Cars and light trucks merge

As light-vehicle segments blur in function and utlility, Japanese manufacturers are placing body design emphasis on optimum space utilization and crash safety.

Nontraditional vehicles seem to be winning the day in Japan, except in the luxury and company/fleet segments, not unlike the light truck phenomenon in the U.S. For the Japanese automakers, traditional sedans and derivative wagons and hatchbacks are still very important, as evidenced by America's hot-selling Camry, Corolla, Accord, and Civic models, and the popularity of hatchbacks in Europe.

A number of Japanese OEMs are revitalizing their latest sedan models by incorporating convenience features straight from utility vehicles. With the Mazda6/Atenza mid-size, Mazda is re-inventing the five-door hatchback, hitherto thought of as a lost cause in Japan, and never popular in the U.S. The five-door and wagon models feature a karakuri (magical mechanism) rear seat, which folds flat by a pull-handle in the luggage compartment. Honda's forthcoming Accord sedan replacement will have a similar folding mechanism, together with a power tailgate-both being standard equipment.