Road Test: 2013 Honda Crosstour

However, instead of making the Accord Crosstour appear like a station wagon (i.e. Subaru’s Outback) or crossover (i.e. Toyota’s Venza), Honda designers created neither fish nor fowl, with the high-riding, four-door hatchback ending up looking like something the Hunchback of Notre Dame would drive. Since then, customers haven’t known what to make of the practical Accord. Was it a wagon? Nope. Was it a crossover? Not really. And it didn’t help that the Crosstour was sold in Canada only with the Accord’s top-line six-cylinder gas engine, an option that few of the sedan buyers chose. Needless to say, Crosstour sales have been modest. In all of 2012, only 1,048 Crosstours found homes in Canada, compared to the 9,930 Accord four-door sedans Honda sold. With a new generation of Accord sedan and coupe arriving for 2013, I’d have understood if Honda ditched the Crosstour altogether. Instead, the Japanese automaker has decided to soldier on with its mid-size, front- or all-wheel-drive, five-passenger hatchback. For 2013, the Crosstour continues with the last-generation Accord chassis, but officially drops the “Accord” from its nameplate. Including some updates to the interior, minor exterior styling changes have been wrought to make the Crosstour look more like an SUV. Also important to the possibility of increasing sales, a more fuel-efficient and less expensive four-cylinder gas engine model has been added in addition to the six-cylinder versions. As before, the 2013 Honda Crosstour’s two closest rivals are the aforementioned Outback and Venza. But now, with the new $28,990 base model, four-cylinder 2013 Crossotur EX 2WD starting at $6,000 less than the most affordable 2012 Crosstour, the Honda can compete with the $28,690 four-cylinder 2013 Toyota Venza FWD and all-wheel-drive $28,495 2013 Subaru Outback 2.5i. My tester was a $32,650 Crosstour EX-L 2WD. Over the Crosstour EX, leather can now be found on the steering wheel, gearshift knob and seating surfaces, the pair of front thrones now heated and with a memory function on the driver’s seat and side mirrors with reverse tilting capability. As well, an upgraded audio system with satellite radio is standard. The main reason you would pay the $3,495 extra for a Crosstour EX-L hatchback versus an Accord EX-L sedan is if you need to haul more stuff or like the easier access of a hatchback over a trunk. In that regard, the Crossotur offers 728 litres of space behind its split/folding rear seats compared to the Accord sedan’s 447. Keep in mind, the Outback (857 L) and Venza (870 L) offer even more cargo room.

To maximize the Crosstour’s space further, its rear seats fold completely flat by pulling on easy-to-get-to handles in the cargo bay. There’s also a double-sided floor panel that has carpet on one side and ribbed plastic on the other for schlepping soil home from the garden centre. Ahead of the rear seats, the Crosstour’s interior is almost identical to the last-generation Accord sedan’s cockpit. That means easy-to-read driver’s instrumentation, comfortable and supportive seats and top-notch fit and finish — nicer then either the Outback or Venza. The biggest change for 2013 is to the Honda’s centre stack, where some buttons have been replaced by an easy-to-use touchscreen interface. Honda is making a big deal about the availability for the first time of a four-cylinder gas engine in the refreshed 2013 Crosstour, but it’s not the more up-to date (direct-injection, and mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission) powertrain found in the new-generation 2013 Accord sedan. Instead, just as the Crosstour EX-L 2WD uses the older Accord’s chassis and five-speed automatic, it also uses the older 2.4-litre four, which makes a bit more horsepower (192 versus 185), but a lot less torque (162 versus 181). Opt for the $37,350 Crosstour EX-L 4WD V6, and you get the newer Accord six-cylinder, with 278 hp and 252 lb.-ft. No one can argue that the six-cylinder Crossotur is a smoother and faster way to go, but  if saving fuel is a priority, you’re better off with the four-banger. My Crosstour EX-L 2WD’s fuel economy is estimated at 9.4 L/100 km city and 6.4 on the highway, while the V6 sips at a rate of 11.1 and 7.1, respectively. Sometimes, looks don’t lie. While the Crosstour looks like a slightly taller hatchback version of the last Accord sedan, it also drives in a similar fashion. Highlights include reasonably quick and direct steering, little body roll and minimal understeer. With less weight at the front of its body, my Crosstour EX-L 2WD tester was more willing to jump into corners than the heavier V6 versions I’ve driven in the past. And primarily due to its lower centre of gravity, the Honda offers a much more dynamic and engaging driving experience compared to the softer riding Subaru or less-engaging Toyota. And of this trio, the Crosstour has the quietest cabin.The only nits to pick from the driver’s seat are the Crosstour’s overtly firm ride. 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 subtle, but not uncomfortable — a small price to pay for its superior driving demeanour over pretty much every other crossover in its price range. Even though the 2013 Honda Crosstour is still based on yesterday's Accord, the practical crossover-wagon-thing is a unique option if you prefer the driving dynamics of a family sedan but need the extra cargo room and convenience of a hatchback. And now with the more cost-effective four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive version, the Crosstour’s upscale driving dynamics and interior are more accessible than ever. Road Test: 2013 Honda Crosstour EX-L 2WD WHAT I LIKED: Four-cylinder less nose-heavy than the V6 version; more affordable than ever; drives like a sedan, hauls like a hatchback. WHAT I DIDN'T: Uses out-of-date Accord hardware; looks like nothing else on the road; rivals offer more cargo room Base price/as-tested: $28,990/$32,650

Type of vehicle: FWD, midsize tall hatchback

Engine: 2.4L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4

Power / Torque: 192 hp / 162 lb.-ft.

Transmission: Five-speed automatic

Fuel consumption (city/hwy/as-tested): 9.4 / 6.4 / 9.7 L/100 km

Competition: Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Toyota Venza, Nissan Murano, Mitsubishi Outlander