Filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information have revealed the exterior of the next-generation Honda CR-V.
Although there might be small changes for other markets, we expect the car seen here to be indicative of the one that will go on sale globally.
If there’s one constant about Honda’s design direction, it’s that it often shifts between radical and conservative and back again from one generation to the next.
We’ve recently seen this play out with Civic, which has ditched its multitude of fake air inlets and vents for a classier approach, while the new HR-V is less of a crossover coupe and more of a normal crossover.
These images from the Ministry of Industry and Information line up with patent filings discovered in February this year.
Up front the new CR-V sports a deep rectangular grille with an apartment-sized Honda badge. A chrome blade runs across the top and carries on through the slim headlights.
Unlike many other brands, Honda has so far avoided the temptation to join the split headlight brigade, and the front bumper is simple, almost plain.
Along the side there are flatter surfaces and a sharp shoulder line running the length of the vehicle. While the silhouette looks to be similar to before, the detailing, especially around the tail-lights and window graphics make the car seem more upright and formal.
At the rear, the CR-V continues to feature hockey stick tail-lights, although they don’t seem to stretch as prominently into the side body work.
This new generation is also missing the current car’s prominent chrome strip across the tailgate. The licence plate holder has moved from the bottom to the middle of the tailgate.
The pictured vehicle wears a Turbo badge at the rear, and according to the company’s paperwork is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine making 142kW.
Hooked up to a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT), the turbo can be specified with either front- or all-wheel drive.
A 2.0-litre hybrid, expected to be largely similar to the setup currently available overseas, will be the only drivetrain offered in Europe. The current system develops a total of 158kW and 315Nm.
Further down the track the CR-V should be also available with a plug-in hybrid system.
In China the new CR-V measures 4703mm long, 1866mm wide, 1690mm tall, and rides on a 2700mm wheelbase.
This means it’s 68mm longer, 11mm wider, 11mm taller, and has a 40mm longer wheelbase than the current car. For the Chinese market, the new CR-V will be available with either five or seven seats.
MORE: Everything Honda CR-V
