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autonews.com wrote:ANALYSIS
Honda creates Crosstour instead of Accord wagon

Mark Rechtin
Automotive News
November 3, 2009 - 8:58 am ET

LOS ANGELES -- First question: Is the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour as unattractive in the flesh as it is in photographs? Answer: Pretty darned close.



Directly from behind -- and directly from the side -- Honda's new crossover-meets-wagon looks appealing. But from any other perspective, the Crosstour's confluence of angles is visually jarring, especially in how the swooping a-pillar meets the hood line.

The basics: The Crosstour is debuting at the same time as the similarly-sized Acura ZDX crossover, but the two vehicles share different architecture and no component sets. The Crosstour is on the Accord platform, while the ZDX is on the MDX platform.

The Accord's front double-wishbone and rear-multilink suspension is given increased damping to handle the Crosstour's extra weight. The brakes gain an extra front piston and larger-diameter rear rotor compared to the Accord. Generous rear-seat headroom and legroom allow a 6-footer to fit comfortably behind a 6-foot-tall front-seat passenger.

Notable features: Variable cylinder management allows the 3.5-liter V-6 to run on four or three cylinders when under light loads. The air conditioning compressor automatically shuts off when the climate control senses that the air temperature is less than the selected interior temperature. Honda says the Crosstour's torsional rigidity is stiffer than the BMW X3 and Nissan Altima.

Honda's packaging is always smart. The tailgate's hinge design means that the user does not have to step back when opening the lid. With the rear seats folded down -- with handles easy to reach from the rear hatch -- the Crosstour has 54 cubic feet of storage space.

Standard features include: moon roof, cruise control, fog lights, 17-inch wheels, power driver and passenger seats, 360-watt six-disc audio system with seven speakers, and dual-zone climate control with rear ventilation.


The Crosstour will be built at the East Liberty, Ohio, plant, alongside the CR-V and Element.

What Honda says: “The Crosstour features carlike smooth ride, utility, great fuel economy and style,” said Erik Berkman, American Honda vice president of corporate planning and logistics. “It bridges the gap between SUVs, larger crossovers and more nimble and fuel-efficient sedans.”

Compromises and shortcomings: Although the Crosstour has a better ride than the Toyota Venza, it feels heavier. Tire howl occurs quickly during cornering. Despite being the same size, the Venza has substantially more passenger and cargo area. And did I mention that the Crosstour has a face only a mother could love?

The market: Honda is targeting 50-something empty-nesters who don't want to sacrifice the space or ride height of their old SUV or minivan, but want more style and better dynamic feel. The Crosstour was designed to feel more upmarket than a loaded Accord. Honda expects to sell 40,000 units in the first full year of sales. Sales start on Nov. 20.

The skinny: Why didn't Honda just bring over the angular and crisp European Accord wagon instead of this bulbous creation? Because that vehicle will come to the United States in reskinned form as the Acura TSX wagon next fall. As a result, Honda dealers will have to work hard to sell something that looks this unappealing.