They're trying P.C. Honda is going to make a hybrid car by the end of the decade '09 model year most likely that will be priced under the Civic and just a tick above the Fit. Rumours are that they'll revive the classic CRX name plate.
Problem with the American automakers this that they've neglected cars for decades and now they're suffering those consquences.
But there is some promise that the automakers are bringing their smaller european cars over here. Lise's Mazda 5 is a perfect example of that. European space wagon.
Then another example is clean desiel engines that Honda is making. Starting by the end of this year the civic, CRV, Accord, Pilot, Ridgeline and maybe the (hopefully) the Fit will have these clean diesel engines that are cleaner then the north american gas engine.
So basically the north american automakers are slow to reacting. the Japanese automakers can quickly bring their small cars over here. (yaris, fit, versa)