American Honda has unveiled the US version of the 2012 Honda CR-V at the LA show. The fourth-generation CR-V will go on sale there from 15 December.
All US CR-Vs – built in Ohio – will have a 2.4-litre i-VTEC I4 petrol engine making 185hp and 163lb ft of torque paired with a standard five-speed automatic transmission.
Eco Assist, new for the 2012 redesign, indicates to the driver when the vehicle is being operated in an efficient style via green visual cues surrounding the speedometer, and a selectable Econ mode alters operating characteristics of the vehicle to support an efficient driving style.
New standard features include an easy fold-down 60/40 split rear seat and a range of standard technology such as a Bluetooth phone interface (previously optional), a full-colour intelligent display and a multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines. A new SMS text messaging function can read received texts from compatible cell phones aloud over the audio system. Honda has also added a Pandora internet radio interface, compatible with the Apple iPhone, which works with the vehicle’s audio controls and display.
Three trim levels will be offered in the US.
The European version, which Honda claims was “developed and designed specifically for the market”, will be made at the automaker’s Swindon plant in England and launched in autumn 2012.

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By GlobalDataThe current model has two-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines with standard manual and optional automatic transmissions. These are likely to carry over initially but Honda is known to be working on a new 1.7-litre diesel for its new Civic hatchback and this is likely to go into the CR-V later.