Whatever the name night suggest, you can think of the new Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport as a five-seat alternative to the Atlas.

Conceived primarily for the U.S. and Canadian market, it’s an example of VW’s regional divisions knowing what works for their audience, and the automaker’s platforms being flexible enough to drive that understanding right onto dealership forecourts.

“I can proudly say the Atlas Cross Sport is born and raised in the North American region,” Michael Lovati, Vice President, G3 NAR, VW Group of America explained to me.

“Actually, the Atlas Cross Sport is the fastest car we’ve penciled and got approved in the entire history of our region.

It only took us about three months to concept it, get it approved, and then start working on the entire project.”

Volkswagen did it by starting with a proven platform: the Atlas full-size SUV with seven seats.

For anyone still yearning for one of the quirky sedan/coupe/hatchback mashups, time is running short.

BMW noted in its full-range 2020 model year update last week that the 3 Series GT and 6 Series GT will not return.

The end of the 6 Series variants comes as no surprise as the 8 Series takes over flagship duties.

The German automaker telegraphed its intentions this past March when it noted the 3 Series GT would not receive a replacement.

Looking at the company's breadwinner models, the X3, X4, X5 and X6 are all slated to enter production this month before they start trickling into dealers across the US.

Each also costs at least $500 more than the 2019 model each replaces.

You've probably heard people express safety concerns about hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, because of the tank of compressed flammable gas under the body.

The IIHS announced on Thursday that the 2019 Hyundai Nexo has picked up the IIHS' highest accolade, Top Safety Pick+.

However, this only applies to models built after June 2019, when Hyundai adjusted the headlights' factory aim for better visibility in curves.

Models built prior to June 2019 are only eligible for the penultimate award, Top Safety Pick.

The Nexo received the highest rating of Good in every crash test, including the tricky new test, passenger-side small overlap front, which mirrors a driver-side test to ensure automakers are equally protecting both occupants.

The Nexo also received a Good rating in every crash test's subcategories, save for two, where it was rated the second-best Acceptable.

The market's unending appetite for crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks is taking a toll even on some of the best-selling sedans in the US.

To battle slumping Accord and Civic sales, Honda is set to temporarily suspend a second shift for the production line that cranks out the two sedans.

The Detroit Bureau first reported the production shifts on Monday, while Motor1 on Wednesday reported on the Accord and Civic specifically.

Honda told Motor1 that production line one at its assembly plant in Marysville, Ohio is the target.

A Honda spokeswoman confirmed the production adjustment with Roadshow and clarified the company made the news official this past April.

"This time will be used to update manufacturing capabilities to prepare for new technologies including electrification," it said in a statement.

The Hyundai Nexo, a hydrogen fuel cell SUV first unveiled at CES 2018, has earned a top safety award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The award, announced Thursday, marks two firsts.

The Nexo is the first fuel cell vehicle to earn IIHS’s top safety award.

The top safety pick+ award is for 2019 Hyundai Nexo vehicles built after June 2019, when the automaker adjusted the headlights to provide better visibility through curves.

Any Nexo vehicles produced prior to June still get high marks, but fall short of the top award.

The Nexo joins other 2019 Hyundai and Kia vehicles to earn top safety pick+ awards, including the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Niro hybrid and Kia Soul.