First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

[svgallery name="10_Honda_Accord_Crosstour"] Story and photos by John LeBlanc ELORA, Ont.–Station wagon lovers know the Honda Accord wagon never really went away. While 1997 was the last model year it was sold in Canada, all along there's been a five-door Accord of some kind for sale in other markets. This new 2010 Accord Crosstour, though, isn't the new Accord wagon. No. That five-door vehicle will come here as the Acura TSX wagon next fall. Instead, the also-five-door Crosstour – like the also-new Toyota Venza or BMW 5-series Gran Turismo – is a new type of vehicle: a demi-wagon-quasi-hatchback-slash-crossover-thingee for customers not needing all the capacity (or the negative image) of a large and boxy SUV, but wanting the fuel economy and better driving characteristics of a conventional sedan, plus a tad more cargo room. In other words: a tall station wagon. Although the five-passenger Crosstour has similar proportions to the new Acura ZDX four-passenger crossover, Honda says the two vehicles share different platforms and few mechanical bits. The Crosstour resides on the Accord platform, while the ZDX is on the larger MDX crossover platform. On sale later this month, the Crosstour will be available in loaded EX-L trim only. Like the Accord EX-L sedan, upgraded audio, leather and power-everything are included. Its drivetrain consists of the Accord's five-speed automatic transmission and 3.5-litre V6 combo. The sedan's manual transmission and four-cylinder didn't make the cut. Front-wheel drive is standard. Part-time all-wheel drive from the CR-V (FWD, then AWD when it's slippery) is an option. As well, you can add a navigation system to the Crosstour AWD model. Pricing for the '10 Crosstour hasn't been announced yet. As a vehicle that Honda expects to fill the gap between the compact CR-V and mid-size Pilot crossovers, though, Honda says expect a "loaded" Crosstour to sell in "the mid-$30k" range. That may be a bit optimistic. With more room and the fifth-door, we would expect Honda to ask for a bit of a premium for the Crosstour over the four-door. And a "loaded" Accord sedan is $36,390. Similarly equipped Toyota Venzas and Subaru Outbacks – the Honda's chief rivals – are closer to $38,000. Note that the U.S. market gets a Crosstour EX without leather. And you can get four-cylinders and front-wheel drive in the Venza. Beyond AWD, the biggest reason to buy a Crosstour over an Accord sedan would be the added room and utility which, indeed, you do get. Despite the low-slung roofline, rear headroom is competitive with crossover rivals. And there's plenty of legroom for adults. Just don't expect to bring home that armoire you found antiquing in your Crosstour. Honda quotes 2,871 litres of cargo space with the FWD Crosstour's 60/40 split rear seats folded – more than a Venza and Outback. But that advantage is revised with the seats up, as the space shrinks to 728 L, versus 869 and 972 respectively in the Toyota and Subaru. At least those seats fold completely flat by pulling on easy-to-get-to handles. Plus there's a double-sided floor panel that has carpet on one side and ribbed plastic on the other for when Crosstour owners are schlepping home soil from the garden centre. Ahead of the rear seats, Crosstour is almost identical to the existing Accord sedan's cockpit. That means easy-to-read driver's instrumentation; comfortable and supportive seats; excellent fit and finish; and the same fiddly, centre stack controls. While six or more gears seem de rigueur in new cars these days, the Crosstour's five-speeder is responsive and refined. A G-force algorithm that stops the slushbox from unwanted cog changes (like mid-corner) and a rev-matching downshift feature are new. The Crosstour weighs 118 kg more than an Accord sedan (the AWD model is 184 kg more.). But fuel economy doesn't suffer much. Rated (FWD versus AWD) between 11.5 and 12.3 L/100 km city (25/23 mpg), and 7.2 and 8.0 L (39/35 mpg) highway, the Honda is slightly more efficient than six-cylinder Venzas or Outbacks, and close to the FWD Accord sedan's 11.0/6.7 L (26/42 mpg). As the Accord is one of the more fun-to-drive family sedans, the Crosstour follows suit. Primarily due to its lower centre of gravity, compared to "old school" car-based crossovers such as the Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7 or Nissan Murano, the Crosstour offers a much more dynamic driving experience – even better than the softer-riding Venza and Outback. The Accord sedan's reasonably quick and direct steering, little body roll and little understeer have all been carried over to the new five-door Accord. And the Crosstour is noticeably quiet inside. New dynamic engine mounts help quell vibrations when the V6 is operating in cylinder deactivation mode, and the Crosstour is the first Honda to use active sound cancellation via the audio system. The only nits to pick are the Crosstour's overtly firm ride and odd styling. Honda had to stiffen the Accord's front double-wishbone and rear-multilink suspension to accommodate the Crosstour's extra weight. The difference to the sedan is obvious, but not uncomfortable. And its unconventional proportions may take some getting used to. Google "crosstour" and "facebook" and see what we mean. Objectively, the Crosstour seems primarily aimed at Accord sedan or CR-V owners looking for more room or features – especially with its loaded-or-nothing pricing strategy. But vehicles like the Crosstour offer a nice trade-off between the added utility of a large SUV or crossover and the driving experience of a sedan. And if you really do want an honest-to-gawd station wagon, and can wait about 10 months, Honda will be happy to sell you its Acura TSX wagon. 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

PRICE: $35,000 (estimated)

ENGINE: 3.5 L V6

POWER/TORQUE: 271 hp/254 lb.-ft.

FUEL ECONOMY: FWD city 11.5, hwy. 7.2 (25/39 mpg) AWD 12.3/8.0 L/100 km (23/35 mpg)

COMPETITION: Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7, Nissan Murano, Subaru Outback, Toyota Venza

WHAT'S BEST: Sedan-like driving experience with added utility; fuel economy; non-SUV image

WHAT'S WORST: Harsher ride; no four-cylinder available; odd-duck styling

WHAT'S INTERESTING: The first Honda Accord with a fifth door sold in Canada since the 1990s

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