TOKYO — Japan's Toyota Motor Corp signaled a shift in its climate change stance on Monday, saying it would review its lobbying and be more transparent on what steps it is taking as it faces increased activist and investor pressure.

The carmaker came under scrutiny after siding with the Trump administration in 2019 in a bid to bar the state of California from setting its own fuel efficiency rules.

Mitsubishi has resurrected the Airtrek name for a new SUV that should be in showrooms by the end of this year. The Airtrek badge was previously used in the early 2000s on the first generation of an SUV that would morph into the Outlander, the car that pioneered the idea of a plug-in SUV.

The 2021 Nissan Leaf is one of the longest-running electric car nameplates on the market, which partly explains why it's the bestselling electric car in the world. As for why you might be interested in one now, much of its appeal is its wide range of trims and, well, ranges. Its more affordable base models have a less-powerful motor and will go about 150 miles on a charge. But if you need to travel longer distances, or would appreciate some extra peace of mind, the available Leaf Plus can go 226 miles. Either way, you get a rather spacious hatchback with a comfortable ride and refined powertrain. All of these features make it well worth considering against similar offerings such as the Chevy Bolt EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV and entry-level Tesla Model 3.

For 2021, the Nissan Leaf is unchanged. But it's worth noting that last year Nissan added more equipment to more of the range. All models received front and rear automatic emergency braking, rear-cross traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high-beam headlights and lane-keep assist. Other safety features added include knee airbags and seat-mounted rear side airbags. The base trim levels also picked up a standard 8-inch infotainment screen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…

There are some very weird cars on California's roads and the Nissan 350Z owned by Shawn Crosby is one of them.

Lexus traveled to the 2021 edition of the Shanghai Auto Show to unveil the updated ES. Scheduled to launch as a 2022 model, the sedan ushers in a long list of handling, comfort, and technology improvements.

Most of the major changes are found in the cabin, where the ES finally receives a touchscreen-based infotainment system. Entry-level models ship with an 8.0-inch screen, while upmarket versions receive a 12.3-inch display. Both are positioned 4.3 inches closer to the front passengers; it was easier to move the screen than to give buyers longer arms. The touchpad-like remote interface located on the center console, next to the gear selector, remains.

Here it is, one of the most important Toyotas in recent history, yes, even up there with the new Supra. Why is that? This, the Toyota bZ4X, is the company's first electric car it will offer on a large scale across the globe. It's also the first to use the new e-TNGA electric car platform, which will underpin additional Toyotas as well as Subarus.

Disappointingly, Toyota hasn't given any specific details about the new EV. All we know is information the company has previously released about it. The e-TNGA platform was co-developed with Subaru, and as such this bZ4X features all-wheel drive. But that's really all the company would say about what powers it.

Nissan recently unveiled their GT-R NISMO Special Edition to show that with a few updates, the aging supercar can soldier on for a bit longer. However, during the same event, they also unveiled something else: a McDonald’s-themed version of the same car.

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 is the crossover-coupe version of the QX50, which like other such variants available throughout the industry, chops the roofline and cargo area down to create a "coupe-like" appearance. Obviously, this results in a reduction in cargo capacity, but because that reduction is largely above the back seat line, the actual reduction in usable cargo space isn't as great as you might expect. While carrying a large box or some other tall, bulky thing will be more difficult, smaller items like suitcases won't necessarily be much different since carrying them above the back seat line can reduce or eliminate rear visibility and create a hazard by flying forward while stopping as well. It's for those very reasons I don't stack to the roof in luggage tests.

Now, I have not tested the QX50, so I have no point of comparison in that regard. But I have tested a variety of crossover-coupes and the QX55 does indeed share common attributes ... and detriments. 

This week's Autoblog Podcast features Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. It's a rapid-fire show this week, and they start off with a bit of "This or That," with some two- and three-item face-offs including domestic V8 engines and affordable weekend cars. Then, they dive into what they've been driving. Byron talks about spending time with the 2021 Porsche Panamera GTS and Greg discusses the ins and outs of the 2021 Honda Accord Sport. Then they dig into some news, starting with Mazda's new electric MX-30 and then pivoting to Citroen's new C5 X flagship and what it could become as a U.S. model under a different brand. After that, they help a listener spend their money. This week, it's between two BMWs and a Chevy. Which would you choose?

TOKYO — Nissan will slash production at several factories in Japan next month, three sources with direct knowledge of the plan told Reuters on Thursday, in the latest hit to an automaker from a global shortage of semiconductors. Japan's third-largest automaker will idle its factory in Kyushu, southern Japan, for eight days between May 10 and 19, the sources said, declining to be identified because the plan is not public. 

The plant, which assembles the Serena minivan, X-Trail SUV and other models, will aim to make up for lost production once the supply of chips returns, the people said. 

It has been six years since Hyundai first showed us its concept pickup truck, the small and sporty Santa Cruz. And now it's finally here. It's not quite the fat-fendered machine we saw back then, but it's no slouch either. There is clear Tucson influence in the big grille with hidden headlights and general size and cabin shape, but details have been squared off and chunk-ified, from the fender cladding to the bumpers. It also still gets the sloping rear pillar of its concept forebear.

It's also still small. Compared to trucks such as the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma, it's between 10 and 17 inches shorter in length, and overall height is 3 to 4 inches lower. It splits the difference between the two in width. This should make it more maneuverable around town, though the small size means a comparatively small bed. At its longest, the bed is 4.3 feet. And that brings up the other odd fact that the edge of the bed by the cab isn't a flat vertical slab. It goes inward at the bottom, giving that 4.3-foot number. At the top of the bed, the length is four feet.

Mazda is going to introduce the MX-30 EV in California this fall as the brand's first electric vehicle, followed by a plug-in hybrid version with a rotary engine acting as a generator later on.

Honda is preparing to release a new version of the Civic, its second-best-selling car in the United States. It revealed some of the visual changes it made to the model by publishing a single photo of it a few weeks before its unveiling.

Unsurprisingly, the 11th-generation Civic looks a lot like the Civic Prototype introduced in November 2020. Its front end wears a purer, more elegant design than the current model's with fewer angles and less lines. The grille gets smaller while the air dam in the lower part of the bumper grows in size. Keep in mind the only photo released so far shows a range-topping Touring model, and less expensive trim levels will undoubtedly receive a different face.