You diehard Honda CR-V fans out there can finally get a glimpse of what the Japanese automaker has planned for its CUV. A rash of patent drawings has cropped up showing the new face of the next-generation vehicle ahead of its debut at the 2011 Orange County Auto Show. As expected, the basic shape of the 2012 CR-V has stuck fairly close to the lines of the concept image that debuted back in July. Design cues like the wide upper grille, swept headlights and stylized d-pillar have all stayed on while flashy bits like the concept’s massive wheels have been scrapped for more civilized pieces.

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Under the hood, we still expect to see a variant of the current 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. While tweaks to the final power and fuel consumptions may rear their heads at the unveil, we don’t expect any dramatic changes. Buyers can look forward to a new six-speed automatic transmission that puts power to either the front or all four wheels depending on trim. The final unanswered question is whether or not Honda has managed to cram a third row of seats in the back…
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