Nissan is lining up a major product presentation in Japan on April 14, but it has quietly slipped in a facelift reveal ahead of schedule. The Sakura receives mild exterior and interior tweaks, aimed at keeping it relevant in Japan’s fast-moving electric kei car segment.

The model was originally introduced in 2022, as the production version of the IMk concept from 2019. Still, Nissan played it safe with small changes, likely due to a limited budget.

Fresh Face And Floral Hues

The most noticeable change is up front, where a redesigned fascia introduces a body-colored grille section that mimics the Nissan Leaf. It’s paired with a revised bumper that brings sharper angles and more pronounced vertical elements along the sides.

More: Nissan Pulls The Plug On The Most Affordable Leaf. For Now

The LED headlights carry over unchanged, as does the sheet metal along the profile. Around the back, things appear largely untouched as well, although the lower portion of the rear bumper remains out of view.

The color palette gains a new shade called “Minamono Sakura”, inspired by cherry blossoms floating on water. In the pictured example, the paint combines copper and silver accents, creating an unusual tri-color finish.

Key-Sized Improvements Inside

Inside, Nissan has shared just a single image, and at first glance, it looks unchanged. A closer look reveals addition of an extra cup holder on the passenger side.

More: Nissan Turns Sunlight Into Free Miles With Its Smart EV Upgrade

Designers didn’t seem to bother changing the 7-inch digital instrument cluster and 9-inch infotainment, but they did relocate the USB Type-C ports lower in the center console.

While the company has yet to release detailed specifications, there is little reason to expect meaningful changes under the skin. The outgoing Sakura uses a single electric motor producing 63 hp (47 kW) and 195 Nm (144 lb-ft) of torque, paired with a 20 kWh battery that delivers a WLTC-rated range of 180 km (112 miles).

The facelifted kei car is expected to reach the Japanese market in the coming weeks, at which point pricing details should be confirmed. For reference, the current model starts at ¥2,599,300 ($16,300) for the base X trim and rises to ¥3,082,200 ($19,400) for the flagship G.

Nissan says the model has been Japan’s best-selling EV for four consecutive years, recording 14,093 sales in 2025. Competition comes from familiar domestic rivals, including the Mitsubishi eK X EV twin, the Honda N-One e: and N-Van e:, as well as the upcoming BYD Racco.

Nissan

Electric vehicles make up less than 2 percent of new car sales in Japan, yet that didn’t stop Chinese EV giant BYD from unveiling an all-electric Kei car last year, aiming to make inroads into the local market. However, the company has just been dealt a serious blow.

It has been revealed that the Japanese government has slashed subsidies for BYD by more than half, reducing them to just 150,000 yen, or about $936. Previously, incentives for BYD models ranged between 350,000 yen ($2,000) and 400,000 yen ($2,500).

Read: BYD Surprises Japan With A Tiny EV Ready To Take On The Kei Giants

The reason is quite simple. Japan is revising its EV subsidy scheme to benefit vehicles that use locally manufactured battery packs. Obviously, BYD’s cars use Chinese-made batteries. Thus, it seems more like a measure to protect the Japanese car industry from the burgeoning Chinese brand, which was the world’s sixth-largest car manufacturer last year.

Japanese EVs Get A Big Boost

BYD Racco

As part of a change to the subsidy program, the Toyota bZ4X will continue to be offered with the highest possible subsidy of 1.3 million yen ($8,100). The Nissan Ariya had been available with a 1.29 million yen ($8,075) subsidy, although this will be cut to 1 million yen ($6,200) in 2027.

Interestingly, it’s not just Japanese brands that get generous government assistance. Earlier this month, Tesla’s subsidies were increased by 400,000 to 1.27 million yen ($7,900), likely due to the fact that it uses Panasonic batteries. Audi also saw a recent increase of 320,000 yen ($2,000) up to just over 1 million yen ($6,200) for its EVs. Similarly, subsidies for some of Hyundai’s EVs have been boosted this month.

As noted by Nikkei Asia, not all of these subsidy increases will remain in effect. From next January, subsidies for brands including Audi and Hyundai will be cut, although their extent remains unclear. Prior to the most recent round of cuts, BYD said it was already at a disadvantage.

“We’re at an overwhelming disadvantage,” the boss of its Japan unit, Atsuki Tofukuji said. “The gap [with companies like Toyota Motor] has grown to up to nearly 1 million yen. We can’t compete with 350,000 yen.”

The trail of breadcrumbs pointing to the return of a proper Subaru STI has been an entertaining one to follow. Shortly after the company put its new racing hatchback through testing, a set of patent drawings surfaced online, fueling more speculation about a potential production version.

The patents, filed at the Japan Patent Office, depict a Subaru hatchback with a wide body kit, WRX-sourced headlights, a new grille, and prominent aero components. It looks nearly identical to the Performance-B STI Concept from the 2025 Japan Mobility Show.

More: Subaru Says STI Is “Not Dead”, But Its Boxer May Be

A closer look reveals only minor differences, namely the absence of extra vents on either side of the signature hood scoop and the lack of tailpipes at the rear. The latter likely relates to the patent application itself, much like the blank wheels and simplified lighting details.

Concept Design Captured In Patents

Japan Platform for Patent Information

As reported by Top Gear Philippines, which spotted the filing on the Japan Platform for Patent Information, the documents were submitted on September 29, 2025, one month before the show car’s debut on October 30. The timing, combined with the near-perfect visual match, strongly suggest these drawings depict the Subaru Performance-B STI Concept rather than a rumored 2027 production model.

More: Subaru Showed Four New STI Models, And Not Even One’s A Real STI

A quick search of the same database shows that similar patents for the Subaru Performance-E STI Concept were filed on the very same day. They replicate the fully electric fastback’s design without any changes. This is standard practice, as automakers routinely secure design protection for both concepts cars and future production models ahead of their public debut to prevent copyright issues.

What About The Rumors?

While these patents likely exist for legal reasons, the timing of their discovery is what has enthusiasts paying attention. Subaru’s HiPerfX2 hatchback, essentially the racing counterpart to the Performance-B STI Concept, is set to compete in Japan’s Super Taikyu series, where it will double as a rolling development lab.

More: Subaru’s WRX STI Hatch Is Back On Track, Just Not On The Street

The race car pulls together an assortment of WRX STI sedan components, wrapped in a widebody hatchback silhouette that appears to draw from the Impreza. Under the hood sits a motorsport-tuned version of the turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer engine, producing 359 hp (268 kW / 364 PS), paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system.

Subaru Performance-B STI Concept

Talk of a 2027 return for the WRX STI hatchback starts to make more sense when you look at the gaps forming in Subaru’s current lineup. The company has confirmed it will stop taking orders for the WRX sedan in Japan, along with the Levorg and Layback wagons, leaving some notable space to fill.

Another telling move is the removal of the STI Sport grade from the WRX range, which could be less about trimming options and more about clearing the stage for something more exciting with the STI badge.

Whether this all points to a routine model year reshuffle or a deeper generational reset, one that finally brings the STI badge back to a hot hatch, is still an open question.

Subaru Performance-E STI Concept

Honda’s electric future just got a whole lot less bright. The automaker has announced it’s scrapping three planned North American EVs that were supposed to spearhead its next big push as it rethinks its electrification plans against a backdrop of cooling global EV demand.

The three vehicles are Honda’s delightfully bonkers 0 Saloon and 0 SUV, and Acura’s upcoming RSX crossover, and axing them so late in the game means a ton of financial pain for Honda. The company says it is booking roughly 2.5 trillion yen ($15.7 billion) in expenses and losses due to the U-turn.

Related: Honda Walks Back Its EV Plans As Losses Spiral

Here’s what Honda told us in a statement:

“In order to improve the current earnings situation as early as possible, Honda considered various options; however, after careful consideration, the company made the decision to cancel the development and market launch of three EV models that had been planned for production in the U.S., namely the Honda 0 SUV, Honda 0 Saloon, and Acura RSX.

Honda determined that starting production and sales of these three models in current business environment where the demand for EVs is declining significantly would likely result in further losses over the long term.”

Sedan Does Supercar

Of the trio, the 0 Saloon was the showstopper. It looked like someone fed a Lamborghini Gallardo and a minivan into the same blender. Honda had previously said it would launch in North America after the SUV, and just earlier this year reports said it had already slipped to 2027. Now it appears the delay has turned into a funeral.

The 0 SUV was the more realistic sibling, though still plenty wild from a design standpoint with its hunchback rear. It was an electric crossover SUV with a tall cabin, pixel style lighting and Honda’s new ASIMO OS. This was supposed to be the practical EV that actually paid the bills, and would probably have been the model seen most regularly on US roads.

RSX Revival Iced

But maybe it’s the loss of the Acura RSX that was due to enter production later this year that will sting the most. Acura had already shown a pre-production prototype of the coupe SUV, promising dual motors, all-wheel drive and a sportier feel than the GM-based ZDX that was recently dropped. The RSX was also going to revive a name made famous by an iconic driver-focused Acura of yesteryear, and even if it did so by turning a fondly remembered rev-happy coupe into yet another crossover, at least it was a seriously good looking crossover.

Honda’s change of heart isn’t just bad news for North American EV buyers either, it’s all bad for US workers. All three EVs were scheduled to be built in Ohio. We have reached out to Honda for confirmation and will update this story when we hear back.

Honda/Acura

During a recent visit to Japan, it became clear that while the country is renowned worldwide for its robotics and manufacturing excellence, the...

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