2010 Honda Accord Crosstour – Q&A
I was not sure what to make of the Honda Accord Crosstour when it was first introduced and judging by its facebook reveal neither did many other people. Having spent a long weekend with one, I finally understand it and I am able to answer some questions.
What is it?
It’s an Accord with a hatchback and available all-wheel-drive. Many people have said to me that it doesn’t make sense because it is not as big as a wagon or an SUV. Those people I ask – when was the last time you filled your wagon or SUV with a bunch square boxes, from the floor to the roof, from behind the driver’s seat to the tailgate?
What is its competition?
Does it really matter? Does a vehicle need to a have a direct competitor? Ok, fine, how about this, the BMW GT5 and Porsche Panamera are its direct competitors; same body configuration and available AWD system. No? Ok, how about
the Toyota Venza then?
How does it drive?
Quite nice actually. It has a bit of sporting element recalling the Accords of early 90’s. It’s not fast but pulls well on the highway. Has relatively little body roll and handles freeway ramps surprisingly well. Steering feel is quite nice, not any worse than most all-wheel-drive sport sedans.
What about the looks?
Well, look at it, what do you think? It’s not so much love it or hate it as it is “I think it’s ugly” or “cool, looks very practical, never seen anything like that”. Empty nesters seem to like it
much more than Gen X-ers.
Funny story: I’m at my friend’s Mike’s house, shooting the shit, his M5 in the driveway, CrossTour next to it on the street. A guy in pulls up and asks “wow, cool, what engine is in it?” Mike answers “a V10”. The guy, in a bit of dismay, answers “wow, did not know Honda made V10 engines.”
But isn’t the gas mileage as bad as an SUV?
Surprisingly not! On a 500-mile mixed city and highway course, where much of the highway I was driving aggressively or stuck in traffic it averaged over 24mpg. My MDX, equipped with a very similar drive-train and weighting
almost the same, struggles to achieve 20mpg.
But it seems less practical than a wagon or an SUV, doesn’t?
No. Each passenger has plenty of room in all directions, even with the drive-shaft hump in the rear floor area which is absent on SUVs. The trunk is large, with a hidden compartment, and the rear seats fold completely flat. Despite the hatchback appearance, the loss in space between the Crosstour and a typical SUV/wagon seems negligible.
There is actually an advantage to the hatch design. In a typical wagon, the hatch has to open past ninety degrees to allow access to the trunk. The hatch in the Crosstour swings up a little over 60 degrees, yet allows much more access into the cargo area, especially if you need to reach deep into the trunk. It also allows for easier tailgate-like sitting on the edge of the trunk/bumper.
Wow, impressive, so does it do everything well?
No, it doesn’t:
- Child seat anchors were difficult to find.
- Nav system kept directing me to an interstate, even when I was on a perfectly good secondary road and it does not recalculate route quick enough.
- Even with the back-up camera, it is still difficult to see when reversing.
- Way too many buttons on the dash. Some, such as the
HVAC controls, were not grouped together making it even more annoying. - Nav screen washes out even in indirect sunlight.
- At times, the HVAC system seemed to have a mind of its own and I had to keep adjusting it to be comfortable.
Conclusion:
I was surprised by how much I liked this thing even if I’m not too keen on its looks. It is very similar to the Venza in most aspects and it offers an alternative to the common SUV and the no-so-common station wagon. It is more practical than any sedan and drives better than any SUV. It is not for everyone, but those that do buy it will be rewarded with an excellent vehicle.
Nice write-up! It’s an interesting car, which I think is a good thing. Still not sure where I come down on it, though. I thought at first that the Venza was a primary competitor, but now I’m thinking it may steal some business from the Outback. The GT5 and Panamera probably don’t have anything to fear from this car … unless Honda DOES drop a V-10 into it …
I saw this at the car show and have seen a few driving around. The shape took me some getting used to but I like it after letting it settle. I am glad to see Honda try something a little out there and different from most other cars.
Yea, I have not driven the Outback, any Outback as a matter of fact, but they seem similar in application, with the Outback having more ground clearance. Throw in the Audi, Saab, and Volvo versions for good measure and a higher price tag.
Andy, yea, much like with the Ridgeline, another vehicle that few would understand, the Crosstour is definetly different and therefore misunderstood…. kind of like the kid from Uzbekistan in your high school class.