By the end of 2012, Honda’s core group of automobiles will have been completely redesigned as part of the automaker’s plan to revitalize its sales. Following this strategy will be a series of facelifts and refreshes for much of the rest of the Honda new car lineup, to be performed between now and the beginning of 2013. Autoweek has provided a glimpse into Honda’s upcoming product plans, and the most radical changes are those which will be made to the Honda CR-V compact crossover vehicle and the Honda Accord mid-size sedan (also available as a coupe).
The Honda CR-V shares its platform with the just-released, all-new Honda Civic compact coupe and sedan. Honda was unable to generate the momentum it desired from the Civic’s launch earlier this year, largely due to production delays associated with the earthquake that hit Japan in March which to confused customers being uncertain as to when the vehicle would actually be released.
The 2013 Honda CR-V has also seen its unveiling delayed until this coming November, but when it does hit the streets the vehicle will come with a more stylish design than found on the current model. Mechanically, the CR-V maintains its four-cylinder-only approach, adopting the 201 horsepower unit found in the sporty Honda Civic Si model, and although the vehicle will be slightly longer than the previous edition of the crossover it will not feature seven passenger capacity. This stands in stark contrast to its rival, the Toyota RAV4, which offers not only a V-6 option but also a third row of seating – albeit one which has been criticized as being suitable for children only.
The 2013 Honda Accord sedan is scheduled to arrive in the second quarter of next year, and unlike the CR-V it will check in with somewhat smaller dimensions when compared against its 2012 model. Four and six-cylinder power will still be available, and a hybrid drivetrain will also be in the mix for the mid-size sedan. Initially, the hybrid will be offered in traditional battery-assisted guise, paired with a four-cylinder gasoline engine, but eventually a plug-in version of the car will also go on sale.
The remaining changes to Honda’s American offerings are oriented along more conservative lines. The mid-size Honda Pilot crossover vehicle will feature tweaks to its exterior styling as well as better fuel mileage when it comes out this fall as a 2012 model, but a complete redesign will wait until 2013 at the earliest. The same redesign window has also been announced for the subcompact Honda Fit, although an electric version of the hatchback is expected to be released before then. The Honda Crosstour, which offers crossover shoppers a wagon version of the Accord will gain a new, more frugal four-cylinder engine midway through 2012, which is around the same time that the slow-selling Honda CR-Z hybrid coupe could potentially see a performance-oriented edition released. The Honda Insight will also be given fresh duds in 2012, although a complete redesign is not in the cards until at least 2015.
Several models in the Honda lineup will stand pat for the time being, with re-engineered platforms either awaiting them farther into the future or perhaps not at all. The Honda Odyssey was all-new for 2010, and as such has yet to reach the middle of its current lifecycle. The Honda Ridgeline mid-size pickup, which has failed to find a broad audience, will not make it past the 2012 model year, with no replacement as yet announced. A similar fate has befallen the Honda Element compact crossover, which was last offered for sale as a 2011 model. No clear path forward exists for replacing the Element with another, similarly utility-oriented vehicle, although the company remains open to the idea of an inexpensive option to tantalize those drivers not requiring the full capabilities of the CR-V.
