Will It Work? Honda Banks On Wave Of Refreshes To Pull Up US Sales

Honda Motor Corp. officials are hoping an early refresh of the Honda Civic as well as the new 2013 CR-V crossover and Accord sedan will allow the Japanese automaker to maintain leadership in the fiercely competitive car market in the United States.

Honda has a history of leadership in the smaller car and crossover segments, but a series of events has impinged on its benchmark status.

Natural disasters, including the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan and flooding in Thailand, have disrupted production. A soaring yen has made exports from Japan pricey. And criticism of the new compact Civic has shown a chink in the automaker's product line as more vehicles jockey for market share.