Next gen Honda CR-V caught testing – is it a seven-seater?

Next gen Honda CR-V caught testing – is it a seven-seater?

The current Honda CR-V has been with us since 2006, and it’s time for a new generation. The new CR-V in question has been spotted undergoing hot weather testing in Death Valley USA. The scarily named valley in the Mojave Desert is one of the hottest and driest places on earth, and a favourite location for car manufacturers looking to put their cars to test.

These spy shots show dark-coloured mules sporting full front disguise and plenty of black tape around the D-pillar and the rear lights – basically all the areas that make the current car unique. The uncovered side glass area looks similar to today’s CR-V, but previous sightings have shown an upturn on the bottom line to meet the top line, a bit like the Accord Coupe.

Next gen Honda CR-V caught testing – is it a seven-seater?

Crucially, the rear section looks a little more chunky that the current car – could there be a third row of seats hiding behind? Some in our office also noticed a lower roof line, but this is hard to tell without a control car.

The addition of third row seats is of course just speculation, since the current Nissan X-Trail sports a similar type of growth over the previous model, but remains a five seater. Do you think Honda should go the seven-seater way the CR-V, or keep the current layout?

Reports from the US claim that production of the new CR-V will start in America late this year. View the rest of the spyshots after the jump.

[zenphotopress number=999 album=2405]
Spyshots licensed from SB-MEDIEN

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Mienzz on Jul 19, 2011 at 3:10 pm

    The rival of Kia Sportage

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  • Still same as current CRV at side and front view.

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  • farhan on Jul 19, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    Hmm, interesting..

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  • drMpower on Jul 19, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    not bad
    not at all bad
    chicks like the color
    firm buttocks!

    i am up for this 2012 crv!

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  • Hope to see the finalized model , the rear seem to be like Volvo xc60 but the front i had no idea. Honda most successive model to date is the CR-V

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  • vincent on Jul 19, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    They will have to offer more for the price they are charging in Malaysia. Sportage and Tucson really pushed CRV to offer 2 more extra airbags.

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    • ultrajo on Jul 19, 2011 at 6:15 pm

      here in Bolehland anything that come from ‘Yuma Asami’ motherland are sellable hehehe!

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  • Chicky on Jul 19, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    The looks like Toyota Harrier.

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  • 7 seater ….say perhaps for CRV current price, hmmm sounds delicious

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  • A 7 seaters will make it more marketable….yeap, the sorento had also grown to a 7 seaters

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  • A 7-seater CR-V will make the most popular SUV to another level especially if Honda can offer their CRDi 2.2l or other potent turbodiesel for the Japanese machine. One thing, Honda 5000km service interval should be longer; like US or Canada practice- heavy or non-heavy user (daily drive over 20km; no excessive traffic jam etc).

    Good bet for SUV segment.

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    • 4G63T DSM on Jul 19, 2011 at 7:40 pm

      There is really no need for a 7 seater crv. With the Stream and Asian Odyssey running its smaller 7 seater for the asian market and the Pilot , US Odyssey filling the 7 seater requirements in US, the crv would be in no mans land. American sized portions will not fit in a 7 seat crv. The only compact mpv sold there is the Mazda 5 and Kia Rondo (which is also a 5 seater with optional 3rd row not unlike the larger Hyundai Sante Fe)

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      • Alpha on Jul 19, 2011 at 9:03 pm

        I wholly agree with you.I think a 7-seater CR-V is not going to sell well.The CR-V’s target market is young people or ppl with a small family.A 7-seater CR-V might turn the potential buyers off.Granted,the Tucson/Sorento is big and offers more,but the CR-V does have the younger-looking charm.It’s still funky looking as opposed to the more family-oriented Tucson/Sorento.

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  • Tak suka B.N. and Inspira on Jul 19, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    I saw same sources from carscoop.com, but why “paultan.org” is printed in the photo??who sources is original??Admin pls dont delete this comment, is good to share.

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    • Anthony Lim (Member) on Jul 19, 2011 at 6:04 pm

      The spyshots are from SB-MEDIEN, as mentioned below the gallery. We purchase them from the latter, as do other motoring sites. We just decided to watermark ours.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Fordylyngam on Jul 20, 2011 at 8:35 am

      It’s sad how malaysians automatically support a foreign site instead of the locals

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • this crv gonna look like xc60 especially da rear. check out other spsyshots, it reveals how da rearmost glass will look like..

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    • alldisc on Jul 20, 2011 at 9:19 am

      take note the rear bumper is SOO BIGG!!… that the rear quarter panel is very small.

      good i think as a crumple zone.

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  • paultan.org is worth more than 2mil (by web-worth.com) and any infringement of copyright will not be tolerated by its owner. i followed this website since 2004 and it give me updates on local and international automobile news for FREE.

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  • Nooo.. I wish it would chage 5 years from now, I love my 2010 crv, but I’m not ready to see the new outcome as I would be begging for it again.. Somehow I wish it’s ugly, dnt wna regret having the ‘old’ one. N I dnt have another 150k to spare.. Looks delicious though.

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  • Farhat n his crv on Jul 19, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    I doubt 7 seaters, because adding third row will not allow space for the spare tyre beneath the cargo floor. As the crv is still a cross over suv and not a large suburban. From the shots, I see no under-carriage tyre placement, and obviously no tailgate tyre placement.

    Unless third row is stored sideways like the Honda Freed, which will sacrifice the rear cargo space and I doubt it’s the case with this new model.

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    • feeme on Jul 19, 2011 at 9:43 pm

      my dad’s avanza can fit tyre under the bumper nicely. ;D

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      • Farhat n his crv on Jul 20, 2011 at 1:36 am

        If u have read my comment, there are no visible storage UNDER the bumper, for avanza, stand right at the back, you could see the spare tyre. Being a crv that has relation to the current model, the slanted upward backside will not look good with a tyre underneath the carriage.

        Also, most SUVs, especially a low height SUV will not have spare tyre below the carriage as this would interfere with ground clearance for offloading. Avanza is not for offloading.

        Adding a third row will create a deeper well beneath the seat as this will be needed to accommodate folding backrest to create a flat cargo space. Being a cross over, the rear is not elongated enough to accommodate a spare tyre behind the third row.

        … unless there are no spare tyres and use run-flats instead, similarly to some Mercedes models.

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  • think on Jul 19, 2011 at 9:51 pm

    make it a 7 seater or 8 seater…in malaysia ,,it’s better to have more equipment in a vehicle because we are paying more money into taxes…my vote to be a seater with a more powerfull engine with a turbo,perhaps..
    think..

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  • transformer on Jul 19, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    hope its front are totally different from current(fish’s lip) styles…. 2.0L isn’t fuel economy to drive its bulk…. 2.4L better….

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  • Jimmy on Jul 19, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Strange in Malaysia: income RM5K per month still want to buy CRV with 7- to 9-year loan. People driving CRV better have an income of at least RM15k per month and loan is maximum 5 years.
    BTW 5-seater CRV is better, it should remain sportive.
    7-seater: target market is different.

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  • RedBeanBun on Jul 19, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    Honda is doing a eastern low end to challenge Tucson/Sportage i guess.
    CX7,Q3 maybe challenging Harrier..
    The Acura MDX and RDX is so cool, but too bad…no right hand drive market…what a waste.
    Infact, i see the Chery SUV looks not bad :P

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  • carlito on Jul 20, 2011 at 2:23 am

    i can’t really tell from the pictures, but I suspect the rear lights of the crv is going to look like the xc60

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  • National Automotive Policy in early 80s made us Burma in automotive and inflated the car prices.

    RAV4 also have 7 seater in North America.

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  • when the Civic shrinks, CRV expands? What is the logic?

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  • Honda has decided to follow the lead that Perodua had with their Alzas..

    CRV…. SUV juga MPV…

    lol

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  • Black Dog on Jul 20, 2011 at 1:31 pm

    Having 7-seater doesn’t really extend the car a lot bcos the rear seats are strictly for small kids and folded down. (It’s amazing some ppl still complain abt the cramp 3rd row even though it’s stated only suitable for kids!) It’s normally stowed away when not in use so it’s a good option. Spare tyres can use run flat or ultra thin ones. HM should bring in the more powerful 2.4L. Looking forward to a more pleasant design.

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