The fourth-generation Honda CR-V makes its belated debut - albeit in "concept" form.

Honda’s cute ute is finally taking its bows, the 2012 CR-V delayed by about three months due to the March disaster in Japan that set all that country’s makers on their ears.

The CR-V has been one of Honda’s strongest sellers over the years – besting the likes of the Toyota RAV-4 and Ford Escape to top the compact SUV charts for the last four years in a row — and the maker is betting it will remain a solid contender going forward.  It will need a hit.  Honda has taken some unexpected lumps, in recent months, the new 2012 Civic slammed by critics that included the influential Consumer Reports magazine.

Officially, the 2012 Honda CR-V making its debut at the Orange Country International Auto Show today is just a concept vehicle, but it “strongly hints at the more dynamic and refined look of the upcoming model,” proclaimed John Mendel, the maker’s top U.S. executive.

The Honda CR-V has been the best-selling model in its segment for the past four years.

The new model features a more coupe-like roofline, with more sculpted body lines and a bolder front end.  The rear might almost suggest a wagon-style design theme.  But the overall look isn’t likely to surprise Honda CR-V loyalists.

Since it carries over the platform used for the last five years by the outgoing model, the 2012 Honda CR-V maintains the same basic dimensions of the ’11 crossover/ute.

The front end features wrapround bumpers that are balanced by a horizontal three-bar grille and flowing multi-reflector headlamps.  The prior model’s vertical taillights are meanwhile carried over.

Honda is holding back on some of the key details, not doubt planning to use them to grab headlines later this auto show season when the production version of the CR-V makes its belated appearance.  Significantly, the maker hints that it has been able to cut some weight off the 2012 CR-V and that will further enhance the benefits of what it bills as a “more fuel-efficient engine.”

Built for the U.S. at Honda’s East Liberty, Ohio assembly plant, the CR-V has continued to hold a strong position on the sales charts despite the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that all but shut down the Japanese auto industry for more than a month – and then forced sharp cuts in production at plants around the world through the summer.  Honda recently resumed normal production at the East Liberty plant and its other North American facilities.

The loss of production has only complicated problems for the maker which last year saw itself slip behind Nissan to become Japan’s third-largest automaker.

A number of recent niche products, such as the Honda Accord CrossTour and Insight have fallen well short of expectations – even before the production crisis.  So the poor reception for the mainstream 2012 Civic was a significant setback and makes it all the more critical for Honda to hit it out of the park when the CR-V comes to market later in the model-year.