Honda future products: Civic relaunch precedes new CR-V, Accord

The next year is huge for Honda and it begins with a do-over--the fall relaunch of the redesigned Civic that was derailed by the March earthquake.

A new CR-V arrives this winter and a redesigned Accord, which will be slightly smaller than the current model, follows next spring.

Those three products represent about 70 percent of the brand's U.S. sales.

And with the introduction of Honda's large-car hybrid powertrain system next year, expect a big chunk of the lineup to have a hybrid option.

Fit: Although Europe gets a hybrid version, Honda has canceled a hybrid Fit for North America. A redesign is due in the summer of 2013.

Fit EV: Honda announced it would offer a battery-electric "commuter car" in 2012. While some thought this would be in addition to the Fit EV, sources now say it is the Fit EV.

Insight: The five-door Insight hybrid will get a facelift next spring. No word on whether the nickel-metal hydride battery pack will be replaced by a lithium ion battery before the 2015 redesign.

Civic: The redesigned Civic arrived earlier this year. A natural gas version will debut this fall.

CR-Z: A Honda source says a higher-performance version of the CR-Zmay be on the way. Honda's Mugen in-house performance unit developed a SEMA edition with 200 hp last year. Whether it is offered to retail customers or is just a performance parts package is undecided.

Accord: A redesigned model is scheduled to arrive next spring. Expect it to be two or three inches shorter and slightly narrower than the current Accord. The wheelbase may stay the same.

Honda may offer only one version of its 2.4-liter inline-four rather than include a de-tuned base model as it does now. The V6 option will be de-emphasized but still offered. Honda's new large-car hybrid system will be ready for the redesigned Accord. Unlike the previous Accord Hybrid, this one will be combined with the four-cylinder for fuel economy, rather than with the V6 for performance. A plug-in hybrid should arrive by the end of 2012.

Crosstour: A midcycle change for the Crosstour planned for 2012 will add a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine to the lineup to offer improved fuel economy and a lower-priced version.

FCX Clarity: Honda's hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle is trickling into Southern California garages as part of a beta test for an eventual launch in 2018.

CR-V: The redesigned Civic-based compact, delayed slightly by the Japan earthquake, will arrive in November. The new styling includes a canted back end like that of a Volvo XC60. While rumors fly that the longer body means third-row jump seats, the U.S. version will just have more cargo room behind the five-seat passenger area. The 201-hp 2.4-liter engine comes from the Acura TSX wagon and Civic Si. A hybrid version may be offered as well, but no V6.

Element: Honda sources say there is room beneath the CR-V for a lower-priced compact crossover. If Honda does another Element-like vehicle, expect it to be aimed less directly at the youth market than the Element. It would arrive in the fall of 2012.

Pilot: A fascia change this fall will give the Pilot a more traditional crossover grille. A full redesign on the shared Odyssey platform comes in the fall of 2013. Honda will renounce the brawny styling for something sleeker.

Odyssey: The Odyssey minivan was redesigned in the fall of 2010.

Ridgeline: Honda's pickup will get powertrain tweaks to boost its fuel economy for 2012, but the Ridgeline will be discontinued in 2013. Still, there is talk of a compact pickup derived from the CR-V taking over at that time.

By Mark Rechtin- Automotive News