Review and photos by Paul WilliamsToronto, Ontario – For quite a while now, automakers have shied away from the term, “station wagon.” Such vehicles, it is felt, imply too much practicality and not enough style. For many they’re just too old-fashioned — it’s what their parents drove, or their grandparents, even — they have no vitality, no flair. Who wants to be associated with something like that?
But a 2010 Honda Crosstour… well, here’s a nice-looking, stylish vehicle that seems to have all the benefits of a wagon, without the stereotype and without the boxy profile. And it’s available with all-wheel drive, has 205 millimetres of ground clearance, 18-inch alloy wheels (19s are available from the dealer) and pulls hard with its 271-horsepower V6 engine. Looks sporty, too!
No, Honda doesn’t describe the Crosstour as a wagon, but the word did come up a few times at its Canadian launch in Toronto. As you’d expect (from the name, of course…) Honda describes the Crosstour as crossover, or CUV. It’s targeted primarily at empty-nesters, active singles and couples whose kids are finally on their way (out, that is): baby boomers, in other words.
The Crosstour is based on the Accord platform (its full name is Honda Accord Crosstour), and represents a step up from the Accord sedan and coupe. Although based on the Accord Sedan, none of its exterior panels are shared with other Accords. It has four doors, with lots of rear seating room to accommodate friends or kids’ kids. It’s got a wide hatchback (or liftgate, if you prefer), enabling owners to easily transport large items like the new gourmet barbeque or mega-golf bags and luggage for a week.
Below the reversible carpeted/plastic floor of the cargo area is a 54-litre removable and washable storage box. The rear seats fold forward via handy levers at the rear of the car so you don’t have to walk around and reach in from the rear doors. There are plenty of containers, cubbies, cupholders, pockets and surfaces to store your personal knick-knacks as required.
In my experience, Boomers like a little luxury to go with their utility, and in this the Crosstour also obliges; it being a premium vehicle whose specification matches that of the top-level EX-L Accord.
Crosstour features chrome door handles, stainless sill plates and brushed metal fittings inside, and standard equipment includes leather interior, automatic climate control, new five-speed automatic transmission with downshift rev-matching; 360-watt, seven-speaker audio with USB interface and satellite radio; compass and outside temperature gauge, fog lights, moonroof, power heated front seats with driver-side memory, memory side-mirrors with tilt, cargo privacy cover, Homelink transmitter and wood-trim interior accents. It’s pretty swank in that cabin; not pretentious, mind you, but definitely a cut above.
The full-time all-wheel drive is optional, and is a first for North American Accords, I believe. Also optional is a Navigation package that includes Bluetooth connectivity and a rear camera to help when reversing. However, the Navigation package is available only with the AWD vehicle, although Honda expects the AWD version to be the most popular.
Safety equipment is abundant, including stability control, ABS with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution, multiple threshold front airbags, full side-curtain airbags, active front head restraints, Honda’s ACE body structure, pedestrian injury mitigation system and tire pressure monitoring system.
Exterior styling is eye-catching; sporty, but not ostentatious. It has the right balance of flair and restraint.
While the Crosstour is about 195 kilograms heavier than the Accord Sedan (285 kg for the AWD version), fuel economy is quite similar. In litres/100 kilometres, city/highway, the Crosstour FWD gets 11.5/7.2 while the equivalent Accord sedan returns 11.0/6.7. The Crosstour AWD returns 12.3/8.0. Contributing to the Crosstour’s competitive fuel consumption are aerodynamic refinements and the V6 engine which runs on three, four or six cylinders, depending on load. Cruising along a flat highway, for instance, will activate the fuel-saving three-cylinder mode.
On the road the Crosstour is smooth and quiet. Even on rough aggregate, tire noise doesn’t intrude into the cabin, and the overall feeling is of refinement and stability. Wind noise, too, is typically absent.
Under hard acceleration, the transmission shifts quickly and precisely, and in typical Honda fashion, the V6 engine is exceedingly smooth.
The standard moonroof doesn’t rob occupants of headroom, with front and rear passengers having plenty. It’s also very easy to enter and exit through the wide-opening doors. The multi-adjustable driver’s seat and tilt/telescope steering will provide a safe and comfortable position for most drivers, although the passenger seat isn’t adjustable for height.
The suspension has been uprated (as have the brakes), and even though the engine and fuel tank are mounted low in this vehicle (to lower the centre of gravity), this is still a tallish vehicle that will lean in sharp curves.
The Crosstour is 70 mm longer than the Accord sedan, and given its coupe profile, the rear pillars seem quite distant. Consequently, visibility out the rear window is somewhat limited compared with the sedan. It’s the same with the front pillars (A and B-pillars). They’re large and wide, blocking vision sometimes when making a turn or changing lanes. I’d like to see some blind spot assistance available on this vehicle, and a standard audio back-up alert if the rear camera isn’t fitted.
A couple of other omissions are the lack of Bluetooth connectivity on models without AWD/Navigation, and, for some, the lack of a power liftgate. That being said, the liftgate is nicely balanced and light in operation, although a power liftgate in this type of vehicle would be appreciated by many buyers.
While targeted to older buyers, I can see younger families also finding this to be a suitable vehicle. It’s an appealing alternative to the SUV or SUV-styled CUV, offering many of their benefits without the high fuel consumption. It’s sleeker than a wagon, but more practical than a sedan; it has a sporty coupe profile, but you can easily get to the back seat.
The Crosstour is an evolution of the wagon, and in this it’s not alone in the marketplace. Competitors include the Toyota Venza, Nissan Murano, and Subaru Outback. Pricing has not been released at the time of this writing, but will start in the mid-$30,000 range, with additional cost for AWD and Navigation options. Honda expects to sell a modest 3,000 Crosstours annually in Canada, mostly to “boomers,” but you never know.
At a glance: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
Engine: V6 – 271 hp at 6200 rpm; 254 lb.ft torque at 5000 rpm
Drivetrain: FWD (AWD available)
Assembly location: East Liberty, Ohio
Price: Starts mid-$30,000
Available: November 20, 2009
Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2009/11/09/first-drive-2010-honda-crosstour.htm
Honda compromises the Accord in search of more versatility.