Condensed Review: 2010 Honda Crosstour
03-11-10, 04:15 PM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure. Anytime. 
If she can't see out of it well enough to feel safe backing it up, that alone, IMO, is reason for passing it up....although there are NAV versions (presumably) with back-up cameras. Still, I agree.....you shouldn't have to pay for a $2000 (or more) package just to keep from backing into things and/or staying out of the body shop.
FWD EX versions of the Crosstour start at $29,600, but, of course, that, IMO, defeats one of the prime reasons for buying this vehicle in the first place...the AWD. Honda did make, IMO, two marketing errors....first, by not doing less-expensive DX/LX versions like with other Hondas, and, Second, confining AWD to the most expensive EX-L version at that.
But the Pilot, being a mid-sized SUV, basically drives like one. I think your wife would prefer the Crosstour's more car-like road manners, IF she can get past the Peek-a-Boo rear vision.
While the ride is not as smooth as the LS460, driving an RX is otherwise like being on a cloud. It is refined, has a silky-smooth drivetrain, and is tomb-quiet.
The weight/drag of the AWD, plus the fact that this is a fairly good-sized vehicle, takes its toll on even the V6 performance (as does the peaky torque curve), but there's enough power for normal driving, and, yes......nice cruises. It might (?) get a little short of breath, though, high up in the Rockies on steep grades....I, of course, wasn't able to test it there.
The ride was fairly comfortable. There was a slight jitter over some bumps, but it was not bad. Wind noise, as with most Hondas, was well-controlled, but, again as with most Hondas, you could hear some road noise from the tires. The road noise was not as pronounced as with some earlier Hondas I've driven. There was also some light/moderate exhaust noise upon acceleration, though the ultra-smooth, quiet idle was comparable to Lexus V8s. For a road trip, I'd rate it moderately comfortable, but not quite up to luxury-car standards.
Glad to help...anytime The next planned reviews (when the cars are available) are the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Equus.
This is a car high on my list for replacing my wife's 04 Pilot in a couple of years. Overall I think they did a fine job with it, but there are 3 things that stand in the way for me with this vehicle.
1) The rearward visibility. Like you mentioned it was the first thing my wife said when she sat in it. I'm not sure I'll ever get her past that. we'll see.
1) The rearward visibility. Like you mentioned it was the first thing my wife said when she sat in it. I'm not sure I'll ever get her past that. we'll see.
2) Price, I do find it a little high, but the real issue is for about the same dollars (looks aside) she could get into another 8 passenger Pilot.
But the Pilot, being a mid-sized SUV, basically drives like one. I think your wife would prefer the Crosstour's more car-like road manners, IF she can get past the Peek-a-Boo rear vision.
3) I (we) both really like the new RX. I'm seriously considering opening up my wallet and getting a 2010 off a 2 year lease in a couple of years.
Otherwise, I think its a good vehicle. One question, I believe you did take one for a ride, as we use her vehicle for long drives (read family vacations) how did you find the highway ride? Smooth? Quiet? passing ability?
The ride was fairly comfortable. There was a slight jitter over some bumps, but it was not bad. Wind noise, as with most Hondas, was well-controlled, but, again as with most Hondas, you could hear some road noise from the tires. The road noise was not as pronounced as with some earlier Hondas I've driven. There was also some light/moderate exhaust noise upon acceleration, though the ultra-smooth, quiet idle was comparable to Lexus V8s. For a road trip, I'd rate it moderately comfortable, but not quite up to luxury-car standards.
As always Thanks for these reviews!
The next planned reviews (when the cars are available) are the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Equus.
03-11-10, 04:24 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
The problem with the rear end is not so much its ugliness (I've seen far worse-looking rear ends, from a purely subjective point of view), but its awkwardness, poor design, and the way it both impedes both rear vision and potential cargo space. The Infiniti EX35 has the same problem...as does the far more expensive BMW 550i GT.
03-11-10, 04:52 PM
#21
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anyway great review as always.
i have a question. do these dealers know that you are doing a review? i always feel awkward asking for a test drive especially when i have no intention to buy the car..
i have a question. do these dealers know that you are doing a review? i always feel awkward asking for a test drive especially when i have no intention to buy the car..
03-11-10, 04:53 PM
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
Its not spacious, it actual has awful cargo utility.
Ridiculous and I suppose it will cost more or as much as the new EUro Accord wagon/TSX wagon coming with a I-4.
They are horrid to look at, absolutely horrid. When I saw one turning in front of me it simply reminded me of this..
An Alien head from the movie.
An Alien head from the movie.
Last edited by LexFather; 03-11-10 at 07:29 PM.
03-11-10, 06:32 PM
#23
If she can't see out of it well enough to feel safe backing it up, that alone, IMO, is reason for passing it up....although there are NAV versions (presumably) with back-up cameras. Still, I agree.....you shouldn't have to pay for a $2000 (or more) package just to keep from backing into things and/or staying out of the body shop.
My wife is rather short so I'm sure that didn't help although I wasn't thrilled about the visibility either although I could get used to I think.
FWD EX versions of the Crosstour start at $29,600, but, of course, that, IMO, defeats one of the prime reasons for buying this vehicle in the first place...the AWD. Honda did make, IMO, two marketing errors....first, by not doing less-expensive DX/LX versions like with other Hondas, and, Second, confining AWD to the most expensive EX-L version at that.
But the Pilot, being a mid-sized SUV, basically drives like one. I think your wife would prefer the Crosstour's more car-like road manners, IF she can get past the Peek-a-Boo rear vision.
But the Pilot, being a mid-sized SUV, basically drives like one. I think your wife would prefer the Crosstour's more car-like road manners, IF she can get past the Peek-a-Boo rear vision.
) because she wasn't comfortable.
The weight/drag of the AWD, plus the fact that this is a fairly good-sized vehicle, takes its toll on even the V6 performance (as does the peaky torque curve), but there's enough power for normal driving, and, yes......nice cruises. It might (?) get a little short of breath, though, high up in the Rockies on steep grades....I, of course, wasn't able to test it there.
The ride was fairly comfortable. There was a slight jitter over some bumps, but it was not bad. Wind noise, as with most Hondas, was well-controlled, but, again as with most Hondas, you could hear some road noise from the tires. The road noise was not as pronounced as with some earlier Hondas I've driven. There was also some light/moderate exhaust noise upon acceleration, though the ultra-smooth, quiet idle was comparable to Lexus V8s. For a road trip, I'd rate it moderately comfortable, but not quite up to luxury-car standards.
The ride was fairly comfortable. There was a slight jitter over some bumps, but it was not bad. Wind noise, as with most Hondas, was well-controlled, but, again as with most Hondas, you could hear some road noise from the tires. The road noise was not as pronounced as with some earlier Hondas I've driven. There was also some light/moderate exhaust noise upon acceleration, though the ultra-smooth, quiet idle was comparable to Lexus V8s. For a road trip, I'd rate it moderately comfortable, but not quite up to luxury-car standards.
As you can tell I doubt she'll get past the, as you call it, 'peek-a-boo rear vision' but regardless thank you for sharing your thoughts and opinion.
03-11-10, 06:39 PM
#24
Lexus Champion
03-11-10, 07:10 PM
#26
Great review. My wife and I looked at the Crosstour, but didn't drive it. Some of my findings that may not have been mentioned:
- No cooled / ventilated seats. I have to have leather to transfer my wife easier, but I also need at least ventilation to make summer driving bearable to me.
- Narrow cargo area between the rear shock towers. I carry a wheelchair and it basically has to go in the middle of the trunk rather than off to one side or the other.
- Large under-floor storage area, but because it is so large, as is the lid, you have to unload a lot of trunk area to access the storage area.
- I really wanted a car with a trunk rather than a crossover with an open rear cargo area. The Crosstour has a very innovative set of covers over the cargo area that open with the rear hatch. The covers effectively seal the rear cargo like a trunk. With the covers removed, there is a bit more cargo height available, but, as Marshall noted, not a lot.
- No cooled / ventilated seats. I have to have leather to transfer my wife easier, but I also need at least ventilation to make summer driving bearable to me.
- Narrow cargo area between the rear shock towers. I carry a wheelchair and it basically has to go in the middle of the trunk rather than off to one side or the other.
- Large under-floor storage area, but because it is so large, as is the lid, you have to unload a lot of trunk area to access the storage area.
- I really wanted a car with a trunk rather than a crossover with an open rear cargo area. The Crosstour has a very innovative set of covers over the cargo area that open with the rear hatch. The covers effectively seal the rear cargo like a trunk. With the covers removed, there is a bit more cargo height available, but, as Marshall noted, not a lot.
03-11-10, 09:13 PM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Yes and no. Some do. Some don't. Some don't care. I know a fair number of people in the sales buisness, both from prior sales myself and from shopping with others. If I don't buy a car myself (which, of course, is most of the time), I sometimes come back with (or refer) a customer who does. Most of my reviews are done by CL and/or non-CL request....so people I know are interested in (or are considering) a purchase. With the Crosstour, of course, I was somewhat interested in the car myself, with a possible (though small) intention of actually buying one.....same with the Venza and Lexus RX350. Those three products are definitely in the Top Five list of non-Subaru products for my next purchase, despite the Crosstour's poorly-designed rear end and the Venza's possible throttle problems. Dealers and salespeople also know (or soon find out) that I am a credible individual, and not just some bozo who walks in off the street and wants just a quick teen-age joyride for no reason at all. But, conversely, I also am not overly prideful or egotistical, and not afraid to admit I don't know something or ask the reps about something on the car if overly-complex or difficult to operate. BMW's aggravating I-Drive and Audi's MMI are two good examples of systems that I usually have a lot of trouble setting up on my own.
i have a question. do these dealers know that you are doing a review? i always feel awkward asking for a test drive especially when i have no intention to buy the car..
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-11-10 at 09:17 PM.
03-11-10, 09:20 PM
#28
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I don't see why. CA's famous Pacific Coast Highway is the traditional backdrop for showing off sports cars.
03-11-10, 09:23 PM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Not many. Check the web site-link I provided with the review for details. With some Honda models, there is, of course, a choice of transmissions, but not with the Crosstour.....all get the 6-speed auto.
03-11-10, 09:33 PM
#30
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Guys our size, Mike, have no problems in the front seat, or with legroom in the back seat. But the rear roofline/droop-rear-end, of course, cuts into some of the rear headroom and, of course, the available cargo-space height.
THAT's why I hope that Acura sends the nice TSX Sportwagon stateside here. It will, hopefully, offer many of the Crosstour's good points with an even better SH-AWD system and, of course, a more-conventional and efficiently-shaped rear end.
The Crosstour actually looks very much like the BMW 550i GT, which sells, in some cases, for more than twice the price....the GT I reviewed in December was well into the 70K range. If you dislike one of them, you will probably dislike the other. Neither one, though, is as extreme as the Acura ZDX, which, I agree, is ridiculous.
Ridiculous and I suppose it will cost more or as much as the new EUro Accord wagon/TSX wagon coming with a I-4
They are horrid to look at, absolutely horrid. When I saw one turning in front of me it simply reminded me of this..