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21st
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Split personality
When I first laid eyes on the 2013 Honda Crosstour, I was approaching it from the front, head on. I thought, “What a great looking vehicle!” Then my vision travelled around the side, and to the bulbous, upturned rear and my opinion quickly changed. Somewhere sorely between a wagon and a crossover sits the Crosstour, and it seems as uncomfortable with its looks as it makes onlookers feel.
Yet, my time behind the wheel of the Crosstour was nothing short of fantastic. It might be bipolar on the outside, but on the inside it has it all worked out, as any good Honda is apt to do.
This truly is a “don't judge a book (read: car) by its cover” situation.
What is a Crosstour?
Indeed, what is the 2013 Honda Crosstour? It seems not even Honda is sure. Visit their Canadian website and you will see the Crosstour listed in both their “car” section and their “trucks & minivans” model lineup. So, that means it's a crossover... and/or a wagon. Of course, my colleague Matt St-Pierre insists on calling it a wagon.
Names and labels aside, the Honda Crosstour is a practical city slicker with a spacious cabin and cavernous trunk. Initially branded the Accord Crosstour, it hit North American soil in 2009 as a 2010 model.
Technicalities
The 2013 Honda Crosstour shares the same mechanicals as the 2008-2012 Accord, including two engine choices found in both: a 2.4L i-VTEC 4-cylinder and a 3.5L SOHC V6. However, the output from the 2.4L in the Crosstour is slightly higher than the Accord offering up 192 horses. The V6 (only available on the 4WD Crosstour model) pumps out 278 hp.
Front-wheel drive models feature Honda's 5-speed autobox, while the two AWD models have a 6-speed automatic transmission, no manual is available on the Crosstour. .
Pricing for the 2013 Honda Crosstour ranges from $28,990 for the base EX model and goes up to $39,290 for the top-of-the-line EX-L 4WD.
Driving the Crosstour
Here's why the 2013 Crosstour can be forgiven its identity-crisis looks: it drives like a Honda. There's something to be said for a vehicle that can make you forget about design flaws once you're behind the wheel.
The Crosstour is responsive, and even in FWD setup (as tested) performed quite well in the snowy conditions I drove in throughout the week. Honda's Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control kept me on course, and even when slippage did occur, the Crosstour righted its wrong quickly. As well, the independent suspension setup soaked up even our most pothole-ridden streets in style and smoothness.
Visibility out the rear split window is rather unfortunate. The split sat squarely in my line of vision no matter how I adjusted my seat and mirror. When the rear wipe was engaged in falling snow, because it pushed everything down, it simply made a pile of snow, which further hampered any visibility.
Safety abounds in the 2013 Honda Crosstour as well with a plethora of acronyms I could list, however, the most intriguing feature is their highly distracting LaneWatch blind spot display. Via a small camera below the passenger sideview mirror, when you activate the right turn signal a side view of the street around you is displayed in the top 8” screen.
Ins and outs of the Crosstour
I righty assumed that the wagon-esque roofline of the vehicle would mean large door openings in the rear and make it easy to place my son in his car seat. In fact, the rear doors on the Honda Crosstour open quite wide. The height of the vehicle also meant no bending over to strap him.
I see what Honda was trying to do styling-wise here; design a vehicle that could be many things to many people: car, wagon, SUV, CUV, hatch. Maybe that's what really throws me off.
Slip inside the Crosstour and it's a very different story. With dual screens (which I've come to get used to, but not like), one being the 8” i-MID system, and an onboard entertainment system that takes some serious getting used to, the 2013 Crosstour is every bit a Honda. This vehicle is perfectly prepped for long hauls with comfortable seats front and back.
Comparing the Crosstour
Competing against the likes of the Subaru Outback, Toyota Venza and even the Chevrolet Equinox, it's clear that the 2013 Honda Crosstour's redeeming factor is the fact that it can slip from one segment to the next.
Prefer telling people you have a crossover? You do. Think a wagon is cooler? Go for it. Crossover's all the rage? Well, lucky you; you own one of those, too.
Priced well and with a decent amount of options and trims available, the pleasing-to-all Crosstour is just that.
When I first laid eyes on the 2013 Honda Crosstour, I was approaching it from the front, head on. I thought, “What a great looking vehicle!” Then my vision travelled around the side, and to the bulbous, upturned rear and my opinion quickly changed. Somewhere sorely between a wagon and a crossover sits the Crosstour, and it seems as uncomfortable with its looks as it makes onlookers feel.
Yet, my time behind the wheel of the Crosstour was nothing short of fantastic. It might be bipolar on the outside, but on the inside it has it all worked out, as any good Honda is apt to do.
This truly is a “don't judge a book (read: car) by its cover” situation.
 |
What is a Crosstour?
Indeed, what is the 2013 Honda Crosstour? It seems not even Honda is sure. Visit their Canadian website and you will see the Crosstour listed in both their “car” section and their “trucks & minivans” model lineup. So, that means it's a crossover... and/or a wagon. Of course, my colleague Matt St-Pierre insists on calling it a wagon.
Names and labels aside, the Honda Crosstour is a practical city slicker with a spacious cabin and cavernous trunk. Initially branded the Accord Crosstour, it hit North American soil in 2009 as a 2010 model.
 |
| Visit their Canadian website and you will see the Crosstour listed in both their “car” section and their “trucks & minivans” model lineup. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Technicalities
The 2013 Honda Crosstour shares the same mechanicals as the 2008-2012 Accord, including two engine choices found in both: a 2.4L i-VTEC 4-cylinder and a 3.5L SOHC V6. However, the output from the 2.4L in the Crosstour is slightly higher than the Accord offering up 192 horses. The V6 (only available on the 4WD Crosstour model) pumps out 278 hp.
Front-wheel drive models feature Honda's 5-speed autobox, while the two AWD models have a 6-speed automatic transmission, no manual is available on the Crosstour. .
Pricing for the 2013 Honda Crosstour ranges from $28,990 for the base EX model and goes up to $39,290 for the top-of-the-line EX-L 4WD.
 |
| The 2013 Honda Crosstour shares the same mechanicals as the 2008-2012 Accord, including two engine choices found in both: a 2.4L i-VTEC 4-cylinder and a 3.5L SOHC V6. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Driving the Crosstour
Here's why the 2013 Crosstour can be forgiven its identity-crisis looks: it drives like a Honda. There's something to be said for a vehicle that can make you forget about design flaws once you're behind the wheel.
The Crosstour is responsive, and even in FWD setup (as tested) performed quite well in the snowy conditions I drove in throughout the week. Honda's Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control kept me on course, and even when slippage did occur, the Crosstour righted its wrong quickly. As well, the independent suspension setup soaked up even our most pothole-ridden streets in style and smoothness.
Visibility out the rear split window is rather unfortunate. The split sat squarely in my line of vision no matter how I adjusted my seat and mirror. When the rear wipe was engaged in falling snow, because it pushed everything down, it simply made a pile of snow, which further hampered any visibility.
Safety abounds in the 2013 Honda Crosstour as well with a plethora of acronyms I could list, however, the most intriguing feature is their highly distracting LaneWatch blind spot display. Via a small camera below the passenger sideview mirror, when you activate the right turn signal a side view of the street around you is displayed in the top 8” screen.
 |
| Here's why the 2013 Crosstour can be forgiven its identity-crisis looks: it drives like a Honda. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Ins and outs of the Crosstour
I righty assumed that the wagon-esque roofline of the vehicle would mean large door openings in the rear and make it easy to place my son in his car seat. In fact, the rear doors on the Honda Crosstour open quite wide. The height of the vehicle also meant no bending over to strap him.
I see what Honda was trying to do styling-wise here; design a vehicle that could be many things to many people: car, wagon, SUV, CUV, hatch. Maybe that's what really throws me off.
Slip inside the Crosstour and it's a very different story. With dual screens (which I've come to get used to, but not like), one being the 8” i-MID system, and an onboard entertainment system that takes some serious getting used to, the 2013 Crosstour is every bit a Honda. This vehicle is perfectly prepped for long hauls with comfortable seats front and back.
 |
| Slip inside the Crosstour and it's a very different story. With dual screens (which I've come to get used to, but not like), one being the 8” i-MID system, and an onboard entertainment system that takes some serious getting used to, the 2013 Crosstour is every bit a Honda. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Comparing the Crosstour
Competing against the likes of the Subaru Outback, Toyota Venza and even the Chevrolet Equinox, it's clear that the 2013 Honda Crosstour's redeeming factor is the fact that it can slip from one segment to the next.
Prefer telling people you have a crossover? You do. Think a wagon is cooler? Go for it. Crossover's all the rage? Well, lucky you; you own one of those, too.
Priced well and with a decent amount of options and trims available, the pleasing-to-all Crosstour is just that.