stay tuned for more info from the show.

Honda unveiled the CR-Z hybrid concept at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show and now two years later the concept that is hitting the stage at again at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show. As typical with most Honda concepts, the concept version ends up being very close to the final product. According to Honda officials, the concept that we will see next month is 95 percent of the real thing. The production version of the Honda CR-Z will be officially unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

The spiritual successor to the much loved CR-X, the 2011 CR-Z is a 2+2 coupe powered by a 1.5L i-VTEC inline-4 combined with Honda's IMA hybrid powertrain and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Who knows if Honda may eventually broaden the appeal of the CR-Z with the addition of non-hybrid powertrains.

The interior of the concept is near production ready and features a layout that looks somewhat similar to the Insight. The Ni-Mh battery pack is believed to be under the floor like in the Insight, in which the CR-Z is based on.

The 2011 CR-Z is expected to go on sale in Japan in February 2010 and in the U.S. a few months after that.

Stay tuned for more info from the show...for now check out the photos.

Toyota is issuing its largest recall in the automaker's history due to an issue with floormats.

The Federal Department of Transportation has issued an "urgent" warning to owners of several Toyota and Lexus models advising owners to remove the driver's side front floor mats to keep them from getting in the way of the accelerator and brake pedals.

This notice has come out after a fatal crash in late August that involved a 2009 Lexus ES350 that crashed after the front floor mat caused the accelerator and brake pedals to stick.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging owners of the affected vehicles to remove the floormats and to not replace them with anything else.

Mazda has released official images of its next-generation SKY powertrains and the Kiyora concept that will be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show next month.

The SKY-D' diesel engine, SKY-G' direct injection gasoline engine and SKY Drive' high-efficiency automatic transmission define "Mazda's approach to developing next-generation powertrains that will significantly improve the eco-friendliness and dynamic performance of all Mazda vehicles."

In addition to the new more efficient engines and transmissions debuting at the show, the Kiyora concept is Mazda's newest take an an eco-friendly, but fun to drive car. It's powered by the next-generation Mazda SKY-G 1.3 engine mated to the new six-speed Mazda SKY-Drive automatic transmission. The Kiyora concept achieves fuel economy numbers of 32 kilometers per liter and its compact body weighs 100 kilograms less than Mazda's current mass production model in the same segment.

Toyota has announced the pricing for the 2010 4-Runner, Land Cruiser, Venza, Tacoma and Prius.

-The all-new 4-Runner was unveiled yesterday and starts at $27,500 for the SR5 4x2.

-The Venza starts at $26,275 for the four-cylinder front wheel-drive model, which is an inease of $300.

-The iconic Land Cruiser starts at a pricey $65,970, an increase of $1,215.

-The Tacoma receives a price increase of $175, with the base model starting at $15,345.

-The new Prius, which was released just a few months ago will see price increases of $400 for the Prius II, III, IV and V models. The Prius I pricing remains unchanged with a starting price of $21,000.

When Mitsubishi showed off the Outlander GT Concept at the New York Auto Show it was pretty obvious that the automaker was planning on adding its "Evo" grille to the production Outlander.

Well here it is. Mitsubishi has unveiled the 2010 Outlander in Australia and it is sporting a grille that looks like it came directly from the Lancer Evo. Was the new grille needed?

Toyota has officially unveiled the 2010 4-Runner. The fifth-generation 4-Runner stays true to its roots with a traditional body-on-frame design and even more rugged looks than the last model. It's longer, taller and wider and is available as in Limited, SR5 and Trail grade configurations.

The 2010 4-Runner offers two engines a 157-hp 2.7L 4-cylinder and the same 4.0L V6 as the outgoing model but that now puts out 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft. of torque. The 4-cyl is mated to a 4-speed automatic and gets 18/23 mpg. Fuel economy for the V6 that is mated to a five-speed automatic ranges from 16/20 - 17/23 mpg. Four-wheel-drive models are only available with the V6, while the 4x2 models are available with either engine.

Toyota is positioning the 4-Runner as being more rugged than the Highlander and more versatile than the FJ Cruiser. It seats up to seven passengers.

Nissan has issued a recall of 26,398 according to the NHTSA. The affected vehicles are being recalled due to an issue with the upper front strut insulators.

The upper front insulators may have been manufactured out of spec. which may cause them to crack, which would allow the struts to come out of their mounting position. This problem could affect vehicle stability and possibly lead to a crash.

Nissan is going to begin notifying owners of the affected vehicles and will replace the strut insulators free of charge.

VW is expected to buy a stake in Suzuki by the end of 2009 according to the German industry publication Automobilwoche report.

The publication quoted an unnamed Suzuki executive, "For Suzuki and VW this connection would be a win-win situation. Suzuki would have access to a variety of VW's technology, while Volkswagen would have a solid supporting leg in India and Southeast Asia."

VW has declined to comment, but last week VW's Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn stated that Suzuki's current product lineup would work well with VW.

There has been speculation about a tie up between the two automakers since August.

When the current Mazda2 aka Mazda Demio was unveiled Mazda had no plans to sell it in North America, although many of us wanted it. Well times have changed and President and CEO of Mazda's North American Operations Jim O'Sullivan has now confirmed to Mazda dealers that the Mazda2 will go on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2010. The Mazda2 shares its platform with the upcoming Ford Fiesta.

O'Sullivan cited that changing attitudes toward small cars in the U.S. is what made it possible for the introduction of the Mazda2. The US-spec Mazda2 is expected to debut at the 2009 LA Auto Show later this year.

Lexus has released info on the refreshed 2010 LS 600h. On the outside the LS 600h gets a new four-bar grille and new air intakes and fog lamps. The headlights have a new running light design as well and are finished in Lexus hybrid blue.

The hybrid powertrain carries over largely unchanged although there are a few updates such as a new ECO mode, which modifies the throttle action and performance of the air conditioning system to support fuel-efficient driving. The hybrid's nickel battery has also been repackaged to allow for more luggage room in the trunk. The Lexus Hybrid Drive system has been revised to meet Euro V exhaust emissions standards. The front brake pads have also been upgraded with enlarged rotors and six-piston Brembo calipers.

Infiniti is set to release a new QX56 SUV for the 2011 model year, but the large SUV was on display in the Middle East and one lucky guy managed to capture two shots of it.

Overall the 2011 QX56 is much smoother looking that the current generation. It features certain styling elements from the smaller FX. The QX56 is based on the Nissan Safari/ Patrol.

The 2011 QX56 should make its official debut at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Toyota has yet to officially release any full photos of the 2010 4Runner, but here are some photos of the body-on-frame SUV that is going to be unveiled in a few weeks.

The fifth generation 4Runner sticks to its body-on-frame roots and gets all-new styling that emphasizes this. The 2010 4Runner will be available with either a 161-hp 4-cyl or a 268-hp V6 engine. The V8 will no longer be offered.

Stay tuned for the official unveiling...

The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour hasn't received the positive feedback that Honda was hoping...just take a look at the Facebook page dedicated to the new model. Well Honda has released some more photos of the new CUV in red, but does it look any better? Not really...

The sales numbers for August 2009 are in and thanks to the Cash for Clunkers program sales were up for a few of the automakers. Toyota, Honda and Ford saw sales increase by 10.5%, 14.2% and 17%, respectively. Although GM was down 20.2% and Chrysler by 15%.

The Toyota Camry surpassed the Ford F-Series to become the best selling vehicle in the US last month, although the F-Series also had a good month. New to the list for August was the Hyundai Elantra, likely due to increased sales from the Cash for Clunkers program. The Honda CR-V also made a return this month, surpassing the Ford Escape, which is missing this time.

* Toyota Camry: 54,396
* Ford F-Series: 45,590
* Honda Civic: 43,294
* Toyota Corolla: 43,061
* Honda Accord: 39,726
* Chevy Silverado: 32,421
* Honda CR-V: 30,284
* Nissan Altima: 26,833
* Ford Focus: 25,547
* Hyundai Elantra: 21,673

Toyota has released single shots of the vehicles it is planning on unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.

The more exciting shot is of the Lexus LF-Ch concept which is meant to go head to head with the BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 and Volvo C30. Under the hood of the concept is a version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system.

The LF-Ch will be joined by the Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept, which Toyota claims is the first application of Toyota's full hybrid technology in a mainstream model. Toyota's other hybrid, the Prius will be unveiled in plug-in hybrid form. Lastly two Q show cars (iQ for Sports and iQ Collection) will hit the Scion stage at the show.

Honda's newest crossover the Accord Crosstour has been showing up in spy photos and has lately been teased on Facebook, but here are the first two official shots.

These two shots don't show off the prettiest car, but who knows maybe people will flock to it. What do you think? Stay tuned for more photos and info soon...

Toyota is set to release an all-new 4Runner for the 2010 model year. It's official unveiling is a month away at the State Fair of Texas on Sept 24th, but the automaker has released a single teaser photo of the new SUV.

The body-on-frame SUV is going to get all-new styling, which is more squared off than the current generation (at least what is visible from this shot). According to Toyota the fifth generation 4Runner will be "more rugged than ever." Toyota also claims that the new 4Runner will have more comfort and added roominess.

Expect more details next month.

Toyota has issued a recall of 95,700 vehicles to fix an issue with the braking system that could fail in extremely cold temperatures.

The effected vehicles are the 2009 and 2010 Corolla and Matrix and 2008-2009 Scion xD models. Toyota claims that in very low temperatures condensed moisture from the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) port may seep into the brake system vacuum port and freeze. If the moisture continues to build up ice could form on the brake system vacuum port and eventually plug the vacuum port. The accumulation of ice could eventually reduce braking performance leading to longer braking distances.

Toyota dealers will install a newly designed intake air connector which relocates the brake system vacuum port. Owners in 19 of the coldest states will begin receiving the recall notices next month.

In response to the upcoming Honda CRZ hybrid, Toyota has decided to develop a coupe version of its popular Prius. According to the latest rumors the Prius coupe is being designed in Italy, by an Italian coachbuilder. The final design is expected to be very close to the current Prius.

The production version of the Honda CRZ is expected to be unveiled this fall, with sales starting early next year. Rumors are suggesting that the Prius coupe will be unveiled sometime next year.

Toyota recently launched the new Prius, which has been such a success that the automaker has run into a shortage of batteries. Now it looks like Toyota's next new hybrid the Lexus HS 250h is also running into issues due to high demand. The Lexus HS 250h is in very high demand in Japan, which may affect the supply in the US when it is launched according to Automotive News.

Toyota had originally set a goal of selling 500 units a month of the HS 250h in Japan, but due to government-backed tax breaks and sales incentives 10,000 units were ordered in the first month. Customers in Japan are now seeing a 6 month wait for the HS 250h.

The Lexus HS 250h is scheduled to hit US dealerships next month (hopefully) with a starting price of $35,075.

The current generation Honda CR-V has been a huge success for Honda and for the 2010 model year the CR-V is set to get a mild facelift. Honda's Japanese website confirms that the new CR-V will be unveiled on September 17th, which just happens to be the first day of the Frankfurt Motor Show, but it't not known if it will debut there.

From the single photo of the new CR-V on the website its obvious that the 2010 CR-V is going to get subtle tweaks to its grille and front bumper. There are also new alloy wheels, but other than that it's not known what the other changes, if any, are.

Stay tuned...

Honda is reportedly working on a new electric vehicle to battle the Nissan LEAF and future Toyota EV. Although Honda has mainly focused on hydrogen powered models like the FCX Clarity, future tighter emissions standards and more demand for zero emissions vehicles may be forcing Honda to produce an EV.

Japan's Nikkei business daily claims that Honda's new EV is set for a debut in 2015, but a prototype is expected to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show this October. The EV is expected to be about the size of a minicar.

Lexus has released a single teaser sketch of its upcoming hatchback that is set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Lexus hatch, which is expected to use the CT name, will go head to head with the BMW 1 Series, Volvo C30 and Audi A3 in Europe. It's not known if the CT will make it to the US, especially since hatchbacks don't normally sell that well here.

Acura has released more photos and info about the upcoming ZDX crossover.

The ZDX is powered by a 300-hp 3.7L V6 that is mated to a new 6-speed auto transmission and Acura's SH-AWD system. It gets 16/22 mpg.

The four-door sports coupe was designed in California and has interesting details such as hidden rear door handles and a panoramic glass roof with automatic sunshades. Although the ZDX has a sloping rear roof line it still manages to have 26.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 55.3 cubic feet with the seat folded. An integrated under-floor storage area adds an extra 2.2 cubic feet.

The ZDX is going to hit dealers this coming winter. Acura has yet to release the pricing for its newest crossover.

Nissan has updated the Sentra for 2010 with a revised front fascia, new headlights and taillights and new wheels. Inside the stereo has been updated with a 4.3-inch screen and navigation is now a $400 option.

Although Nissan made some changes and additions to the 2010 model, the price has been lowered by as much as $1,080 on the SE-R models.

Haha... GM announced this morning that the Volt is going to get 230 mpg and now Nissan posts that its upcoming Leaf EV is going to get 367 mpg.

"Nissan Leaf = 367 mpg, no tailpipe, and no gas required. Oh yeah, and it'll be affordable too!"

Nissan claims its 367 mpg figure was derived by using a Department of Energy formula.

We'll have to wait and see when both vehicles are actually released.

Toyota has boosted production of the Lexus HS 250h hybrid due to strong sales in Japan. The Lexus hybrid was launched on July 14 and the automaker had only hoped to sell 500 a month, but has already received over 9,000 orders. Toyota produced 2,000 units in July, but expects to triple that number by October.

The HS 250h will launch in the US in late August or early September with a starting price of $34,200.

Sales attributed to the government's Cash for Clunkers program have topped 180,000 units. The program's existence was put in jeopardy when it blew through most of its cash within in the first week, but now it looks like another $2 billion is going to be added to the vote after a successful Senate vote. Lawmakers agreed to add additional funding to the program which should give buyers until labor day to trade in their older vehicles for new more fuel-efficient ones.

More than 80 percent of the vehicles traded in have been trucks, SUVs and vans, while 59 percent of the vehicles purchased have been passenger cars. The Toyota Corolla recently overtook the Ford Focus as the best-selling vehicle in the program. The Ford Focus holds the number two spot, while the Honda Civic comes in third.

Inifiniti has released a single teaser image of the 2011 Infiniti M that will debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 14th.

The image doesn't reveal much about the next-generation M other than a more swooping design that will most likely be in line with the current G and FX vehicles.

Expect more details soon...

The sales numbers for last month are just coming in and now we have the list of the top ten best-selling cars.

As expected the Ford F-150 and Toyota Camry are at the top of the list, but the surprises this time can partly be attributed to "Cash for Clunkers." The Ford Focus was the top vehicle chosen by buyers that traded in their old cars, which added it to July's top ten list. The Toyota Prius also makes an appearance at the number 10 spot.

* Ford F-Series: 36,327
* Toyota Camry: 33,974
* Honda Civic: 30,037
* Honda Accord: 29,774
* Toyota Corolla: 29,593
* Chevy Silverado: 27,617
* Ford Focus: 21,830
* Ford Escape: 20,241
* Nissan Altima: 19,252
* Toyota Prius: 19,173

There have been so many rumors about Toyota/ Subaru's upcoming RWD coupes. The latest reports are claiming that the 086A coupe is going to get a significant power drop to make it more economical with lower emissions and to be be branded as an "eco car" in Japan.

The 2.0L boxer four-cylinder is now expected to put out around 160 hp, which is 40 less than earlier reports. Even though the engine's power is being downgraded, Toyota and Subaru have managed to cut the vehicle's weight, boosting the power-to-weight ratio. Subaru no longer sells the 2.0L boxer engine in any of its US-spec models, so hopefully the US-spec 086A will also be powered by the 2.5L instead of the de-powered 2.0L.

The coupe is expected to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show this fall, but these latest reports now make it seem like the "green" movement has stepped in and the overall buyer demographic is now going to be older than originally planned. Toyota and Subaru have reportedly revised their marketing plans to target the 30-50 year old target market. Many people in this age range will probably remember the old AE86 Corolla.

The production version is expected to be released by the end of 2011.

Honda had high hopes for the new Insight hybrid and even though the automaker claims it isn't a direct competitor to the Prius, many consider it to be. Especially the fact that it even looks like the Prius. Well it looks like the Insight is winning over very few buyers in the US. It probably has something to do with the fact that the reviews have been less than stellar and the Prius manages to get better mpg. Either way only 2,079 Insights were sold in June compared to 12,998 sales of the Prius. Honda had hoped to sell 90,000 units in its first 12 months, but at the current rate Honda will only manage to sell a third of that goal.

The one thing going for the Insight is that it starts at a lower price point than the Prius. Dealers are hoping that Honda will rework its marketing efforts to call out the price differences between the two hybrids. But it may not work since Toyota is planning on releasing a cheaper Prius that will start around $21k in September.

The Insight has managed to sell well in Japan, but Honda needs to figure something out quick in the US before the Insight is simply forgotten.

Honda, Japan's number 2 automaker posted an 88 percent fall in operating profit, due to the drop in car sales, but managed to beat expectations for a loss.

Honda posted an operating profit of 25.2 billion yen ($267 million) in the April-June quarter, compared to a 210.5 billion yen a year earlier. Honda also raised their full year forecast die to the fact that it expects sales to improve. For the year ending March 31, 2010, Honda is now forecasting an operating profit of 70 billion yen and net profit of 55 billion yen.

Nissan has tasked its engineers with the job of getting more miles for gallons out of its vehicles to attract more buyers that are interested in the government's Car Allowance Rebate System "Cash-for-Clunkers". The program offers more of an incentive for vehicles with greater efficiency.

"We want as many of our products as possible to pop up on the shopping list," Nissan North America spokesman Brian Brockman told Automotive News.

Its been rumored that Toyota has been considering a coupe version of its popular Prius hybrid and thanks to Honda's upcoming CR-Z hybrid coupe, it may become a reality.

The newest reports claim that Toyota is working on a 2+2 hybrid coupe based on the Prius that will feature an upgraded version of the 1.8L engine in the current Prius with around 136 horsepower. More horsepower obviously means that the coupe version will have slightly lower mpg numbers. The overall length of the coupe is expected to be about 100mm shorter than the regular Prius. The interior will also largely carryover.

The Prius-based coupe is expected to be released in mid-2012.

Lexus is expected to unveil a new concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall and according to reports the vehicle is set to be a five-door hatchback. The hatchback is expected to be a head to head competitor with BMW's 1-series and Audi's A3.

The production version is likely to carry the 'BS' or 'CS' name and it will be powered by the same 2.4L hybrid powertrain as the HS 250 hybrid. Although it will borrow the HS powertrain it will not be built on the same platform, but it will also be front-wheel-drive.

The concept is expected to be a 90 percent match of the production model that is expected to go on sale at the end of 2010.

Subaru has unveiled the Impreza WRX STI spec C, which is lighter and more powerful than the other Impreza models. Unfortunately it is only going to be sold in Japan.

Thanks to a reprogrammed ECU, 2.0L four-cyl now puts out 304 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Subaru lightened the car by giving it an aluminum hood, smaller battery, and new lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels. Laminar glass is also used in the front and side windows. Engineers also retuned the suspension and reinforced the chassis. A mechanical type rear limited slip differential was also added.

Subaru is only going to produce 900 units, which will only be available in Japan.

Honda is issuing a recall of model year 2001 Accords and Civics to fix an issue with the driver's side airbag. Apparently the driver's side airbag in effected vehicles could inflate with so much excessive force that it could rupture the inflator module. If the inflator is ruptured metal shards from the explosion could rip through the airbag, thereby hurting the driver and passengers.

Owners of affected 2001 Accords and Civics will be able to bring their vehicles into their nearest Honda dealer to have the inflator replaced, free of charge.

Lexus has announced the pricing for its first dedicated hybrid, the HS 250h.

The 2010 HS 250h starts at $34,200 and the premium model starts at $36,970, which prices it above the Prius, but significantly less than the Lexus GS 450h. The HS 250h is powered by a 147-hp four-cylinder engine that is mated to an electric motor for a combined output of 187 horsepower. The hybrid features four drive-modes: Normal, Power, Eco and EV. It has also received EPA-estimated ratings of 35 mpg city and 34 mpg on the highway for a combined 35 mpg on regular gasoline.

The HS 250h will start rolling into dealerships in late-August.

Honda's new president, Takanubo Ito, who took over for Takeo Fukui, recently stated that V8 engines and rear-wheel-drive are not in the automaker's near future.

"I don't think we need a classic front-engine, rear-drive car. It would be meaningless to emulate what other companies have done for more than five decades."

He also stated that, "We are considering incorporating new engines, motors, transmissions and chassis into mid- to large-sized hybrid vehicles." Fukui's plans to create V8s and a new rear-wheel-drive platform have been killed. Of course the economy probably had something to do with the decision.

Acura has officially unveiled the 2010 ZDX four-door sports coupe. The ZDX is Acura's answer to the BMW X6 and will hit dealerships this coming winter.

The ZDX is powered by a 300-hp 3.7L V6 that is mated to a six-speed automatic with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) is standard. 19-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels are also standard, which means the ZDX has the largest standard wheels in the Acura lineup.

The ZDX is available in three different package levels: ZDX, ZDX with Technology Package and the ultra premium, ZDX with Advance Package. A blind spot information system, a Collision Mitigating Braking System™ (CMBS™), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) are standard with the Advance Package.

ZDX pricing will slot in between the MDX and RL.

Now that Ford no longer holds a significant stake in Mazda, Mazda is needs to have a new source for its upcoming hybrid vehicles. Currently the only Mazda hybrid is the Tribute that borrows its hybrid powertrain from the Ford Escape. Inside sources are now claiming that Mazda is seeking a new partner and is reportedly in talks with Toyota.

The Nikkei business daily is reporting that the two automakers are in the final stages of discussion and that an announcement is expected soon detailing the plan to supply Toyota produced hybrid components to Mazda.

Toyota and Mazda are both denying the talks.

The current Honda S2000 is officially going to end production at the end of 2009. Honda has been rumored to be working on a replacement for the past few years, but Honda has yet to release any details about the S2000's successor.

Now according to 7tune there are rumors that the successor will feature FWD and a 2nd-generation hybrid driveline that will be shared with the Accord. If this actually becomes a reality the next S2000 will share nothing with the current model expect the its name and the number of doors. The S2000 will also be a step above the new hybrid CR-Z. The hybrid S2000 will also feature a retractable hard top and is expected to go on sale in 2012.

Let's hope that these rumors aren't true...

The first photos of the revised photos of the 2010 Acura RDX have leaked onto the web or at least what looks like the new RDX.

As expected, the RDX has received the new corporate grille. The rear bumper has been revised with hexagonal exhaust outlets. It is also rumored that the 2010 RDX will for the first time be available in a two-wheel-drive version, which will be both more fuel-efficient and cheaper. The horsepower figures are expected to remain the same from the turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder.

Expect an official unveiling soon.

Honda has announced that the six-passenger FR-V MPV is being phased out.

The last FR-V will roll off the production line in August, with no plans for a replacement. Only 13,531 FR-Vs have been sold in the UK since it went on sale in 2004. Honda expects to be able to cover the market with the Insight and Jazz (Fit).

Honda has confirmed today that the anticipated CR-Z hybrid and Fit hybrid models will enter production by the end of 2010.

The CR-Z, which looks like a spiritual successor to the much loved CRX is expected to go on sale in Japan in early 2010. The Fit hybrid is expected by the end of 2010. It's not yet known if Honda is going to bring the CR-Z to the US, but lets hope so!

Honda also announced that the automaker is currently working on a new hybrid system for mid to large size vehicles. It looks like the return of the Accord hybrid could not be far off.

Lexus just released the IS C convertible and now reports are surfacing that Lexus is working on an IS F version for release in early 2011. The IS F convertible would be powered by the same 5.0L V8 that powers the sedan version and will be aimed squarely at the BMW M3 convertible.

The SC430, which was expected to be dead soon apparently has a successor in the works. Since the hardtop convertible has been on the market for a long time, Lexus is starting with a "clean sheet of paper" and may even switch to a softtop design.

According to BestCar, there is a 55 percent chance that Mazda is going to finally unveil a RX-7 Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show this October.

If Mazda is in fact working on a new RX-7 it is expected to relieve the RX-8 of its flagship duties by becoming Mazda's flagship rotary powered car. Although the concept is expected this fall, it won't be until mid-2012 that production version will be released.

Following on the heels of Hyundai's gas promotion, Suzuki has announced its own promotion that will run for three months on the 2009 SX4 sedan and crossover models.

The program that runs from July 1st - Aug 31st provides free gas by giving buyers a prepaid gas card that should provide enough money to buy gas for up to three months. Of course this all depends on how much you drive, and the price of gas. The SX4 sedan comes with a $270 gas card and the SX4 Crossover includes a $290 card. The promotion is in addition to other rebates available.

Today is officially the start of July and with that comes the sales numbers for the month of June. While we wait for all the official numbers, here are the top ten best-selling vehicles last month:

* Ford F-Series: 35,915
* Toyota Camry: 26,394
* Chevy Silverado: 24,766
* Honda Accord: 23,995
* Honda Civic: 20,954
* Toyota Corolla: 19,935
* Ford Fusion: 18,561
* Nissan Altima: 16,350
* Ford Escape: 15,385
* Chevy Impala: 14,931

Of course the Ford F-Series continues to dominate the list. Ford as a whole also had the most top models with the F-Series, Fusion and Escape all making the list. Missing from the list is the recently redesigned Dodge Ram.

Subaru has released the fuel economy figures for the all-new 2010 Outback and even with standard AWD the wagon manages to get 29 mpg on the highway.

The Outback 2.5i CVT with its 170-hp 2.5L engine that is mated to the new Lineartronic CVT gets a combined 24 mpg and 29 mpg on the highway, which is better than many of its competitors, including the Toyota Venza and VW Passat.

Consumer Reports' recently tested the 2010 Honda Insight and after completing its series of tests, claims that the new Honda hybrid "is the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time."

The publication gave the Insight poor scores due to ride quality, handling, interior noise, acceleration, rear-seat, access and visibility.

"The Insight is a noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling that is nothing like the Fit on which it is based. Also, Electronic Stability Control is only available on the highline EX version."

In terms of its raking with other small hatchbacks and wagons, the Insight came in at the 21st spot out of 22. The only thing worse than the Insight according to CR is the Dodge Caliber..ouch!

GM has announced plans to end its 25 year New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture with Toyota.

The plant currently produces the Pontiac Vibe and has produced other GM vehicles such as the Geo/Chevrolet Prizm in the past. Production of the Vibe will end at the plant in August. GM and Toyota could not come to an agreement on a product plan that made sense for both parties.

It's not known what this announcement will mean for the Fremont, CA plant that also produces the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma.

More bad news for Detroit's automakers, a new study from Grant Thornton LLP's Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Service estimates that by 2012 they will produce less vehicles on US soil than their Asian and European competitors.

Although domestic automakers are expected to return to profitability by 2012, their production will be outpaced by import automakers like Toyota, VW, Hyundai and Honda. The estimated projection is that domestic automakers will reduce production in the US by 35 percent, while import automakers will increase US production by 20 percent. The final total from Chrysler, Ford and GM is estimated at 7.5 million with all other automakers coming in at a combined 8 million units.

Grant Thornton Principal Kimberly Rodriguez stated "Suppliers largely dependent on Detroit OEMs will have to present a new value equation to potential customers from Europe and Asia if they want to participate in the accelerated shift that is coming."

J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS) with Lexus taking the lead this year with only 84 problems per 100 vehicles.

This year's top five nameplates were Lexus followed by Porsche, Cadillac, Hyundai and Honda. Hyundai managed to move up to the number 4 spot from 13th position in 2008 and Cadillac moved up from the 10th spot in 2008.

Suzuki managed to have the most gains this year moving up to the 9th spot from the 32nd spot last year.

The study also claims that domestic automakers improved their quality by 10 percent compared to 2008, which is higher than the 8 percent industry average.

Last summer Toyota decided to kill the slow-selling Camry Solara Coupe, but continued production of the drop-top version. Production of the drop-top Solara stopped in December, but Toyota had hoped to restart production.

"I think there was some hope that eventually during the spring/summer months the market would bear a need," says TEMA spokesman Rick Hesterberg. "We kept the tooling, just waiting to see, but that never came to fruition."

It was originally planned that the Solara Convertible would remain in production for another two years since Toyota did not have any other convertibles in its lineup. Apparently there were also some buyers that still desired the car.

Infiniti has announced the pricing for the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible. The G37 Convertible starts at $43,850 and the G37 Convertible Sport 6MT starts at $43,900.

The first ever G37 Convertible features a three-piece folding hardtop and is powered by a 325-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 mated to either a 7-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission.

The 2009 G37 Convertible will be available on June 19th.

According to the newest reports Honda is set to release the hybrid version of its popular Fit by the fall of 2010, which is about a year and a half earlier than was originally planned.

Honda had previously announced plans to release three new hybrids by 2012, following the release of the Insight earlier this year. The production version of the much-anticipated CR-Z will be released sometime early next year followed by the Fit hybrid and then eventually an all-new Civic hybrid.

The Insight was launched in Japan in February and has become the first hybrid to ever hold the top sales spot in Japan. Japan's Nikkei is reporting that the Fit hybrid will start around 1.5 million yen ($15,800) with annual sales of over 50,000 vehicles.

Mitsubishi has announced the introduction of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-400 for the uk market.

The new Lancer flagship is now the fastest version with 403 horsepower and 387 lb-ft. of torque pumping out of its 2.0L MIVEC engine. Mitsubishi estimates that the FQ-400 will reach 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds and have a top speed of 155 mph. All that power is put to the ground through Mitsubishi's Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) four-wheel-drive system.

The FQ-400 also features a wider track, lowered suspension and lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels.

The most powerful Evolution X will be released in the UK next month with a starting price of £49,999.

The Honda S2000 has been on the market since the 2000 model year, but at the end of this year we will have to say goodbye to Honda's only sports car. Honda has announced that the 2009 model year will be the last.

Japan's Best Car is reporting that in addition to the production version of the CR-Z hybrid coupe, Honda is also working on a larger, more powerful coupe that would essentially act as the replacement for the S2000. According to Best Car the replacement would be a 2+2 coupe that would feature Honda's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system (SH-AWD) instead of the current rear-wheel-drive setup.

In addition to the 2+2 setup and SH-AWD system, it is being reported that the coupe will feature a hybrid system similar to that in the Civic and Insight hybrids.

Toyota has received 75,000 orders for the all-new Prius according to the Nikkei business daily, which means its going to be a fierce battle between the new Prius and the Honda Insight.

The Honda Insight was launched in Japan in February and in three months Honda has sold almost 20,000 units, which has surpassed Honda's initial goals. The Insight was also Japan's best-selling vehicle last month.

The new Prius will be on sale here later this month with a starting price of $21,750 including destination fees.

Last year Inside Line reported that Nissan was working on a convertible version of its Murano crossover...many of us didn't believe the rumors. A Murano convertible? Right!

Well now Inside Line has received confirmation from sources that Nissan is still working on the Murano convertible and that it will hit dealerships before the summer of 2010. The Murano convertible is being aimed at empty nesters that need a little extra room. It will feature a soft top.

The 2011 Murano convertible will feature two less doors than the current Murano and will be powered by the same 265-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 mated to a continuously variable transmission.

It looks like Suzuki has stopped production of its only US-produced model, the XL7. Due to slow sales and the credit crisis, Suzuki has decided to halt production of the US-only crossover.

The XL7 was produced at General Motors' CAMI joint-venture facility in Ingersoll, Ontario. Although no other XL7s are going to roll off the production line, the factory is still up and running.

Toyota has announced that the automaker will cut production this year by 28 percent to its lowest level in seven years.

Slow sales mean that Toyota will produce 6.68 million vehicles in 2009, down from 9.24 million in 2008.

"We expect the severe conditions to continue this year," said Toyota spokeswoman Ryoko Nishinohara.

Toyota also expects the fiscal year ending in March 2010 to be its worst year ever, forecasting a net loss of $5.7 billion (550 billion yen). In contrast in the fiscal year ending in March 2008, Toyota had a record profit of 1.72 trillion yen.

Honda has announced that the new Insight hybrid was Japan's best selling vehicle in the month of April 2009.

Honda managed to move 10,481 units making the Insight the first hybrid to ever top the sales charts in Japan (Toyota must not be happy). The Insight was introduced on February 6, 2009. It managed to move to the top spot in April up from the 21st best-selling vehicle in March.

The Honda Fit/ Jazz was Japan's best-selling vehicle until the Insight knocked it out of its top spot, thereby pushing it down to the number 2 spot. This is the first time that Honda has managed to occupy the two best-selling car positions in Japan.

Subaru has announced the pricing for the 2010 Subaru Outback.

The 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i starts at $22,995, which is the same price as the outgoing model plus destination charges.

Just like the equally new Legacy, the new Outback is roomier with seven percent more interior volume. Rear legroom increases almost four inches and total cargo capacity is now 71.3 cubic feet, which is an increase of six cubic feet.

The Outback 2.5i is powered by a 170-hp 2.5L boxer engine that is mated to either a six-speed manual or a CVT. The Outback 2.5i equipped with the CVT starts at $23,995.

The 2010 Outback 3.6R replaces the Outback 3.0R model and features a 256-hp 3.6L boxer engine that is mated to either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. The Outback 3.6R starts at $27,995, which is $4,000 cheaper than the old 3.0R.

Subaru has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Subaru Legacy.

The 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i equipped with the 6-speed manual starts at $19,995 plus a destination charge of $695, which according to Subaru is $800 less than the last year's model.

The new Legacy is larger than the outgoing model with a longer wheelbase that adds an extra four inches of rear seat legroom.

The Legacy 2.5GT that is powered by a 265-hp turbocharged engine starts at 28,690 (including dest.) For those that would rather have six-cylinders under the hood, the 265-hp Legacy 3.6R starts at $25,690, which is a $1,600 reduction over the 09' model.

Lexus has announced the pricing for the 2010 Lexus RX450h and Lexus IS250C and IS350C.

The RX450h hybrid starts at $41,660 for the FWD model and the AWD starts at $43,250. The RX 450h is powered by a 3.5L Atkinson V6 engine mated to a hybrid system that puts out a total 295 horsepower. The FWD model achieves 32 mpg city and 28 mpg highway while the AWD achieves 30 mpg city and 28 mpg on the highway.

The convertible version of the IS is powered by the same 204-hp 2.5L V6 and 306-hp 3.5L V6 as the sedan. It features a three-panel roof that opens in 20 seconds. The IS250C starts at $38,490 with the six-speed manual, the IS250C with the six-speed automatic transmission starts at $39,660 and the IS350C starts at $43,940.

The IS250C and IS350C will be available in late May and the RX450h will be available in mid-summer.

Toyota has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius that will hit showrooms late next month.

The third-generation Prius starts at $21,000 and will be offered in five trim levels.

The 2010 Prius is powered by a 1.8L Atkinson-cycle, four cylinder engine that puts out 98 horsepower. Combined with the electric motor, the new Prius puts out a combined 134 horsepower, which is 24 more than the old model. Fuel economy ratings are 51 city/ 48 highway and 50 mpg combined.

Ford has released a new study today that claims that the automaker's initial quality is better than Honda and that it is now in a tie with Toyota.

According to the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) survey conducted quarterly for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Ford is now statistically tied with Toyota at the top of the industry in initial vehicle quality.

The survey measured two things, the number of things gone wrong and customer satisfaction with vehicle quality over the first three months of ownership.

Ford's initial quality has improved five percent over last year.

Apparently a time of 7:29 wasn't fast enough around the famed Nurburgring for the Nissan GT-R, so Nissan engineers went to work on the 2010 model to make it even faster.

The engineers returned with a 2010 GT-R which features five extra horsepower, a revised dual-clutch transmission with updated launch control, a bigger fuel tank, retuned suspension and new tires. The updates were enough to lower the time to an astonishing 7min 27.56 secs.

Nissan claims that the time was posted using a 2010 GT-R with V-spec wheels and tires. The time is still slower than the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s 7:26.40.

Toyota unveiled the A-BAT Concept last year and according to sources it had been given the green light, but thanks to the current state of the auto industry, plans have been put on hold.

The Advanced Breakthrough Aero Truck "A-BAT" featured a unibody platform and hybrid powertrain in a small compact pickup truck. The concept also featured a cab forward design to maximize rear cargo space.

“We have a lot of top priorities right now, and A-BAT isn’t one of them,” Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales USA vice president and general manager, said at the New York auto show. “The market has changed dramatically over the last 12 months. We always keep reprioritizing – under good economic or recessionary times – what our planning is. [For now], it’s on the shelf.”

One of the main factors for the reason to put the model on hold probably has to do with the decline in new truck sales.

Following the unveiling of the all-new 2010 Subaru Legacy, Subaru has also taken the wraps off the equally new 2010 Subaru Outback.

The all-new Outback gets pretty much the same changes as the Legacy, which means a larger exterior that is 2 inches wider with a 2.8 inch longer wheelbase. Interior volume is up 8 cubic feet and there is almost an extra 4 inches of rear legroom.

The new Outback is available with either a 170-hp 2.5L 4-cyl that can be mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or Subaru's Lineartronic CVT or a new 256-hp 3.6L 6-cyl that is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Acura officially unveiled the ZDX prototype at the New York Auto Show today. The new four-door sports coupe is obviously aimed squarely at the BMW X6.

Acura hasn't released the official details of the production ZDX that will be in showrooms this fall. It will be powered by a V6 engine that will be mated to a new 6-speed automatic transmission. The ZDX will also feature Acura's SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) system.

The ZDX that will be in showrooms this fall will look basically the same as this prototype.

Mitsubishi is set to unveil the Outlander GT Prototype at the New York Auto Show next week.

The Outlander GT Prototype features a "Jet Fighter" grille that is very similar to that of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It also features a host of new technologies like Idle Neutral Logic, which automatically shifts the transmission into neutral when the vehicle is stopped. The 3.0L MIVEC V6 is also more powerful and has improved fuel economy and is mated to the Super-All-Wheel-Control System.

Toyota is reportedly cutting the price of the new Prius in Japan to be more competitive with its newest competitor the Honda Insight.

According to reports, Toyota has told its dealerships that Prius would be set at 2.05 million yen, which translates to about $20,750 U.S. In the U.S. the Honda Insight starts at $20,450, but the Prius has more room and better fuel economy, but a fully-loaded Prius goes for over $30K. Additionally Toyota is going to keep selling the current generation Prius alongside the new generation in Japan. The outgoing Prius starts even lower at 1.89 million yen ($19,130 US).

U.S. pricing for the Prius has yet to be announced, but if Toyota lowers the price here as well the hybrid wars could get even more crazy.

For the first time ever, an automotive brand has received top safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS for every vehicle in its lineup and that title goes to the Acura brand.

"No other automotive brand has accomplished what Acura has, nor can make the safety claims that Acura can," said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales. "When consumers think safety, they really should think Acura."

Acura's safety scores are a direct result of Acura's "Safety Through Innovation" initiative that is based on the brand's commitment to leadership in safety.

Of course March sales were down last month compared to March 2008 with GM down 45 percent. For the most part most of the major automakers posted a better month than February, but the sales were still dismal.

Here's the list of the top ten best-selling vehicles last month. Of course most of the same models are listed:

-Ford F-Series: 32,728
-Toyota Camry: 25,783
-Chevy Silverado: 23,508
-Honda Accord: 22,722
-Toyota Corolla: 22,257
-Honda Civic: 20,645
-Nissan Altima: 19,521
-Dodge Ram: 19,328
-Chevy Malibu: 14,772
-Honda CR-V: 12,959

Hard times aren't only hitting GM and Chrysler, even Honda is being hit hard during this economic downturn.

Honda has announced that it will cut production in North America by 62,000 units by shutting down factories for 13 days starting in May. In addition the automaker is going to cut pay for salaried and factory workers. Honda has also offered buyouts and early retirement incentives to most of its 32,400 workers in the United States and Canada.

Previously Honda, just like Toyota would pay its workers even when it shut down its factories to reduce inventories. This time Honda claims that hourly workers will not be paid for 6 of the 13 days. Salaried workers are also going to see their paychecks reduced. Bonuses to both hourly and salaried workers are also being reduced or eliminated.

Subaru has unveiled the all-new 2010 Legacy that will have its official unveiling at the New York Auto Show next week.

The all-new Legacy encompasses styling of the outgoing model combined with the concept that was shown in Detroit. The 2010 Legacy grows an inch longer, 3.5 inches wider and 3 inches taller to make it more competitive with other midsize sedans.

The 2010 Legacy has three engine choices: 170 hp, normally aspirated 2.5L 4-cyl; 265 hp, turbocharged 2.5L 4-cyl (up 22 hp); 256 hp, 3.6L 6-cyl. There are also three transmission options: a six-speed manual, five-speed automatic and a new CVT.

Acura has officially announced the ZDX name for its upcoming "four-door sport coupe" prototype that will be unveiled at the 2009 New York Auto Show.

"The ZDX prototype is unlike anything you have ever seen before from Acura," said Jeff Conrad, vice president, Acura sales. "The prototype showcases a new level of luxury, style and refinement for Acura and speaks volumes towards our commitment to advancing the brand."

The production version of the ZDX...Acura's X6-fighter will be released this fall.

Mazda announced today that it is working on a new diesel engine that will be as fuel-efficient as some hybrids in 2011 as part of its plans to improve fuel mileage without the aid of expensive electrical systems.

Mazda has set a target of raising its global car fleet's fuel economy by 30 percent by 2015. It plans on doing so by relying on advances in internal combustion engines, automatic transmissions and through weight reduction.

The diesel engine that Mazda is working on is a 2.0L engine that would be as fuel efficient as a 660cc microcar or a mild-hybrid.

"We believe that improving today's conventional engines at a low cost is the most effective way to get fuel-efficient cars to proliferate," R&D Chief Seita Kanai told reporters in Tokyo.

According to Toyota tighter emissions regulations in the future could mean that the costs to clean diesel emissions from engines will be near or more expensive than gasoline-hybrid technology.

Kanai states that Mazda's diesel technology will cost less due to its proprietary single-nanotechnology, which reduces the use of precious metals in emission cleaning catalysts, and a new diesel particulate filter that means there will be no the need for expensive after treatment parts.

Mazda also plans on reducing the weight of its vehicles by 10 percent after 2011 and another 10 percent or more after 2016.

After weeks of speculation about a new low-cost Toyota hybrid, it's finally been confirmed that Toyota is indeed working on a new cheaper hybrid that will fit in below the Prius.

The new hybrid is going to use the same Hybrid Synergy drivetrain as the new Prius installed in the Yaris platform. This is obviously an answer to the Honda Insight that is cheaper than the Prius. Honda is also planning a hybrid Fit, so the new Yaris-based hybrid would also go head to head with that vehicle.

Toyota's new cheaper hybrid could be on the market by 2011 at the earliest.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new roof strength rating system and has chosen to put 12 small SUVs up to the test.

More than 10,000 people are killed a year in rollovers and SUVs rank higher compared to cars and minivans.

In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is poor.

Only 4 of the small SUVs earned the top rating of good: VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element and Jeep Patriot. the VW Tiguan had the strongest roof out of all the SUVs tested. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Mitsubishi Outlander are rated acceptable. Roofs on the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia Sportage received a poor rating.

The latest reports claim that Toyota and Subaru's on/off again jointly developed sports car is back on. According to L'Automobile Toyota is going to revive the Celica name for the Toyota version of the coupe.

L'Automobile claims that Thierry Dombreval, Toyota's VP of sales and marketing in France released the details on the name of the new coupe. No other source has released any details, so we'll have to wait and see if Toyota is actually going to revive the Celica.

Nissan/ Infiniti has been slow to jump on the hybrid bandwagon with the firm's only hybrid being the Altima hybrid, which borrows its hybrid components from Toyota. Well according to a report by the Nikkei business daily in Japan, Nissan/Infiniti is going to release its first in-house hybrid in 2010 as the Infiniti M hybrid.

The hybrid system that will be offered in the Infiniti M differs from conventional hybrid systems since it will be powered by lithium-ion batteries that have more power and quicker recharge times. In addition the hybrid system features one electric motor and two clutches that allows both the engine and electric motor to power the rear wheels at the same time. The hybrid version of the M is expected to be more performance oriented.

Nissan plans to extend its hybrid offerings to other Infiniti models and sports cars.

According to Auto Express the once loved MR2 is making a comeback, but not as the small mid-engined roadster like the last generation. Instead Toyota is going to apply the MR2 name to a new performance hybrid that would be similar to the upcoming Honda CR-Z.

The small coupe would feature rear-wheel-drive, a paddleshift gearbox and a specially developed version of the Prius’s hybrid powertrain.

Toyota executive vice president Masatami Takimoto recently told Auto Express: “We are aware of the fondness with which the MR2 is held in the UK and Europe, and are developing a small hybrid sports car.

“We have set a tough price point (expected to be around £20,000), as it will be easier to sell if it is affordable. It has to be fun to drive, too, which means the hybrid set-up must be different to the Prius’s, with greater responsiveness.”

It's also rumored that the revived MR2 hybrid will draw styling cues from the Toyota FT-HS sports car concept.

After much speculation, Scion has officially announced the introduction of a micro-subcompact concept car at the 2009 New York International Auto Show.

The concept is supposed to represent a new segment for the brand and is largely expected to be a Scion badged version of the Toyota iQ. It's also expected that the production version will be dubbed the Scion tD.

Stay tuned...

In 2008 Nissan confirmed that the Maxima would receive a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel, that was developed by Renault for the US market. The original plans saw the introduction of the diesel-powered Maxima being released later this year. But now it looks like those plans have either been delayed or scrapped altogether.

A Nissan spokesman told AutoObserver there is "no official word yet," regarding Nissan's maintaining the U.S. launch for diesel-powered 2010 Maxima. The spokesman would also not deny that it was being in fact delayed or that if it was actually being canceled.

"We're reviewing our mid-term product plans right now [some to be delayed, some potentially canceled], but nothing in concrete as yet," the spokesman added, saying the company's U.S. arm "should have some clarity in the coming weeks."

Other automakers have also recently announced plans to delay or cancel their own diesel programs in the US. Acura has delayed, possibly indefinitely the diesel-powered TSX. GM also announced plans to discontinue development on a new V8 diesel that was to be used in light trucks and SUVs.

Acura has released a few teaser images of its new crossover concept that is going to be unveiled at the New York Auto Show.

The crossover concept features styling that is very similar to the controversial BMW X6. That means its most likely a four-door coupe-like crossover.

Expect more details soon....

For years Toyota and Honda have been able to boast that their vehicles retain their value longer than their many of their competitors due to their higher perceived quality, but times are changing.

At the end of 2008 a three-year old Toyota was worth 46.5% of its value compared to 50.5% two years earlier. Critics are suggesting that the reason Toyota's residuals are dropping is due to a growing awareness of quality issues. Large SUV and truck values have been hit very hard across the industry and Toyota is no exception with values dropping from over 60% to 45.4%. Tundra residual values have managed to drop from 59.5% a year ago to 40.1%. Tundra residual values are still higher than the Silverado and F-150 at 39.8% and 32.2% respectively.

The main issue for automakers is that residual values are tied to lease rates. Monthly payments for leased vehicles are largely based on their expected residual value. When a vehicle loses more of its value than expected, the automaker has to eat that loss.

Infiniti hit the Geneva Motor Show head on today with the unveiling of the Essence Concept, which combines sexy coupe bodywork with a "green" drivetrain.

The Essence Concept is a front-engined, two-seater. It features a 3.7L V6 engine mated to an electric motor that has been dubbed the 3D Motor. The combined output is 592 horsepower ( 434 from the V6 and 158 from the electric motor).

The styling of the Essence Concept draws cues from the current Infiniti lineup, but in a much sexier way. The assymetrical two-seat interior features a driver focused interior with two distinct cocoons. The driver's side is black, while the passenger's "cocoon" is an earthy red.

The EPA has officially rated the 2010 Toyota Prius at 50 mpg combined fuel-economy rating.

According to Toyota the all-new Prius offers more power, room, performance and better mileage. The 2010 Prius is powered by a 1.8L 4-cylinder that puts out 98 hp. Combined with the electric motor, the Prius puts out a total of 134 horsepower, which is 24 more than the last generation.

For the first time the Prius offers three different driving modes. EV Mode allows driving on the battery alone for up to a mile. Power Mode increases throttle sensitivity, giving the Prius a slightly sportier feel. Eco Mode helps drivers achieve better gas mileage.

The 2010 Prius will be on sale next month.

Stay tuned for the pricing.

Toyota unveiled the iQ last year with an impressive 65.7 mpg, 55 mpg in the US. But a not so impressive 67 horsepower. So Toyota is bringing a more powerful version to the Geneva Motor Show next week.

The more powerful iQ will be powered by a 99 horsepower 1.3L VVTi engine with 58.9 mpg (49 in the US) when mated to the six-speed manual transmission. When the engine is mated to the Multidrive automatic transmission it gets 55.4 mpg (46 mpg in the states).

The more powerful iQ will be on sale in Europe this July.

Subaru and Toyota have reportedly been working on a pair of small RWD compact coupes that were going to be released by the end of 2011. Now it looks like the project has been put on indefinite hold due to the economy.

The 2+2 compact coupe was expected to use a version of the Subaru Impreza's platform, including the horizontally opposed boxer engine and transmission. The Subaru and Toyota versions would have had different exterior designs.

Honda has just released the Insight Hybrid in Japan and the demand has been higher than expected (almost three times its monthly target).

"The response has been overwhelming,” Hiroshi Kobayashi, Honda’s deputy chief operating officer told Automotive News. “We will have to increase production plans.”

Honda is planning on launching the Insight in Europe and the U.S. over the next two months. Over half of the planned 200,000 units are expected for North America. In April Honda is planning on increasing the production of its Prius fighter. Kobyashi did not state how many extra units Honda is going to produce.

When the Insight is launched in the US in April, it is expected to start under $20K.

Nissan is planning on entering the small van market with the introduction of the NV200 at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

The NV200 will be offered in three configurations: cargo van, 7-passenger van and a Combi version for people and cargo.

The NV200 is built on a modified version of Nissan's B Platform and will be powered by either a 1.6L gas engine or a Renault-sourced 1.5L diesel engine. It will launch in Japan this summer and Europe this fall.

Toyota has unveiled the HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) at the 2009 Melbourne Motor Show.

Next year Toyota Australia is going to begin local production of the Camry Hybrid and to publicize it, Toyota has created the HC-CV for the show. The concept is basically the 2010 Camry Hybrid wish a modified front fascia, new wheels, decals and new leather seats with a wave-like graphic reminiscent of the Hybrid Synergy Drive logo.

Mazda has announced the pricing for the all-new 2010 Mazda3.

The new Mazda3 starts at $15,045, which is only $355 more than the 09' model. The 2.0L 4-door Mazda3 i Touring starts at $18,350 and includes Bluetooth, Dynamic Stability Control, and Traction Control. The 4-door Mazda3 s Sport starts at $19,540 and the 5-door starts at $20,030. The Mazda3 s Sport features a 167 hp 2.5L engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a Multi-Information Display (MID) with 4.1-inch monochromatic screen.

The fully-loaded Mazda3 s Grand Touring 4-door starts $240 less than the 09' model.

Toyota unveiled a slightly revised 2010 Toyota Camry at the Detroit Auto Show last month and now the pricing for the best-selling car in the U.S. has been announced. The 2010 Toyota Camry starts at $20,115, which includes a handling fee of $720.

The 2010 Camry gets a new front fascia, which includes a new bumper, grille and lower intakes. The base 4-cylinder is now a 2.5L that puts out 169 horsepower in the standard, LE and XLE grades. The 4-cylinder SE puts out 179 horsepower.

Honda has finally addressed a big issue with the Acura TSX, a lack of power with a new more powerful engine. It's not the small turbocharged engine from the RDX that would have been fun, but instead the 2010 TSX will now have an optional 3.5L V6.

The 2010 Acura TSX will now be available with a 280 horsepower 3.5L V6, which is most likely the same 3.5L offered in the Accord. When you check off the V6 option box you also get new 18" wheels, a slightly revised front fascia and a retuned suspension.

Unfortunately the TSX is still not available with the SH-AWD system that's offered on the TL and RL.

Acura claims that the 2010 TSX is the first of many changes for the 2010 model year, Acura plans on revising all of its models for the new year.

While most of the automotive press is focusing their attention on the Chicago Auto Show, Mazda chose to unveil the refreshed 2010 Mazda CX-7 at the 2009 Canadian International Auto Show.

For the 2010 model year the CX-7 gets a new base engine: a 161 horsepower 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder, which is the same engine offered in the Mazda6 and 2010 Mazda3. On the outside the CX-7 receives refreshed front and rear fascias and on the inside there new gauges and higher quality materials. A Blind Spot Monitoring system is also available.

Slow sales of 2008 models and remaining inventory have forced some automakers to not release certain models for the 2009 model year.

Last week it was announced that GM was not going to release a 09' Saturn Astra due to high inventory levels and now Mitsubishi is going to do the same thing with its Lancer Evolution.

According to Mitsubishi spokeswomen Christine Jew, there were no changes planned for the 2009 model year and there are enough 2008 units available to last until the 2010 model is released later this year.

Although there is still a significant number of 2008 Lancer Evos available sales were up 50.9% in 2008.

There are a few minor changes in store for the 2010 Lancer Evolution.

The sales numbers from last month have been released and they are not good. Nearly every major automaker was down in January compared to January 08'.

Chrysler lead the pact with a 55 percent drop last month. GM's sales were off by 49 percent and Ford declined 40 percent.

Japan's major automakers didn't escape the dismal auto sales with Toyota being down 32 percent, Nissan's sales were down 30 and Honda's were off by 28 percent.

The news wasn't bad for everyone though with Subaru posting an 8 percent increase, its second month in the row of sales increases. Hyundai also posted a 14 percent sales increase. Hyundai attributed its sales improvement to its new program which will take a owner's car back if they lose their job in the first 12 months of ownership.

"This program gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns — fear of job loss," Hyundai regional general manager Peter DiPersia said in a statement.

Consumer Reports' has announced that the 2009 Honda Fit has managed to outscore its competitors, which includes the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Chevrolet Aveo and Suzuki SX4.

Consumer Reports' tested six subcompacts and small sedans for its March issue. The Honda Fit which is all-new for 2009 received CR's top rating due to its roomy, versatile and flexible interior. CR also noted the Fit's fun to drive character and its good fuel economy.

The Fit and Suzuki SX4 are the only two vehicles in the test that are "recommended" by CR. The Nissan Versa's reliability, which is below average for the sedan kept it from receiving the publication's recommendation. The Chevy Aveo and Toyota Yaris also scored too low in CR's tests.

Mazda has announced the introduction of two new Mazda3 models at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

First is the 2010 Mazda3 MPS, which is known as the Mazdaspeed3 in the U.S. The more exciting version of the Mazda3 will feature the same 2.3 DISI turbo engine as the current Mazdaspeed3, but its not yet known if it will feature more power.

The second model to be unveiled is the Mazda3 i-stop is powered by a MZR 2.0 DSI (Direct-injection Spark Ignition) engine and features a fuel-saving stop/start system. The setup yields a 12 percent improvement in city fuel economy than the current Euro-spec. Mazda3.

Toyota unveiled the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius at the Detroit Auto Show last month. Initially the new Prius will only be offered with the current nickel-metal hydride batteries, but sometime in 2010 a plug-in Prius will be introduced.

According to Bill Reinert, Toyota Motor Sales USA’s national alternative-fuel vehicle manager, the Prius plug-in hybrid has been averaging 65 mpg in combined gas and electic mode testing.

“That is real-world driving,” Reinert told Automotive News. “I ask my guys to drive them as you drive your normal Prius.”

The non plug-in hybrid 2010 Prius gets an estimated combined 50 mpg.

Mitsubishi has officially confirmed that the five-door Lancer Sportback will be available in the U.S. this summer as a 2010 model.

The five-door Lancer Sportback shares everything with the sedan variant from the C-pillar forward. Behind the C-pillar the Sportback gets a unique rear end. The overall length is slightly longer than the sedan and offers more cargo carrying capacity.

The version to have is the Sportback Ralliart that is powered by a 237 horsepower 2.0L turbocharged MIVEC engine. All-wheel-drive is standard as well as the six-speed Twin Clutch-Sportronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST).

Pricing will be announced closer to the Sportback's on sale date.

Honda has officially announced that 2009 will be the final model year for the Honda S2000.

The S2000 was originally introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model.

"The S2000 is a sports car designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "It raised the bar for all future roadsters, and it's already considered a classic by many Honda fans."

So sad....

Honda currently has the Pilot, CR-V and Element crossovers in its lineup, none of which are more stylish like the Nissan Murano or new Toyota Venza. Well that will change this fall with the introduction of a new crossover to Honda's lineup.

Development vehicles wearing the US Accord front end mated to the European Honda Accord Tourer have been caught testing. The ride height has been increased and its obvious that the car has a rear differential, which means the car will be available with Honda's VTM-4 AWD system. The body also has new fender flares that indicate that the track has been widened slightly from that of the Accord.

It's not known what will power the new Accord based CUV, but its expected that the 4-cyl and V6 engines from the Accord will be available. Maybe even the 2.3L turbo from the Acura RDX.

Honda's newest crossover will start production in the 4th quarter of this year and will slot between the CR-V and Pilot in Honda's lineup.

Toyota officially unveiled the all-new 2010 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month. Japan’s Nikkei is now claiming that Toyota is going to keep the current Prius in production even when the next-gen is launched later this year.

The main reason for possibly keeping the current Prius alive is because Honda also unveiled their new hybrid, the Insight and its going to start at a lower price point than even the current Prius. The next-gen Prius is expected to go up in price and if Toyota were to continue producing the current Prius, the automaker could remain competitive. Toyota plans gutting the interior of the current Prius to make it even cheaper.

Toyota's press office in Tokyo refused to respond to the Nikkei story. "We don't comment on future models."

Japan's number 2 automaker has announced plans to cut its workforce in Japan and to further reduce production.

Honda is cutting all of its remaining temporary workforce, which is approximately 3,100 workers. The automaker had already cut 1,200 temporary jobs.

In addition Honda has announced plans to reduce production in demand by another 56,000 units. Honda now plans on producing 1.168 million vehicles in Japan for the fiscal year ending March, down from its initial plan of 1.31 million vehicles.

Nissan has also announced plans to reduce its temporary workforce to zero by March and Toyota is going to cut its numbers by half.

Toyota has announced plans to further cut its production in order to bring its inventory levels under control. The automaker wants to reduce its current inventory by half.

“This is a tough environment, and it may continue for a while,” said Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America.

Toyota's Jim Lentz recently told the Automotive News that inventory levels should be in line with demand by May.

Toyota announced plans earlier this month to idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March due to the declining U.S. demand.

Toyota, not to be outdone by Honda unveiled the third-generation Prius and Lexus' first dedicated hybrid the HS 250h at the Detroit Auto Show this week.

During the unveiling of the 2010 Prius, Toyota provided more details about its current hybrid plans. Toyota plans on selling 1 million hybrids per year sometime in 2010. In order to reach its lofty goal, Toyota is planning on introducing 10 new hybrid models by 2010. Two of them are the new Prius and HS 250h.

In addition to launching 10 new hybrids, Toyota also announced the introduction of 500 Prius plug-in hybrids that will be globally leased later this year. The plan was originally planned for 2010. Out of the 500 lithium-ion powered plug-ins 150 are destined for the U.S.

The 500 plug-in Prius will be used for market and engineering analysis.

Lexus officially unveiled its first dedicated hybrid, the 2010 HS 250h at the Detroit Auto Show this month.

The HS 250h is expected in U.S. showrooms this summer, but it looks like Europe is not going to be getting the new hybrid.

“The HS 250h is intended mainly for North America and Japan, sales are not currently planned for Europe,” said Serge Gachot, head of Toyota Motor Europe marketing communications.

Other sources are saying that one of the main reasons for not selling the car in Europe is because its CO2 emissions are very close to the IS 220d.

The 2010 Lexus HS 250h shares some of its mechanicals with the new Prius and is powered by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, mated to a 187-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Overall the HS 250h is slightly longer than the IS and a little wider than the ES.

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers' Association (JAMA) is in the middle of discussions about the fate of this year's Tokyo Motor Show.

The current state of the global economy and the fact that some automakers have not signed on for the show have forced JAMA to reconsider the show this year.

“A couple companies are not in favor of organizing the show under these conditions, but that is not JAMA’s opinion,” Toshihiro Iwatake, JAMA’s executive director and secretary general, told Automotive News.

Toyota officially unveiled the 2010 Toyota Prius at the Detroit Auto Show today.

The third-generation Prius is larger, more powerful and gets better gas mileage than the last generation. For starters the Prius engine has been enlarged from 1.5L to 1.8L. It's also notable that the engine is the first Toyota powerplant to not use any belts (the water pump is now electric). Although the engine has been enlarged, the Prius now gets a combined mpg rating of 50 mpg, which is up from the 46 mpg rating of the last generation.

The overall styling of the new Prius is easily recognizable as a Prius, but with slightly more aggressive styling than the last generation. The new Prius also has the world's lowest coefficient of drag (Cd) at .25.

For the first time a moonroof is available with roof mounted solar panels that power the ventilation system. The system helps keep the car cool even when it is off, which helps reduce the stress on the air conditioning system once the car is in use.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but the 2010 Prius will be in showrooms this spring.

Honda has officially took the wraps off the 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show.

In addition to finally seeing the production version of the Insight, we now also know what kind of gas mileage its going to get. The EPA has officially certified the Insight at 40/43 mpg (city/highway). The Insight is powered by a 1.3L 4-cylinder engine mated to a 13 horsepower electric motor.

The Insight will reach showrooms in April and have a starting price lower than the Civic Hybrid.

Toyota has unveiled the revised the 2010 Toyota Camry in Detroit.

For 2010 the standard engine in the Camry is a new 2.5L engine. The Camry LE and XLE equipped with the 2.5L puts out 169 horsepower and in the SE it puts out 179. The 2.5L can be mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.

The exterior changes to the gas powered Camry include a new grille, front bumper, lager headlights and revised taillights. The Camry Hybrid gets a new unique hybrid grille, a distinct front bumper, a wider lower intake, restyled fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The revised (boring) 2010 Camry will be available this March.

Lexus has officially unveiled its first dedicated hybrid, the Lexus HS250h. The compact sedan shares many of its mechanicals with the third-generation Prius that is also being unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show.

The 2010 Lexus HS250h is powered by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, mated to a 187-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Overall the HS250h is slightly longer than the IS and a little wider than the ES.

Inside Lexus newest hybrid comes equipped with leather seats, moonroof, Lexus premium audio systems, and a new standard multi-media package. A new Hard Disk Navigation system is also available a retractable navigation screen. There is also a new wide-view front monitor that uses a camera mounted in the front of the car to provide a 190-degree front view via the navigation screen.

The 2010 HS250h will be in dealerships by late summer.

Who can we believe anymore? Reports surface that certain vehicle programs are dead and then days later differing reports come out. Earlier this week, Autocar claimed that Honda had killed the V8 engine program and RWD Acura's. Now Jeff Conrad, Vice President of Acura as informed dealers that the Acura "tier 1" program is still in the works.

According to Conrad the NSX program is officially dead, but the much needed V8 engine and RWD programs are still moving forward. It's rumored that Acura is working on a large RWD, V8 powered sedan to go head to head with the Germans.

It's still not known if the other reports about the death of the S2000 are in fact true.

Nissan has finally unveiled the GT-R SpecV after months of speculation.

The special edition GT-R SpecV features a carbon fiber rear spoiler, a carbon fiber grille, and carbon fiber brake ducts. The SpecV is available exclusively in Ultimate Black Opal (RP) body color and the inside features a unique two-seat interior that has Recaro carbon fiber bucket seats.

There is only one main engine modification, a new high gear boost controller that increases the amount of compressed oxygen entering the twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 to deliver more torque in the intermediate-to-high speed ranges.

Sales begin in Japan at seven pre-selected dealers, with pricing set at 15,750,000 yen. There is no word yet on if the car is headed to our shores.

Scion has announced the next edition of its "Release Series" models, the xB Release Series 6.0 that will be displayed at the Detroit Auto Show next week.

The 2009 xB Release Series 6.0 comes only in one color, Absolutely Red. The exterior features a unique front grille and Release Series wheel covers. A rear spoiler is optional.

Inside the special edition xB features a touch screen Pioneer Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) unit that features voice recognition, MSN Direct, Bluetooth and the expected USB and iPod connectivity. The interior also features color-tuned seats and illuminated door sills.

Only 2,500 are going to built with a starting price of $15,570.

Honda has unveiled its lineup for the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon, which is basically similar to SEMA. The show kicks off at the same time as the Detroit Auto Show, this Sunday.

The two main vehicles at the show will be the Sports Modulo S2000 and Fit Concepts, but check out the gallery to see the other models.

Earlier this week reports surfaced that Suzuki had killed the Kizashi midsize sedan that was supposed to be released later this year. Now Suzuki has answered those reports by stating that they are false.

“The production version will debut at this year’s New York auto show in April,” Jeff Holland, spokesman for American Suzuki Motor Corp., told Automotive News.

The car and all its official details will be unveiled at that time.

At least one of the vehicles that were rumored to being killed is untrue. Now if only those reports that came out yesterday from Honda were only untrue as well...

It was already reported that Honda has killed the next-gen Acura NSX, but it looks like the economic downturn is causing Honda to cut even more programs.

Autocar is now reporting that in addition to the death of the NSX, Honda has also killed the next-gen S2000. 2009 is reportedly going to be the last model year for the S2000 with no replacement in the works. Honda was also planning on producing a droptop version of the CR-Z that is going to be released next year, but those plans have been shelved as well.

Toyota has announced plans to idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March due to declining sales in the U.S.

Last month Toyota reported a 37 percent sales decline and now vehicles are beginning to pile up. Last month was Toyota's sharpest decline in more than a quarter of a century. Toyota even performed worse than GM and Ford.

"I never expected the crisis to spread this fast and leave this deep a scar," Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters at a Tokyo event hosted by Japan's top business lobbies.

Nissan and Honda have also announced to cut production by at least 200,000 vehicles for the year ending in March.

2008 is finally over and with it ends one of the worst years for the automotive industry in recent history. Most of 2008 was plagued by high fuel prices, which forced buyers to look for more fuel efficient vehicles. Even with this trend the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado pickups managed to remain at the top of the list for 2008.

In addition, even though buyers continued to ask for more fuel-efficient vehicles, the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic were the only "small" cars to make the list.

Nissan has previously announced that the automaker is not planning on attending the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, which means that no Nissan or Infiniti vehicles will be present on the show floor. Last month Nissan and Infiniti dealers stepped up and said they would donate their own vehicles to be displayed at the show. Nissan has now reportedly asked the dealers to not participate in the show.

"The dealers were going to support a presence and had all stepped forward,” Doug Fox, auto show co-chairman and owner of Ann Arbor Nissan said in an interview with Detroit Free Press. “But the week before Christmas we received a request from Nissan to please respect their decision to not have a presence at the North American International Auto Show.”

That means Detroit show goers will not be able to see the new 370Z or even the Nissan Cube.

Honda is going to officially unveil the 2009 Honda Insight at the Detroit Auto Show this month, but photos of the euro-spec Insight have already leaked onto the web.

The euro-spec and U.S.-spec versions of the Insight are not expected to differ much. What you can tell from these photos is how little the production version differs from the concept. The front-end remains largely the same sans the LED headlights. There are also more production friendly fog lamps and lower air intakes, which are slightly different than the U.S.-spec version. The side mirrors have been enlarged as well as the door handles. The C-pillar is also larger and the rear end gets a few minor tweaks.

We still have to wait to see what changes are in store for the interior.

Sales of the 2009 Insight will begin this spring with a starting price somewhere around $20,000.

I guess we're going to have to get used to hearing that automakers are ditching certain new vehicle programs. Suzuki has reportedly shelved plans for the Kizashi sedan. Suzuki unveiled the Kizashi 3 Concept earlier this year and the vehicle was supposed to hint at a new midsize Suzuki sedan.

The Kizashi sedan was expected by the middle of this year as a 2010 model, but according to Japanese newspaper Nikkei those plans have been killed. According to the Automotive News, the decision is due to the suffering global auto market. Suzuki’s CEO Osamu Suzuki stated that the project is likely to be canceled due to the declining sales of the segment.

Toyota is going to officially unveil the 2010 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show next month. This little teaser video shows some more shots of the new hybrid being checked out by the Blue Man Group

Last year Toyota confirmed that a Lexus branded dedicated hybrid model would make its debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Lexus has now confirmed that the new dedicated hybrid will be dubbed the HS250h.

The details are scarce about the new model although it is expected that the new Lexus hybrid will share some of, if not all of its mechanicals with the also new 2010 Toyota Prius. If the HS 250h in fact does use the same hybrid powertrain as the new Prius it will be the next-generation Hybrid Synergy with nickel-metal hydride battery packs. Unfortunately lithium-ion packs are still in development and will be added at a later date.

Stay tuned for all the details from the show next month.

Toyota announced this morning that the automaker is going to unveil a new electric vehicle concept at the Detroit Auto Show next month.

Other than the single image of the logo and a very short press release (two sentences), Toyota did not release any other details about the new concept. The EV Concept will share the stage with the all-new 2010 Prius.

Honda is finally trying to catch up to Toyota in the hybrid game with three new hybrid vehicles joining Honda's lineup in the next few years. First we will get the Insight hybrid next year, followed in 2010 by a production version of the CR-Z hybrid concept and then eventually a Fit hybrid.

Sources are now claiming that Honda is going to release a hybrid powered version of the Fit/ Jazz in 2010. The Fit hybrid will feature the same hybrid powertrain as the Insight, which is a 1.3L engine mated to an electric motor. According to sources the Fit hybrid will get approximately 67 mpg.

Although a few automakers have shelved plans to have any big releases at the Detroit Auto Show next month, a few such as Volvo, Subaru and Audi are still planning some big intros.

Subaru has released a single teaser photo of the Legacy Concept that the automaker will unveil next month. The concept is supposed to provide a glimpse of what the next generation Legacy will look like. The Legacy Concept also celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Legacy.

Stay tuned...

Thanks to the economic downturn many automakers are being forced to cut many of their programs, vehicle plans, etc. Most of the most dire news lately has come from the Big 3 U.S. automakers, but now Toyota and Honda are also being forced to make some cuts.

Honda recently announced plans to cancel its participation in Formula One and now its being reported that the automaker has canceled plans for the next-generation Acura NSX supercar. Prototypes for the NSX have been seen many times and it was reported that the NSX was going to be Acura's most powerful car ever with a V10 engine putting out way over 500 horsepower.

Honda's CEO, Takeo Fukui reportedly made the announcement about the fate of the NSX. It's also being reported that Honda has suspended plans to launch the Acura brand in Japan. Hopefully this news does not also mean that the much needed V8 engine is also in jeopardy. At this point the fate of the V10 engine is unknown.

Ward’s Automotive Group has announced its 2009 10 Best Engines list.

The list is compiled by Ward's editors and 2009 is officially the 15th year of the Ward’s 10 Best Engines program.

This year the list of winners is very broad with hybrid engines as well as high output turbocharged engines receiving the award.

“A decade ago, few consumers in the U.S. paid serious attention to hybrids or diesels. This year, they have to, if they don’t want to be pinched the next time fuel hits $4 a gallon,” says Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.”The diesels from VW and BMW and the Ford Escape Hybrid all got better than 30 mpg (7.8 L/100 km) during our testing, and often they topped 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km),” he says. “And the diesels meet the strictest emissions regulations in the world. If Americans want to find a vehicle that consumes less fuel and is fun to drive, our list is a great place to start.”

Honda is going to officially unveil the production version of its Honda Insight Hybrid at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, next month.

The production version of the Insight is pretty close to the concept version that has been touring the auto show circuit. The apparent differences on the outside are different wheels, larger mirrors, door handles and a slightly different front bumper and taillights.

The 2009 Honda Insight will be in showrooms in the spring of 2009. It's also expected to be cheaper than the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid.

Mazda has released the first official batch of photos of the Mazda3 5-door hatchback. The world premiere of the hatchback will be next week at the Bologna Motor Show.

The unveiling of the Mazda3 hatchback follows the unveiling of the sedan at the LA Auto Show last week.

European customers will be able to get an optional 2.2L turbodiesel engine.

Expect more details and photos next week.

Honda's theme at the LA Auto Show this year was "green" vehicles with the Insight concept, CR-Z concept and FC Sport all taking the stage.

In addition to unveiling the FC Sport, Honda also provided more details about its next hybrid, the Insight. The Insight is going to feature a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist). The system gives the driver feedback on how she or he is driving and provides real-time guidance on environmentally responsible driving. It basically tells you how "green" you are driving through the economy scoring function.

A green "ECON" button on the dash also activates the ECON mode which optimizes the control of the transmission, engine and other elements to optimize fuel economy.

Ford also recently introduced a eco-type dash in its 2010 Fusion and Milan hybrids.

The production version of the Insight will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show with sales starting in April 2009.