Honda Creates Crosstour Instead Of Accord Wagon

[megeebee]

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From AUTOMOTIVE NEWS: (with emphasis added)

ANALYSIS
Honda creates Crosstour instead of Accord wagon
Mark Rechtin
Automotive News | November 3, 2009 - 8:58 am EST

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.

Crosstour vs. Venza
2010 Honda Crosstour 2009 Toyota Venza V-6
Wheelbase 110.1 in. 109.3
Length 196.8 in. 189
Width 74.7 in. 75
Height 65.7 in. 63.4
Engine 3.5-liter V-6 3.5-liter V-6
Horsepower 271 @ 6200 268 @ 6200 rpm
Torque, lbs.-ft 254 @ 5000 246 @ 4700 rpm
Curb weight 3,852 lbs 3,870 lbs
Base price* $30,380 $28,550
*Prices include shipping





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.

SOURCE: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...plate=printart

[megeebee]

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

Wow. All that ugly stuff in one building.

[megeebee]

I live in Seattle, so I expect to see a lot of these. It fulfills the 2 basic requirements for popularity here:

1) It's a foreign brand.

2) It's ugly.

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[Uzzy]

Ummm, I still don't get it.

[Barry Badrinath]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Ummm, I still don't get it.

Stop trying Chunk!

[civilzues]

Originally Posted by megeebee

I live in Seattle, so I expect to see a lot of these. It fulfills the 2 basic requirements for popularity here:

1) It's a foreign brand.

2) It's ugly.

.

so that's the west coast mentality? does it go south far cali?

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by civilzues

so that's the west coast mentality? does it go south far cali?

I can't answer for SoCal, but that seems to be the case up here. Buying imports (now import brands, since so many are now actually built in the US) has long been a near-requirement for social acceptance among the white middle-classes in their late 20's to late 50's in this area. It started decades ago because import vehicles were held to be better, and they were in most cases then. Later, say in the late 80's and 90's, it became not only the "smart" thing to do, but an act of virtue to buy foreign.

Now, it's just rote.

[FenwickHockey65]

A Honda engineer was testing one of these on campus two weeks ago.

I almost threw up. It looks even worse in person.

[ChevroletGuy]

I guarentee it will sell well up here in the Great Lakes region because of it being a hatch/wagon and having AWD. The Subaru Outback sells pretty well up here, so this will do the same. Won't see one at my house though.

[F14CRAZY]

I'm voting that it'll be DOA

[jcgable]

Originally Posted by megeebee

I live in Seattle

My favorite city by far! Lucky you!

[killerrd2]

Gawd that thing is fugly.

For the "category", I think the Venza looks much better, but I wouldn't own either of them!

[jzchev28]

wow.... that is a whole new level of ugly, honda is raising the bar. we really need that opel wagon opc or whatever its called stat!

[Stéphane Dumas]

Originally Posted by killerrd2

Gawd that thing is fugly.

For the "category", I think the Venza looks much better, but I wouldn't own either of them!

Someone on the French forum Auto123 said the same thing http://www.auto123.com/fr/community/...40&postcount=6 and also mentionned other details like Honda's multi-link suspension remove 5 cubic feet of space compared to the Venza who could also tow 2500 lbs compared to the Crosstour who tow 1500lbs.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by megeebee

Wow. All that ugly stuff in one building.

Good one! I kind of like the quirky rear end and D-pillar, but to my eyes the front end is horrific....a hybrid of Aztek, Sebring and god knows what else.