2010 Honda Accord Crosstour Preview

Design

Based on the Honda Accord sedan platform, the Crosstour is a 5-door, 5-passenger hatchback raised to provide a minimum of 6 inches of ground clearance. Though thematically similar, it is not related to the recently introduced , which shares its platform with the Acura MDX.

Honda calls the Accord Crosstour "sleek, aerodynamic and sporty," and a spokesperson told us that the choice of body design was determined, in part, on customer input. Aside from the general profile, other styling elements that distance the Crosstour from the Accord include a bolder grille, deeper front air dam, and lower body styling that Honda says provides a "durable" appearance. The Crosstour also has a character line that changes from an indentation in the front fender and door to an outward crease on the rear doors and rear quarter panels.

Inside, "premium and active" were the guiding philosophies for the Crosstour's design. To fulfill that mission, plush interior carpeting, upscale loop-style cargo area carpet, and a polished metal kick plate at the cargo area's edge are intended to make the car feel a cut above. The Crosstour EX-L's leather is double-stitched, and the car can be equipped with a Charcoal Black or Ivory interior colors, complete with woodgrain trim. On models with Ivory d_cor, the top half of the dash and the upper door panels are charcoal black, creating a two-tone look and reducing glare on the glass.

The Accord Crosstour's cargo area can handle 25.7 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats in use, and 51.3 cubic feet of maximum cargo space with the rear seats folded. That's less than both primary competitors, the Nissan Murano and Toyota Venza, but not unexpected given the dramatically swept roofline. Under the cargo floor, which is composed of reversible panels that can be flipped to handle dirty items, is a 1.9-cubic foot compartment with a removable liner-perfect for wet stuff.

Hardware

The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is equipped with a 3.5-liter iVTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology. VCM shuts down two or three of the engine's six cylinders under certain load conditions, helping to save fuel, Honda says. Maximum horsepower measures 271 at 6200 rpm, and the V-6 makes 254 lb.-ft. of torque at 5000 rpm. Honda says this car is rated to tow 1500 pounds.

A 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift feature transfers the power to the front or all four wheels. This transmission is the first Honda equipped with lateral G-force control, a new feature that holds gears in response to higher g-force measurements. The transmission is also the first Honda automatic with downshift rev-matching when the driver is shifting manually.

Honda's compact Real Time 4WD system is available on the Crosstour EX-L. This system automatically transfers power to the rear wheels when the front wheels slip, helping maintain traction in slippery conditions. The Accord Crosstour is not designed for anything more than light off-roading situations, considering its 6 inches of ground clearance.

Though it has the same double-wishbone front, multi-link rear suspension as the Accord sedan, the Crosstour's suspension and steering calibrations are unique, the manufacturer says. The Crosstour EX is equipped with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, while 18-inch wheels come on EX-L models.

According to Honda, fuel economy figures for the Accord Crosstour are 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive, and 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway with 4WD.

Safety

Like all Hondas, the new 2010 Accord Crosstour is built to the company's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) standards, which dictate safety targets for the Crosstour's occupants as well as pedestrians. Six air bags are standard on the Crosstour, and the side curtain air bags have rollover sensors to protect better in those kinds of accidents. Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, traction control, and stability control are also standard equipment. A reversing camera with guidance display lines is available on the Crosstour EX-L when the navigation system is ordered.

Technology

Speaking of navigation systems, the 2010 Accord Crosstour's voice-recognition technology has been upgraded and can now recognize 100,000 words, Honda says. It can also do a better job of understanding words that are casually spoken. In another Honda first, the Crosstour's navigation screen is specially coated with a reflection-minimizing surface for greater clarity, the automaker claims.

Two other technologies of interest include Active Sound Control (ASC), which dampens certain frequencies of engine noise to help create a quieter cabin, and a dual-zone climate control system that is equipped with humidity sensors to better tailor cabin conditions on hot, sticky days.