Car and Driver: 2012 Honda CRV

2012 Honda CR-V Spy Photos - Future Cars

Honda continues its trend of gentle evolution with the next-gen CR-V.

BY JUSTIN BERKOWITZ, PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT WHITLEY AND THE MANUFACTURER
May 2011

A fearless Car and Driver reader in Washington, D.C., snapped this picture of the next-generation Honda CR-V crossover, which will debut this fall. The vehicle looks ready for production, wearing its own sheetmetal (rather than the modified body of an existing Honda model) with the badge buried in tape on the tailgate.

Like other Japanese auto companies, Honda is as tight-lipped as can be about its future products. We’re left to use recent history and this photo to determine that the next CR-V will represent a gentle update to the current car, rather than a radical redo.

Figure on a naturally aspirated four-cylinder being the only engine available. It should displace 2.4 liters like today’s CR-V engine, and we expect it to make between 180 and 200 hp—although the number may be closer to the bottom end of that range. Fuel economy also should improve slightly; in front-drive spec, the current model is rated for 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. (All-wheel-drivers are rated for 21/27.)

If there are any major changes to the upcoming CR-V, it could be in the seating layout. Until now, every CR-V has been a strictly five-seat affair. Given the long rear overhang of the car in this photo, however, it looks like there just might be room for a small third row of seats for short-legged passengers. Toyota sells a three-row RAV4, but most others in the segment serve a maximum of five.

Few would call the CR-V in its present form a pulse-raising vehicle, but it’s a staple for Honda, offers good driving dynamics, and is a sensible choice for more than 200,000 Americans per year. Even without concrete details on the next-generation CR-V, we feel confident saying it will maintain the current car’s sales success. We expect the 2012 CR-V to debut at the Los Angeles auto show this November.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/spied/11q2/2012_honda_cr-v_spy_photos-future_cars

Autoblog: Spy Shots: Is this 2012 Honda CR-V test mule packing a third row of seats?

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/18/is-this-2012-honda-cr-v-test-mule-packing-a-third-row-of-seats/

Out of respect to Brenda Priddy and Co, I supplied the link to the photo above, not much to look at right now, but I imagine that Brenda will be coming out with more soon.

Here's straight from Autoblog....
"While Honda may have to delay rolling out the successor to the current CR-V crossover, a shortage of parts resulting from the crisis in Japan doesn't mean it isn't still working on the project. And while we hadn't seen any prototypes running before, we've now received our first glimpse.

The test mule in this solitary spy shot is wearing a bra over the front end and some taping around the hind quarters, but is otherwise fairly naked for all to see. So what are we looking at? Heavily revised styling for a start, with tail-lights that extend up the D-pillar like the current model but with a rather Volvo-like shape to them. Our intrepid auto spies also suggest the extended rear end could be making room for a third row of seats (wonder what that D-pillar tape job is hiding?), but from where we sit, it looks mighty cramped.

Beyond the design, we can expect a slightly more powerful and more efficient version of the current model's 2.4-liter VTEC four. Expect production to begin in Ohio and Ontario before winter rolls back around."

2012 Honda CRV updated rendition

Well the pic on top is the revised version, the front end is much more mainstream in my opinion, in fact I can say I actually like it. The pic below it is the first rendition, which I find hard to love. Either way, we won't know for sure until closer to the fall of this year.

Source;
http://www.woodyscarsite.com/2011/04/201213-honda-cr-v.html

2012 Honda CRV Rendered Speculation pt2

This is another from Japan Car Design Corner, a really good site for Japanese car enthusists! Second time I have seen this pic, this would be something that I'd have to warm up to, the front end is not grabbing me. Anyway, they say style is subjective....

Source;
http://jp-cardesigncorner.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-honda-cr-v-coming-this-autumn.html

Another 2012 Honda CRV Artistical Rendition

Stumbled across this in http://www.crvownersclub.com/ , definately looks like a Honda Accord CrossTour front and gives it an almost 'Mitsubishi-ish' look to it, not sure what to think about this one....

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Honda CRV

Not sure where they dug up this sketch, but it's here none the less....
Source;
http://cheapsportscars.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-honda-cr-v-coming-this-autumn.html

All-new Honda CR-V coming this Fall

Honda looks to be hanging its recovery hopes on the U.S. light truck market. According to Automotive News, North America was the only market to see sales growth for the company during the last quarter. The six-percent jump was fostered largely by the Odyssey and the CR-V, and Honda hopes to be able to keep up that momentum with a new version of the popular CUV. Reportedly set to debut by fall of this year, the 2012 CR-V will be a complete generational model change, though the company hasn't revealed too many details about the new vehicle just yet.

Globally, Honda has seen its sales fall off by around seven percent, with operating profit declining by 29 percent. The company hopes that focusing on light trucks will help boost the company's total U.S. volume to 1.28 million vehicles by the end of its fiscal year.

News of the next-generation CR-V goes a long way toward explaining why the 2010 and 2011 models received such skimpy updates. Engineers managed to pull another 14 horsepower from the engine and designers slapped on a slightly adjusted grille, but otherwise the vehicle has stuck pretty close to its 2009 recipe. Keep your ear to the ground for more information on the next-gen crossover.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/07/report-all-new-honda-cr-v-coming-next-fall/

2012 Honda CRV Sketches

It seems that with all of the attention going to what Honda is doing with the next generation Civic, that the 2012 CRV full redesign is quietly flying under the radar, not much out there for info....but there are a couple of speculative sketches....

Source;
http://www.coroflot.com/public/image_file.asp?individual_id=164545&portfolio_id=4383669

Here's the older sketch that's been floating around for awhile....