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Future products: Leaf EV is just the start of Nissan lineup overhaul

The next 18 to 24 months will bring a major renewal of Nissan Division's lineup. In the coming weeks, the brand will see four new products released or revealed: the Juke crossover, electric Leaf sedan, redesigned Quest minivan and an ambitious but perhaps polarizing convertible Murano crossover. Late next year, Nissan will begin showing a string of restyled high-volume car lines, including the Altima and Versa.

Toyota NS4 Advanced Plug-in Hybrid Concept

The Toyota NS4 Advanced Plug-in Hybrid Concept marks another step in the recent revival of the company's design direction. Its silhouette is almost identical to the FCV-R concept unveiled in Tokyo, with a soft transition through hood, screen and roof, through to the high rear deck. This has become the visual identifier for hybrid cars of late.

Lexus, Subaru, Mazda score highest Consumer Reports' rankings

Japanese brands, led by Lexus, Subaru and Mazda, continue to dominate Consumer Reports' rankings of the best light vehicles on the market, claiming "top pick" honors in seven out of 10 product segments and capturing the top seven spots for overall brand reliability and performance. The brands that scored best on the magazine's report cards for 2013 were Lexus, with a score of 79 out of 100, followed by Subaru and Mazda, which both scored a 76. Toyota, Acura, Honda and Scion rounded out the top seven.