With a new generation of Civic arriving for 2022, it's no surprise the 2021 Honda Civic has a pared-down lineup. Previously, the company announced that the coupe was being discontinued, and the Si performance models would be on hiatus until the next generation. Now we know that Honda is also dropping the manual transmission option from the sedan bodystyle.

The manual transmission choices for the sedan were already limited for the 2020 model year. It was only available with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder on the base LX and Sport trims, or on the Si trim. Still, if you're looking for a manual Civic sedan, remaining 2020 Civic Si sedans will still be on lots for a while. And if you need a manual 2021 Civic, you can still get it on Civic Sport and Sport Touring hatchbacks, as well as the Type R. We also expect manual offerings to expand again with the next-generation model coming soon.

The Lexus IS has now been with us for more than two decades. First introduced in 1999, it celebrated its 21st birthday this year and, to mark the occasion, Lexus hit the compact sedan with a significant overhaul, including a revamped powertrain lineup, an updated interior, and a much-needed tech update in an attempt to keep the sporty four-door relevant in a market that craves crossovers and SUVs.

So, first things first: The 2021 Lexus IS is not actually new. In fact, Lexus still refers to it as a third-generation car internally, despite the "redesign" and repositioning for 2021, which is ultimately more about the products elsewhere in the Lexus lineup, rather than the IS itself. We'll come back to that.

Following the July unveiling of the namesake concept, the production Nissan Magnite B-SUV will have its world debut on October 21.

Honda takes the idea of a "mid-cycle refresh" of its cars rather literally, and sure enough, three years into what is likely to be a six-year lifespan, the current generation Accord sees a comprehensive round of updates. Yet, true to the company's norm, don't expect massive changes for the 2021 Honda Accord. The styling is updated, but even we're having a hard time telling the difference. The interior sees more infotainment features on more trims, while the various driver assistance systems have been updated and increased in number. There have also been some improvements made to throttle and brake response.

All of this should be welcome news, but it's really just a bunch of icing on what was an already delicious, well-iced cake. Despite some impressive new competitors in recent years, the Accord continues to shine as our top family sedan choice. It does virtually everything well. It has a huge interior, yet is responsive to drive. It's fuel efficient, yet all its powertrains, including that of the Accord Hybrid, provide punchy acceleration for the segment. It's also well-equipped, and should provide the long-term value that's become synonymous with the name Honda Accord. In other words, the best just got better.

The 2021 Honda Passport is quite obviously a Pilot that has had some inches and a row of seats lopped off its tail. Sure, it has a different grille, big black wheels, chunkier roof rails and extra ground clearance, but the similarities are impossible to miss. The interior design is literally identical.

So why bother considering this midsize SUV with three fewer seats? Well, you wouldn't be alone in pondering that considering the Passport sells in far fewer numbers than the Pilot does. However, we think that it generally makes sense. The Passport is roughly $2,000 less than a comparable Pilot (the base prices are nearly equal, but the Passport includes more equipment), and if you're unlikely to use that extra seating row, why bother lugging it around? The Passport still has a colossal amount of space in its second row and cargo area, while its smaller size improves its acceleration and sharpens its driving experience. We also think there's value in its quasi-rugged attributes, including its 8.1 inches of ground clearance and more functional roof rails. It's basically a Toyota 4Runner for those willing to sacrifice extreme capability for better efficiency and on-road handling. And, of course, being OK with the Pilot-in-hiking-boots look.

Nissan is paring down the midsize Altima lineup for the 2021 model year, eliminating some trim/engine combinations and effectively streamlining the remaining offerings, while also repositioning the sporty SR grade just above the SV (and below the SL) as it becomes the only variant available with the Altima's more potent turbocharged engine option.

The thinning of available trim combinations is by far the biggest news for the 2021 Altima. The 2.0-liter turbocharged, variable-compression engine is now exclusive to the SR trim, where previously it was also available on the loaded-up Platinum grade. All told, the adjustments eliminate three Altima variants: the aforementioned Platinum/VC-Turbo combination, the 2.5-liter Platinum with front-wheel drive and the base S model with all-wheel drive.

Honda has announced a number of updates for the 2021 Accord in the United States, including upgraded styling, tech, drivability and safety features.

The 2021 Honda Accord is getting some trim shake-ups, some refinements to the powertrain in its hybrid variant, and some minor styling updates to keep the midsize sedan fresh. 

On the styling front, you'll have to really squint to see the differences, which are effectively limited to the Accord's front bumper. The grille is a bit wider, and the accent lines reaching toward either side of the lower fascia from the fog lamps now take slightly different routes. Apart from that, you'd be hard-pressed to notice anything has changed. 

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline just received a significant refresh that brought squared-off truck-like styling to Honda's only pickup. Whether or not it's more attractive is in the eye of the beholder, but it certainly looks tougher. According to Motor Trend, that tough look will spread to other models.

The news outlet spoke with Honda's marketing vice president Jay Joseph, who said future Honda crossovers would have a more rugged design. We reached out to Honda, and a representative confirmed that Ridgeline design cues will make their way to Honda's other light-truck models (i.e. crossovers). Though the representative couldn't share timing of redesigns or specificity of which models will be included. So without specifics, here are some of our theories on how the redesigning could pan out.

Act fast if you want to explore the outdoors in a new Toyota Land Cruiser. It seems 2021 will be the current-generation SUV's last model year on the American market, according to a recent report, and it's not coming back.

An anonymous dealer source confirmed the off-roader's demise to Motor Authority. "Unfortunately it's gone, which I'm pretty bummed about. It's a punch to the gut for all of us enthusiasts who love the product. There's no illusion it's coming back, and it's completely dead for the moment, " the incognito employee told the publication.

Being bland used to be a pretty solid way to ensure a car's popularity. Bland may not inspire, but it won't offend, either. That sure seemed like Toyota's playbook for decades, but things have changed (in the marketplace and with Toyota), and nowhere is that more evident than the 2021 Toyota RAV4. Rather than being vanilla enough to appeal equally to as many people as possible, it instead offers an unmatched selection of flavors to cater more specifically to a wide variety different people and purposes. There are regular, sporty and off-road-oriented RAV4s. There's a regular gas engine and two hybrid choices, including the new 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid (pictured above). There are vibrant colors, two-tone roofs and flashy styling flourishes available along with more traditional, subdued choices. Again, something for everyone.

Yet, underlying all those different flavors is a base vehicle that generally nails the basic fundamentals demanded of a compact SUV, regardless of whether you're getting a simple RAV4 LE, a sporty XSE Hybrid or the TRD Off-Road. It has more passenger and cargo space than most, as well as more ground clearance. Its infotainment system is easy to use and amply contented, if not the flashiest or rapid in response. It's fuel efficient, especially the two hybrid choices. It's surprisingly responsive to drive. Finally, its resale value and maintenance costs should continue to be excellent. Now, there are rivals that match or better the RAV4 in these regards, especially the Honda CR-V, but few do them all as well and none offer the same variety as the RAV4.

The Toyota RAV4 lineup is expanding for 2021 as the company has announced a new RAV4 Hybrid XLE Premium.

Since it's only a couple of years old, it's no surprise that the 2021 Toyota RAV4 is generally unchanged from the years before. But there are a couple of noteworthy additions to the range. There's a slight price increase, too.

Possibly the most significant change is the addition of an XLE Premium trim to the RAV4 Hybrid line. It falls squarely in the middle, offering more features than the LE and XLE, but not being as sporty or as luxurious as the XSE or Limited trims. It's priced between those trims, too, with a base price of $33,675. Included for the price are 18-inch "super chrome-finished" alloy wheels, LED projector headlights with automatic high beams, fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, eight-way power driver's seat and dual-zone automatic climate control.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey is a modern minivan, and as such it's absolutely gigantic. That is obviously not news. And yet, the Odyssey still managed to blow me away with its cargo-carrying ability. 

Now, like the various three-row crossovers and SUVs I've luggage tested, I only checked to see how many pieces of luggage from my garage would fit behind the raised third-row seat. The most voluminous crossover I've tested and indeed one of the most voluminous three-row crossovers, period, the Hyundai Palisade, could fit the four biggest suitcases I own. Pretty good, but sorry Palisade, you're about to be crushed.