The Big Plan from Japan

Facing economic struggles, natural disasters, and a steady decline in US market-share, Japanese big three (Honda, Toyota and Nissan) are fighting back with a product blitz, and a plan to redesign or update a majority of models. Over the next few years, things will be very exciting at Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Here is a closer look.

Japanese big three have steadily lost market share over the past few years. Last year, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan took a combined 33.7 percent of U.S market share. This is down from 35.4 percent in 2009. This year, the automakers are taking only approximately 30.4 percent of U.S market share.

The automakers believe the cure for the decline is new products. Consumers should expect 10 new models from Japan’s big three by the end of next year, and 27 new models total by 2017.

The plan is to ramp up the release of new products, and to try to take back a larger portion of American markets. Updates of the Toyota Camry, RAV4 and Yaris, the Honda Accord and CR-V, as well as the Nissan Versa, Sentra and Altima should hit dealership lots by 2013.

Here is a more detailed look at Japan’s Product Plan, as reported by Automotive News.

	Acura 2012: TL Update, MDX Total Redesign 2013: TL redesign, RL re-engineer, RDX redesign 2014: RSX sedan debut, RSX coup debut
	Honda 2012: Civic redesign, CR-V redesign, Pilot update 2013: Fit EV debut, Accord redesign, Honda Element replaced 2014: Fit redesign, Pilot redesign, Ridgeline successor? 2015: Insight Redesign
	Infiniti 2012: M Hyrbid debut 2013: Small car debut, JX debut, model G redesign, Qx56 Update 2014: Electric sedan debut, EX redeign, FX update, G convertible re-engineer
	Lexus 2012: CT debut, GS re-engineer 2013: IS redesign, ES redesign 2014: LS redesign 2015: HS redesign, RX redesign, LFA roadster debut
	Nissan 2012: Versa sedan redesign, Maxima update, GT-R update 2013: Versa hatchback redesign, Sentra redesign, Altima redesign, NV200 debut, 370Z update, Rogue redesign, Frontier update, Murano re-engineer, Pathfinder redesign 2014:NV200 EV debut, Maxima update, Titan redesign, Murano Hybrid possible debut, Armada redesign 2015: Leaf Coupe possible debut
	Scion 2012: IQ debut 2013: xD redesign, FR-S debut 2014: A-BAT debut
	Toyota 2012: Yaris redesign, Corrola update, Camry redesign, Prius V debut 2013: Prius Cm Prius Plug-In debut, Avalon redesign, RAV4 reengineer, RAV4 EV debut, Highlander redesign, Tacoma restyle 2014: Sequoia redesign, Land Cruiser redesign, Tundra redesign 2015: Corrola redesign, Prius redesign, FT-86 debut