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.
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