Autoblog

Does anyone really think the world needs another tiny hatchback posing as a sport-ute? We were hoping nobody did, but apparently some guys over at Ford Europe thought this was a good idea. And so they've rolled out the Fiesta Crossroad.

We'll preemptively answer your first question in the negative: it does not have all-wheel-drive, or any real off-road equipment to speak of over the standard Fiesta. It comes down basically to some body cladding: the very worst kind of product engineering. The Fiesta Crossroad might look taller or higher off the road than its standard counterpart, but alas, it's all an illusion.

For an approximately one-thousand-euro premium, buyers get new bumpers, wheel arches and lower door panels in a contrasting shade, some roofr ails and (ooh, get this) special floor mats. We'd venture that the latter was to prevent getting mud all over the interior when the poseur driver mistakenly tries to tackle a dirt road only to get stuck like any ordinary car.

[Source: AutoWeek - translated]

Remember when we all wasted an afternoon trying to guess what car Honda was trotting around the streets L.A.? Good times, good times. The small CUV captured on camera by an Autoblog reader turned out to be the new Honda Crossroad the automaker officially unveiled just yesterday. Thanks to Carscoop, we know now what it was they were making in L.A. that day: a two-minute long promotional video pimping the new Crossroad. The video isn't revolutionary, rather standard marketing fluff centered around the combination Rubik's Cube / crossword puzzle graphic Honda's been showing with the Crossroad. In fact, it's a bit odd that a commercial for a JDM market vehicle features a bunch of Yanks in L.A. going surfing and breakdancing rather than, we don't know, Japanese people, maybe?

Check out the video after the jump.

[Source: Carscoop]

Click image for Mugen wallpapers

Mugen wastes no time when it comes to offering accessories for new Honda models, and the debut of the Crossroad means that a full suite of tasty upgrades is available already. Those of you who find the Crossroad's Ford-esque grille off-putting take note: Mugen addresses the matter with a solid single-bar unit of its own. We like it.

Naturally, there's an aero kit to give the blocky CUV a lowered, more tunerrific look. No suite of upgrades would be complete without the obligatory aftermarket wheels, which in this case are available in a trio of finishes. A pair of sport mufflers are available, as well. One uses traditional round outlets, while another uses custom-shaped tips that blend perfectly with the new Mugen rear skirt.

A bevy of trim pieces can be had as well, ranging from Mugen-branded license plate bolts to metallic covers for the rearview mirror. There's plenty more, so browse through their site to see everything there is to be had. Of course, it's all for fun, since we can't buy a Crossroad here anyway, but there's never anything wrong with a little window-shopping, right?

[Source: Mugen]

click above image to high-res gallery with 55 images

Honda has officially revived the Crossroad name today for a new small CUV that will only be sold in its home market of Japan. If you read Autoblog on a regular basis, you will remember the stir this vehicle caused when it was spotted in L.A. and snapped by a reader. We eventually deduced it was going to be the Crossroad, a name Honda hasn't used since it sold rebadged Land Rover Discoveries back in early '90s.

The new Crossroad, however, is no Land Rover, but rather a suburban runabout that to our eyes looks rather large for a JDM vehicle. It's got front-wheel drive standard, but can be ordered with all-wheel drive. With only 1.8L and 2.0L i-VTEC engines to choose from, however, don't expect to be doing hand-brake drifts or four-wheel powerslides around the twisty streets of Tokyo. The 1.8L four-cylinder managed to muster 140 bhp, though the 2.0L can only bump that number up an additional 10 ponies. Still, this little CUV has got three rows of seating and can swallow seven people, which makes it a very useful tool in everyday life. It's also an attractive box on wheels, with thick pillars, brawny fender flares and a squared-off jaw. Indeed, though it looks as if the Crossroad would be right at home on American roads, currently Honda has no plans to bring it over. Apparently the quirky Element is doing just fine for Honda on its own.

Check out the full press release after the just for more details, and view our ginormous gallery of high-res pics here.

UPDATE: Gallery is fixed. All images will display correctly now.

[Source: Honda]

The Honda Crossroad, the mystery JDM car whose reader-submitted spy photos generated a flood of comments, conjecture, and a fair number of arguments, will go on sale in Japan on February 22. The car's official website is up in teaser mode right now, but if you want to see what it looks like, you need only refer to our December 26 post that shows us the vehicle inside and out.

Honda's planned a bit of fanfare to coincide with the car's home-market launch, with a concert scheduled at a Tokyo hotel to kick things off for the new model. We'll bring you full details about the Crossroad upon the car's release later this month.

[Sources: Honda, Carview]

UPDATE: More photos added after jump


The mystery JDM vehicle we showed you traipsing around downtown L.A. a week or so ago has been revealed to be the Honda Crossroad, a utility vehicle that's smaller than a CR-V destined only for the Japenese domestic market. Though we were more than certain the vehicle was a Honda, we and many of you were ready to put money down on it being the new HR-V. Well, it's not the HR-V, but it may actually replace that vehicle in Honda's lineup. Information is still super sketchy, but these pictures prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it's not a Ford!

[Source: Hollywood Extra]