2010 Honda Accord Crosstour Full Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published November 02, 2009

3:18 min

There has never been a bigger Honda Accord than the 2010 Accord Crosstour. It's a five-door hatchback, but it also has the raised ground clearance of a crossover. Four-wheel drive is optional. It is a strange looking vehicle. But if you're an empty nester with a giant schnauzer, Honda thinks you might like it. Honda didn't try to squeeze a third row of seats into the Accord Crosstour. So there's plenty of space for five, plus a large hatch area. The cargo floor is reversible and we like the quick-release levers for the fold-flat seats. The two-piece cargo cover is well designed and the hatch itself is easy to lift. But there's a downside to the Crosstour's hatchback shape, and that would be reduced cargo capacity. Even with its seats down, the Crosstour offers only 51 cubic feet. By comparison, the Toyota Venza and Honda's own CR-V have 70 cubic feet. As Accords go, however, the Crosstour is well outfitted. Our EX-L test car has higher-quality leather than Accord sedans and comes with a lot of features. A sunroof is standard. Dual-zone climate control is standard. The audio system has both a USB jack and a subwoofer. And the optional navigation system now includes a back-up camera. Probably the best thing about the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is its quiet ride. Honda has finally found a way to control road noise. Suspension tuning is also more compliant than on the Accord sedan. Around corners, the Crosstour handles like a plus-size Accord. Steering is slower but still very precise. At the Inside Line test track, the Crosstour went through the slalom at 64.4 mph -- this is quick for a crossover. As expected, it understeers early on the skidpad. Although Accords usually emphasize fuel economy, the Crosstour only comes with Honda's 3.5-liter V6. This engine makes 271 horsepower, but it's still pretty efficient in our front-wheel-drive test vehicle. Acceleration is fine in most situations, but the V6 doesn't have much torque response at low rpm. Also, the five-speed automatic transmission could really use is a manual shift mode. At the test track, our Crosstour EX-L hits 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, which is half a second slower than a V6 Toyota Venza. Braking is the weakest link in this package, just as it is in most current-generation Hondas. The Crosstour's first 60-mph-to-zero stop takes 131 feet. But fade sets in immediately after that. But when you are on the road day-to-day, the 2010 Crosstour is a pleasant vehicle to drive. The Crosstour wants to be a kind of tall wagon, combining the maneuverability of a sedan with the cargo capacity of a crossover. The problem is, the Crosstour's hatchback roofline makes it less useful than more conventional crossovers like the Venza and Nissan Murano. We think Honda might be better off building a conventional wagon instead.