There's a brand-new Civic on the way for the 2022 model year, and while Honda isn't quite ready to rip the covers off (that's coming Tuesday, November 17, at 9:45 p.m. on the East Coast or 6:45 p.m. out West), the Japanese automaker hopes to whet the appetites of potential owners with the teasers you see above and below (we bumped up the brightness to bring out as much detail as possible). The image is purposely obscured, of course, but we do get to see enough of the rear shapes to suggest the new version will be more gracefully styled than the current version.

Though we only have one view, it does seem that the overall shape of the lights and the exaggerated spoiler shape match up with the patent images of the sedan we saw a few months back. If those prove accurate, expect the 2022 Civic sedan to have a swept-back style similar to the current Accord. Patent images of a hatchback have also been found.

TOKYO — Nissan on Thursday cut its forecast for an annual operating loss by 28%, albeit to a still-whopping $3.2 billion, helped by restructuring efforts and better-than-expected sales.

In a reversal from the aggressive expansion pursued by ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn, Nissan is reducing production and its vehicle line-up by a fifth, and slashing costs by 300 billion yen in three years to improve profits.

Honda has launched a pilot program that will allow customers to lease certified pre-owned vehicles.

If you're feeling blue, you're not the only one as Acura has announced the 2021 NSX will be offered in Long Beach Blue Pearl.

Acura announced it's expanding the NSX's color palette with a heritage-inspired hue named Long Beach Blue for the 2021 model year. The color was inaugurated during the 2002 model year by the first-generation NSX.

Shake the thoughts of the Pacific Ocean and its sandy beaches out of your head; the color is named after the Grand Prix of Long Beach, which Acura sponsors, not after a surfing spot. It joins other motorsport-themed colors, including Indy Yellow and Thermal Orange, and is a reformulated version of the first Long Beach Blue released some 18 years ago. It looks a little bit lighter than the color that inspired it, though it's just as eye-catching.

In the minivan world, the 2021 Toyota Sienna is a very big deal. For starters, there aren't a lot of minivan models any more ­– four in fact ­­­– so any completely redesigned version is noteworthy. Yet, this is also the first all-new Sienna in 10 years; a much lengthier gap between generations than usual, and one that resulted in its predecessor getting awfully long in the tooth despite consistent updates. A new Sienna has therefore been overdue, but Toyota at least used the extra years to develop a van that moves the ball far downfield.

What's under a minivan's hood rarely makes headlines, but in this case, it does. Every 2021 Sienna is a hybrid, foregoing the usual V6 and its low-20s-mpg fuel economy in favor of Toyota's familiar gasoline-electric powertrain that returns an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined. Sure, it's not quite as quick as those V6-powered vans, but we're not sure how much minivan buyers will care about that. The Chrysler Pacifica is the only other minivan available as a hybrid, but that's a plug-in hybrid model that provides some all-electric range and carries a higher initial price tag.

Lexus introduced an updated version of the LS, its flagship sedan, earlier in 2020, but it left out details about the American-spec model. As expected, it announced our version of the car will get several improvements for 2021.

Now in its fifth generation, the LS receives an array of small but significant changes that come together to make the ride quieter and more comfortable. Engineers explained they revised the spring and damper rates, increased the diameter of the anti-roll bars, and added larger liquid-filled front and rear bushings for an even cushier rider. 

Honda is looking to become the world’s first carmaker to mass produce Level 3 autonomous vehicles, as per Reuters. These cars will be capable of driving themselves in congested motorway traffic while legally allowing drivers to take their eyes off the road.

TOKYO — Honda said on Wednesday it will be the world's first automaker to mass produce sensor-packed Level 3 autonomous cars that will allow drivers to let their vehicles navigate congested expressway traffic.

"Honda is planning to launch sales of a Honda Legend (luxury sedan) equipped with the newly approved automated driving equipment" before the end of March 2021, Honda said in a press release. The Honda Legend is mechanically similar to the Acura RLX sold in the United States.

We won't bury the lede. The 2021 Honda Accord is still a stupendous sedan and arguably the best in its segment. The car was completely revamped for 2018, and none of its competition have overtaken it since. Some among us will contend that the Mazda6 is top dog for pure driving enjoyment, but the Accord stands tall alongside the Mazda and is only getting better as this latest generation is treated to its mid-cycle update.

That said, there is one specific change that does have us bummed, and that's the loss of the manual transmission. With a take rate of just 2%, Honda decided it wasn't worth the trouble anymore. Guess you'll just have to buy a Civic Type R.

A new reports says that Subaru has "no plans" to launch its upcoming second-generation BRZ in Europe. If true, that means the 100-unit Final Edition announced earlier this year for the German market is truly the final edition for the Old World.

Furthermore, according to the UK's Autocar, which reported the news, the BRZ "will be a U.S.-only model." That would indicate that even Subaru's home market of Japan would be denied access to the lightweight sports coupe, which seems unlikely. Toyota has been very tight-lipped about its own 86 version, so it's not clear which markets the BRZ's twin would be sold in.

While some carmakers appeal to dog lovers, Nissan is going all-in with cats, at least in Japan. The Yokohama-based company is teaming up with a chain of cat cafés across the country to promote the Nissan Dayz kei car.

If you're not familiar with cat cafés, they're essentially a coffee shop in which you sip your latte while surrounded by dozens of cats. It's supposed to deliver all the companionship and fun of cats without, you know, actually owning them. The concept began in Taiwan, blew up in Japan, and has made its way to the U.S. as well.

Nissan is so confident in its all-new 2021 Rogue that it's bringing the best-selling Toyota RAV4 into its dealerships for customers to more easily cross-shop them side-by-side. Put up or shut up, as they say.

According to a report in Automotive News, Nissan Motor Corporation will offer dealers a rented RAV4 during December so that customers can test drive and compare against the Rogue. The company expects half of its 1,074 dealers to participate. 

After spending the summer convincing consumers to take socially distanced breaks from grim reality, advertisers are now returning to the pandemic as the central focus in holiday shopping campaigns launching this month.

U.S. companies from carmakers to retailers are under pressure to make the shopping season a success after retail sales crashed 21% earlier this year as millions of Americans lost jobs and cut their budgets. They face the challenge of convincing consumers to open their wallets for the holidays even as the coronavirus pandemic rages anew across the United States and Europe.