Autoblog

Edmunds data suggests Honda Crosstour buyers don't know what it competes against either

Dan Roth — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Wagon, Crossover, Hatchback, Honda, Design/Style

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour hasn't won too many fans amongst the automotive press, and while we're sure it fills the Accord Wagon space in Honda's lineup, the way the Crosstour has a foot both in the wagon and CUV realms still has us scratching our heads. Taking a peek at what's being cross-shopped against Honda's latest offering proves potential customers are in the same boat.

Fitting every car into a neat categorical box is a fool's errand, but the Crosstour is apparently making everyone wonder just where it belongs. According to early Edmunds' data, buyers seem to think the Crosstour competes most closely with the Toyota Venza, with ToMoCo's wagon-on-stilts being cross-shopping against the Crosstour more than any other vehicle. Other Honda models are also heavily considered against the Crosstour, according to Edmunds Auto Observer, as are a panoply of other cars. Luxury rides like the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series wind up in the comparison column, as do more traditional crossovers like the Chevrolet Equinox and Toyota RAV-4.

While the Crosstour has been called lots of unflattering things, it's clear that figuring out whether it's neatly described as fish or fowl is more of a thorny chestnut. That said, none of this is exactly important if the car is generating showroom traffic and moving units.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Edmunds Auto Observer]

Edmunds data suggests Honda Crosstour buyers don't know what it competes against either originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: The answer to how Honda will market the Accord Crosstour? Animated jazz

Chris Shunk — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Hatchback, Honda

Click above to watch the video after the jump

We're not so sure about the Honda Accord Crosstour. It's definitely a Honda, so at least from a marketer's perspective, that''s a big plus, but the big crossover/hatchback//wagon/thing isn't exactly what we'd call pretty, and worse, it isn't even as functional as its competitors. We're not alone in our criticism of Honda's latest, as the Japanese automaker has heard more than its fair share of Crosstour complaints on the Internets. Like it or loathe it, though, the Crosstour is upon us, and Honda dealers need to sell it. We were curious as to how Honda might try to ply such an odd duck, and we have at least a preliminary answer waiting for you after the jump.

The commercial starts off with about 15 seconds of oddly animated polygon characters playing some smooth, Cosby Show-style jazz. Between 15 and 20 seconds we see the band's instruments fitting in the Crosstour's hatch (though oddly, they don't play up the car's chief storage trick, its hidden storage box). At the 20 second mark, we finally see the Crosstour in the flesh, and the spot wraps up with a few words from actor Kevin Spacey as always. We're far from convinced, but you'll want to hit the jump to judge the 30 second spot for yourself.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Honda]

Continue reading VIDEO: The answer to how Honda will market the Accord Crosstour? Animated jazz

VIDEO: The answer to how Honda will market the Accord Crosstour? Animated jazz originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2009: Honda Accord Crosstour straps on some factory accessories

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:41:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Wagon, Crossover, Honda, Design/Style

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour factory accessories -- Click above for high-res image gallery

Honda's 2010 Accord Crosstour doesn't yet appear on the Japanese automaker's accessories site, but a few images of aftermarket bits have been shared with an Element owner's forum (viewable below), and we now have some live shots straight from the show floor at SEMA.

On top are a rack and window deflectors and down below is a set of skirting that completely encircles the car. The effect, especially from the side, imbues the car with the kind of chunky brawn we used to associate with Subaru, before Subaru decided to dip its design pen into the inkwell of elegance. From the stock shots, the mods might even help, but our man Lavrinc on the show floor who took these live shots seems to indicate otherwise. In any case, as our first drive reviewer asked, is it enough? Thanks for the tip, Jubby!

Gallery: Honda Crosstour Accessories

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Honda Accord Crosstour with Honda accessories

[Source: H&A Accessories via Element Owners Club]

SEMA 2009: Honda Accord Crosstour straps on some factory accessories originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour goes down the road nicely... but is that enough?

Chris Paukert — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Honda, First Drive, Design/Style

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour - Click above for high-res image gallery

We hadn't been parked but a minute or two when it happened. After about a half an hour wringing out our test subject on what few curvy stretches of road suburban Detroit had to offer, we opportunistically pulled into a roadside fruit stand to snap a few photos before our ride got any dirtier. It was at exactly this point that a Lincoln MKZ rolled up, a window whirred down, and two gray-tufted heads popped out. "What is it?" inquired the couple in boisterous unison. Silence. "It's the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour," we eventually blurt out, my co-driver sounding suspiciously apologetic. "It's... it's gorgeous!" The late-sixty-something man isn't being facetious - in fact, he's gushing - taking his hands off the Lincoln's wheel and gesturing as if to reinforce his sincerity.

If we're lyin,' we're dyin.'

"It's absolutely beautiful."

More silence.

"Really? Would you like to take a closer look?" No sooner had we extended the offer than said window was rolled up and the MKZ hurriedly shepherded into a parking spot. Moments later, our curious seniors were all over Honda's latest like first-in-liners at an early bird all-you-can-eat buffet. They took in its daring fastback profile, sized up its cargo hold, fiddled with its power seat controllers and gooshed its soft-touch plastics. Not only were they clearly impressed, they loved the way it looked.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

Continue reading First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour goes down the road nicely... but is that enough?

First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour goes down the road nicely... but is that enough? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Acura TSX Sport Wagon not motivated by Honda Crosstour feedback

Chris Paukert — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:26:00 EST

2009 European Honda Accord Tourer - click above image for hi-res gallery

If you've been following the dust-up surrounding Honda's 2010 Accord Crosstour, you might therefore assume that Wednesday's announcement that the company plans to bring over its European-market Accord Tourer may have been motivated in part by early online reaction to the forthcoming five-door crossover. But as we suspected, t'aint necessarily so.

The Accord Tourer will hit U.S. shores later next year branded as the Acura TSX Sport Wagon, and as just about anyone in automotive product planning will tell you, new models aren't conceived that quickly - even if the vehicle in question is just a simple porting-over job from another market. There are emissions and crash-test certification hoops to jump through, suppliers that need to be contracted, dealers that need to be trained and marketing strategies that need to be built.

As spokesman Chuck Schifsky tells Autoblog, "Honda, as you know, is about as fast a reacting a product planning company as there is, but we don't react that quickly!... If our past is any indication, then us announcing the TSX wagon at this point shouldn't have been a surprise - we're notoriously known for bringing out a car and having it arrive in showrooms not long afterwards." Indeed, Schifsky is right - vehicles like the third-generation CR-V were seemingly in dealers within weeks of the public announcement and press launch. That said, Schifsky did admit that the timing of the announcement was moved up slightly for "strategic reasons," but he also said that those reasons had nothing to do with the Crosstour.

We asked Schifsky what the TSX Sport Wagon will look like when it arrives, and he told us that the car will not simply be the same as the European car. He admits he hasn't seen the finished product for himself yet, but he acknowledges that changes will be made to bring the design in-line with Acura's current styling language (read: it will receive a variation of the love/loath shield grille), and equipment levels will change to meet U.S. expectations. Given how much effort and money has been expended developing Acura's new corporate face, he believes it would be "foolish" to bring the Accord Tourer as-is, simply swapping the Honda badge for its Acura counterpart. Says Schifsky, "I would look to the U.S. TSX as an indicator as to what kind of equipment the car will have." Further, he advised us to examine the differences between the European-market Accord sedan and the Tourer bodystyle to look for indicators of what sort of changes the American market wagon will likely receive.

It's too early for Honda to reveal pricing for the 2011 model, but as the current TSX sedan starts at $29,310 and the 2010 Crosstour's price figures to be above a Accord V6 sedan (base price: $26,805), it's likely that there will be significant pricing overlap between the two models. Will there be any cannibalization? The Crosstour should lay claim to superior space and foul-weather capability thanks to its all-wheel drive model, but if the TSX sedan is anything to go on, the Acura will have superior driving dynamics, closer-to mainstream looks and a more desirable badge.

Either way, this one will be fun to watch play out...

Gallery: Honda Accord Tourer

Gallery: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

U.S. Acura TSX Sport Wagon not motivated by Honda Crosstour feedback originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Honda Crosstour interior images released, V6 power to be standard [w/VIDEO]

Chris Paukert — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Videos, Crossover, Hatchback, Honda, Design/Style

2010 Honda Crosstour interior - Click above for high-res image gallery

There's been no shortage of digital egg-throwing and epithet uttering when it comes to Honda's 2010 Crosstour - this, despite the fact that essentially nobody has seen it in the metal. Thankfully, judging by these first interior shots furnished by Honda, the cabin's design will likely prove to be much less divisive.

Packing an instrument panel that looks like a straight port over from the Accord (albeit one with a different steering wheel), the Crosstour appears to inherit the sedan's lilting dashboard graphic, simple analog gauges, and available navigation system. From where we sit, for such an unconventional vehicle, the interior seems oddly anticlimactic, but at least it figures to be easy-to-use.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the interior that we can see here is the Crosstour's cargo hold, which has a substantial-looking removable sub-floor storage box. We note that there seems to be a significant amount of wheel well intrusion into the cargo area, although we'll have to wait until EPA volume figures are released to see how this has impacted the Crosstour's utility.

In other news, the Crosstour will come standard with Honda's 3.5-liter V6 - no four-cylinder version will be available when the car rolls into dealerships. For reference, the six-cylinder in the Accord sedan nets 268 horsepower (@ 6200 RPM) and 248 pound-feet of torque (@ 5000 RPM) and routes its power through a five-speed automatic transmission. Honda has declined to give official word on power figures for the Crosstour thus far, however. As expected, all-wheel drive will be optional.

Be sure to check out the high-res gallery below and the video and press release after the jump, then leave your fellow readers a comment.

Gallery: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour interior

Gallery: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading 2010 Honda Crosstour interior images released, V6 power to be standard [w/VIDEO]

2010 Honda Crosstour interior images released, V6 power to be standard [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Accord Crosstour to be built at East Liberty, Ohio plant

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Honda

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour - Click above for image gallery

This week, Honda marked the thirtieth anniversary of the start of motorcycle production in the United States with a tree planting ceremony and a new production announcement. Legions of Facebook "fans" of the new Honda Accord Crosstour will surely be thrilled to learn that the company's new lifted hatchback thingy will be built at the East Liberty, OH assembly plant. East Liberty already builds Accord sedans and coupes, making it a natural to build the new bodystyle. As with other American-built Hondas, most of the major components are also locally sourced. Honda's nearby Anna, OH engine plant will ship over the V6 engines while the Russells Point facility will build the transmissions.

The Marysville plant that got motorcycle production started three decades ago is now being transformed into a consolidation center to feed parts and systems to the other nearby assembly plants. Honda has decided that it makes more sense for them to focus on building cars in America than bikes. Whether it makes sense to build this particular car anywhere, however, will be determined not on Facebook, but on dealer forecourts.

Gallery: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

[Source: Facebook]

Continue reading Honda Accord Crosstour to be built at East Liberty, Ohio plant

Honda Accord Crosstour to be built at East Liberty, Ohio plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #144

Dan Roth — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Podcasts, Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Lexus, Rolls-Royce

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Episode #144 of the Autoblog Podcast is here. Chris, Sam, and Dan took some time on Labor Day to ruminate over some automotive subjects, and it wound up being another near-epic length 'cast. The Frankfurt Motor Show is coming, and on that note, we start off with the Lexus LF-Ch, expected to debut there soon. More Frankfurt anticipation is built as we talk about the Ford CMax, and then we move on to the Rolls Royce Ghost, the debacle surrounding the Honda Crosstour and social media, Time Magazine's unexciting list of exciting cars, and wrap it all up with the disparaging remarks Audi's chief directed at the Chevrolet Volt. We hit the questions before calling it a night well past the hour and a half mark. Thanks for taking the time to listen, welcome to all the new listeners who've discovered us through everyone's reviewing efforts in iTunes, thanks for the help on the survey, and as always, hit us up at Podcast at Autoblog Dot Com. See you next week, but in the meantime, check out this, or this!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #144

Autoblog Podcast #144 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda updates Crosstour Facebook page with official response

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Hatchback, Honda

Honda Crosstour - click image above for high-res gallery

Whoo boy! We would not want to be on the business end of the Honda whip this week. In case your head has been in the sand, Honda put up a Facebook page showing off their new Crosstour. General reaction was, to put it Orwellian terms, ungood. What's the problem with social media marketing if you're a corporation? You give up control of your message. As it turns out, sometimes you even give up internal control, too. Which is exactly what happened when Honda's light truck product planning manager Eddie Okubo posted a defense (or is that a defenestration?) of the much maligned new CUV without divulging the company he works for. Well, he got caught.

In a novel/strange/unprecedented move, Honda has gone and posted a clarification on its Crosstour page - about everything. Here's the short version, all bullet pointy like:

The images that everyone thinks are the second coming of the Aztek are actually akin to bad yearbook photos. Put another way, the Crosstour is better looking that it looks.New photos will set you all straight.
This isn't the European Accord wagon (as cool as Honda knows the Euro wagon to be) because it's an Americanized version of an American Accord wagon. i.e. bigger.
This next part bears copying and pasting, "Many of you don't like the styling: It may not be for everyone." Though, Honda thinks among CUV buyers, the Crosstour will do well.
Honda can't give out any more specs - sorry
Finally, Eddie's comment wasn't removed because Honda was embarrassed by it. His comment was removed because he violated a policy concerning personal opinions on Facebook.

And there you have it -- the odd state of PR in the Facebook/Twitter age. Our thoughts? Defending a vehicle's design on Facebook isn't smart chess. Meaning that unless the comments are turned all the way off, you're just inviting buckets full of further negative comments. Don't say you know how "cool" a car that you don't sell here is and then not sell it here. If it's so cool, why can't we buy one? It's probably best to provide more than two photographs, especially two that you admit are ungood. Assuming a Crosstour Facebook page could be a good idea, people need more to chew on. Finally, poor Eddie. Full response from Honda after the jump. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Gallery: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Honda updates Crosstour Facebook page with official response

Honda updates Crosstour Facebook page with official response originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda purges select comments from Crosstour Facebook page

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Japan, Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Honda

Many moons ago, when the internet was newish and Netscape ruled the land, we took a class called, "Anatomy of a Virtual Community." The idea was to explore and study how online communities functioned, if they were good or bad and if you really could achieve something akin to the mid-Nineties liberal arts school conception of "community." You have to understand this was back when chat rooms were as exotic as Tahiti and there wasn't anything on the internet but porn. The class itself didn't go so well, because most of the students wouldn't participate in the group chat the way the professor envisioned. Point being, it's quite difficult to control behavior in an online environment.

Honda just got hit upside the head with this particular lesson. Yesterday, we posted that the Crosstour Facebook page was overflowing with negative comments regarding the look of Honda's new CUV. Seems that the public at large isn't too thrilled with the design. We went ahead and ran our own poll and looks as if Autoblog readers agree with the Facebookians - 81.7% of you feel the Crosstour should be killed with fire, and just 3.1% of you think it is good looking. And we'd guesstimate that well over 81.7% of the ensuing comments are negative. Many rabidly so. Difference is, we left the comments alone, while Honda was purging 'em on Facebook. To be fair to Honda, they say they have removed a total 28 comments (out of thousands) because of "profanity or inappropriate content." Further, they note that they "...did not remove any comments that simply expressed a negative opinion about the Crosstour." They did, however, remove one that expressed a positive opinion.

Our pal Alex had the presence of mind to grab a screen shot of the above exchange which has since been removed from the Crosstour page. Obviously, this type of thing is embarrassing for Honda. And it illustrates what a sticky pickle modern day PR folks find themselves in. Regarding Eddie Okubo's comments, here's what Honda has to say:

Eddie Okubo is a manager in Honda Product Planning. His post was removed for two reasons: 1) He did not first state that he is a Honda employee and that his posting is his personal -- not Honda's -- opinion. 2) He is not a spokesperson for Honda.

Did Eddie really do anything wrong? He's an employee defending not only his company and that company's product, but his livelihood. Yet his comments and other similar non-sanctioned corporate communique will one day wind up in business textbooks as examples of how social media marketing can go very, very wrong. Also, isn't every employee with a Facebook/Twitter account suddenly a spokesperson if their company decides to use social media? It could be that multinational corporations just aren't ready for Facebook and it's ilk. It's definitely an issue that deserves further study.

Gallery: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

Honda purges select comments from Crosstour Facebook page originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official Honda Crosstour Facebook page all lit up with early negativity [w/POLL]

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Etc., Crossover, Hatchback, Honda

2010 Honda Crosstour - click above image for hi-res gallery

Ruh roh. Looks like Honda's "friends" aren't so happy about the upcoming Crosstour. And rather than us tell you why that might be, we'll let the people speak for themselves. And we'll let Honda's marketing types speak back to the people. Here's the first three comments on the page, warts and all:

Was really hoping this car was going to look like the JDM or the Tourer...but we got neither. Very dissapointed!!! -- Ciamaris R.

The bad move here was teasing a wagon and delivering this Aztec/Venza, why? They don't appeal to the same people (wagons appeal to existing Honda, Subaru & VW owners and CUV's to people who buy cars solely for their street presence (it... helps if they aren't ugly btw)). Through inept PR you've set yourselves up for an instant backlash that is going to dominate the press narrative for this car's launch...and you deserve it. Were you trying to keep a lid on the new Venza competitor? To what purpose? Did you really think that Toyota didn't know this was coming down the pipe? You've dissapointed and angered existing, money in hand customers by raising their expectations and then showing them a product you must know they would consider a betrayal of your brand heritage. If you had announced the CUV aspect of this ahead of time all those buyers would have tuned out this release and just kept on waiting for the wagon, faith in brand intact... -- Ted G.

Excellent another hideous car from Honda. This should be a real sales leader in the Early 40's Soccer Mom demographic. How about a legitimate replacement for the S2000 or NSX instead more garbage like this? -- Andrew C.

Ouch! But Honda's not going to take this kinda smack talk lying down, no sir. Read the official defense and vote in our poll after the jump.

Continue reading Official Honda Crosstour Facebook page all lit up with early negativity [w/POLL]

Official Honda Crosstour Facebook page all lit up with early negativity [w/POLL] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Honda CrossTour caught in the Smokies

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Hatchback, Honda

VWVortex forum member GoVdubSPEEDGo (presumably"M. Balisky") was vacationing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park when he came across a duo of Honda wagon/crossover mules. The crew over at Temple of VTEC have dubbed it the upcoming CrossTour, and tapped one of their sources to confirm the new CUV won't share the forthcoming Acura ZDX's platform.

Coupled with the spy shots that surfaced last October, these newest images prove that Honda is well on its way to creating some kind of crossover that could slot in near the CR-V, although drivetrain details and a fall 2009 on-sale date are still speculative. As for the pseudo-wagon's styling, it's essentially your standard four-door Accord equipped with an elongated hatch and a sloping roofline. We'll leave it to you to pass judgment in the comments below.

[Source: VWVortex via TOV]

Spy Shots: Honda CrossTour caught in the Smokies originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 May 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Crosstour to arrive in late October?

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Honda, Rumormill

There has been all manner of speculation leading to this point, but the Temple of VTEC says it has heard from a source who claims the Honda Crosstour will be arrive in the U.S. in late October.

Mules of the Toyota Venza competitor from Honda have been seen testing in the U.S. on an jerry-rigged European Accord Tourer setup, an in fact, it's not likely to vary a great deal from it visually.

Since a different rear differential has been spotted on some prototypes, all-wheel drive is reportedly on the menu. Temple of VTEC's source says it will be based on the Accord platform, tow 3,500 pounds, be 2.5 inches taller than the Accord and stretch a ginormous 7 inches further than the Venza, which would seem to make third row seating a fait accompli, but as far as we know, the Accord Tourer is strictly a two-row deal.

Based on the fact that dealers have reportedly received their accessory pre-order packs, Honda protocol indicates appearances on dealer lots six months later. And if they keep the finished product sharp and edgy like the Euro Tourer, there's a good chance we'll like it when it comes. Hat tip to Edison!

[Source: Temple of VTEC]

Honda Crosstour to arrive in late October? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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