2012 Honda CR-V Concept Debuts At SoCal Auto Show

Getting a jump on jazzing up interest in the redesigned fourth-generation 2012 Honda CR-V compact crossover SUV, Honda used the Orange County International Auto Show in Anaheim, California as a venue for the world debut of the 2012 Honda CR-V concept.

The Japanese automaker says the 2012 CR-V Concept has styling cues and features that point strongly to the production model which makes its debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show in November and will be on sale by the end of this year.

What’s new about the all-new CR-V? We can only guess, based on the 2012 CR-V Concept, since Honda is being mum about any more specifics.

Exterior styling

The biggest change that we can see now is that the CR-V Concept appears a bit more aggressive, while still maintaining the attractive good looks that have made the CR-V the best-selling SUV in America since 2007 (on a calendar year basis).

Yes, the CR-V Concept does have dramatic styling cues and we can only hope that some of that flair makes it into the final production model. Honda says the goal for the new 2012 CR-V was to maintain the exterior size while giving it a sleeker appearance.

Just looking at the CR-V Concept, with its deeply sculpted character lines, beefy rocker panels, distinctively bold front end with horizontal three-bar grille and large five-spoke alloy wheels, Honda has achieved that goal. Honda says the faux front skid plate and vertical tail lights will remain for 2012, although the rear lights will be more three-dimensional and extend further into the vehicle’s design.

Other goodies to come

Honda says the production 2012 CR-V will feature an all-new interior, a more fuel efficient engine, and a trimmed-down body weight.

We’ll just have to wait for the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show to find out more details, and we’ll be all over that story. In the meantime, if you’re in the area, check out the 2012 CR-V Concept at the Orange County International Auto Show in Anaheim, September 22-25.

Source: http://www.thecarconnection.com

Date posted: January 5, 2012