All-new Honda Accord Crosstour targets young families, baby boomers

November 3, 8:58 AMNY Autos ExaminerNick Yost

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The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour, above; its spacious cargo area, below; and its center console.      Photos courtesy of Honda.

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 --The 2010 Accord Crosstour, Honda’s latest interpretation of family-friendly transportation, is designed to bridge the gap between the traditional sedan and large sport-utility and crossover vehicles.

It will go on sale Nov. 20 at a prices ranging from $29,670 to $36,200. (Click here for pricing details.)

Those were among details of Honda’s new flagship crossover vehicle that were released during a preview and road test of the vehicle provided for members of the East Coast automotive press.

A sedan-like hatchback with a somewhat bulbous derriere and six inches of ground clearance, the Crosstour is closely related to the Accord sedan but shares none of its body panels.

Leo DaSilva, senior product planner, said the crossover vehicle is positioned above the Accord to combine the amenities of an upscale sedan with much of the versatility of a sport-utility vehicle. The Toyota Venza has been targeted as a primary competitor.

Honda officials said they believe the Crosstour will create a new market segment with a customer base of young couples starting families and baby boomers looking for comfortable transportation that will support their active lifestyle as they head toward retirement..

The Crosstour is 2 ½ inches longer, 2 inches wider and about 7 ½ inches higher than the Accord V-6 sedan. Its 110.1-inch wheelbase is actually 1/10th of an inch shorter than the sedan and it sits 3/10ths of an inch higher off the ground.

It has room for five, a high-seating position and a 25.7 cubic-foot cargo compartment that expands to 51.3 cubic feet when the rear seatbacks are folded forward. Levers located near the rear fender wells make folding the seats forward a simple, one-touch operation.

A utility box hidden beneath the cargo compartment floor can hold an additional 1.9 cubic feet of stored items.

Available with front-wheel or optional four-wheel drive, the Crosstour is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. It runs on regular-grade gasoline.

To maximize fuel economy, the engine features variable cylinder management that seamlessly transitions between six, four and three cylinders depending on power requirements.

The front-wheel-drive Crosstour is EPA-rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city/27 mpg on the highway. Four-wheel-drive Crosstours are rated at 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway.

The five-speed automatic transmission has a new feature Honda calls Cornering G Shift Control. Sensors measure the difference between right and left wheel speeds to determine when the vehicle is cornering. To insure smooth power delivery, It then prevents the transmission from upshifting until the vehicle has exited the corner.

The transmission can be manually operated using the console-mounted shift lever. Its rev-matching feature automatically adjusts engine speeds to the transmission during downshifts.

While the chassis setups are not exactly the same, many of the Accord sedan’s chassis components are similar to those in the Crosstour.

Both vehicles have independent suspensions, double wishbones up front and a multi-link setup in the rear; speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering; and antilock disc brakes.

The four-wheel-drive system switches power as needed from the front wheels to the rear wheels when it detects that the front wheels are slipping.

A 70-mile drive from downtown Manhattan to a lunch stop along the Hudson River confirmed the similar driving dynamics. As another journalist noted, “You spend five minutes behind the wheel and you know you’re in a Honda.”

While 70 miles is not enough for a thorough test, it was sufficient to demonstrate that the vehicle is comfortable and quiet, and ride and handling are competent.

The all-wheel-drive, top-of-the-line vehicles provided for our drive also confirmed the Crosstour’s flagship status. Premium features included leather seating, upscale trim, voice-activated navigation, Bluetooth hands-free telephone connectivity, back-up camera, dual-zone climate control with second-row ventilation, premium sound system, 18-inch alloy wheels, and more.

The Crosstour also has a full complement of safety features, including airbags, side curtains, traction control, stability control, electronic brake force distribution and active head restraints for front-seat passengers.

Honda officials said they believe 55 percent of Crosstour buyers will choose front-wheel drive and 45 percent will choose four-wheel drive.

Is the Crosstour satisfying to drive and versatile enough to meet the requirements of its target buyer? Only time will tell.

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