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Spyshots: 2012 Honda CR-V in Death Valley

2012 Honda CR-V2012 Honda CR-V2012 Honda CR-V2012 Honda CR-V2012 Honda CR-V
These spy shots from our dedicated team of photographers gives us the best idea yet of what the next Honda CR-V will look like when it launches. In a recent teaser launched on the Japanese carmaker’s site, the crossover promised to bring improved design and features.

Unfortunately, they didn’t give out any information on the new CR-V, but we do know it’s coming in a few months’ time as a 2012 model year. The test mule in these spyshots is covered up only at the front and back, but we can tell its grown a bigger backside, giving credit to speculations that it has added a third row of seats. The option could be introduced as a response to Toyota’s new seating arrangement on the RAV4.

The styling has been substantially revised, with the tail-lights extending up the D-pillar in a design that looks a bit like the Volvo XC60. The current design dates back to 2006, so it comes as no surprise that it needed a makeover. Despite being a bit dated, the practicality and wide appeal of the current generation makes it very popular, so Honda needs to get it right to preserve sales.

The prototype you see here is testing in hot-weather conditions in the Californian Death Valley. The shape of the prototypes seen here looks to be much more fluid than on previous generations, with the bonnet sloping down more toward the front.

Not much is known about the powertrains on offer, but they should come to include a naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, revised to produce 180 horsepower instead of the current 166 hp, while the 2.2-liter i-DTEC diesel could make around 165 hp in Europe.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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