German Car Zone

Human · 10-16-2009, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighestOfHigh

Of course I am!

Still doesn't look "that" bad.

As a Ridgeline owner, my feelings are hurt. Honda vehicles are actually very reliable. My Ridgeline might not be a glamourous as the Mercedes-Benz ML, but it's a treat to drive.

IMO It does not look that bad at all! AND Honda makes the most reliable engines on earth, they are the biggest engine manufacturer from 2stroke, marine, motorbike, automotive etc...IF I have my facts straight...

HighestOfHigh · 10-16-2009, 08:45 AM

^Yes, I love my VTEC. The engine does what I tell it to do. It almost funny because people see my Ridgeline and think "oh he is gonna be slow". Next thing you know their a mile behind me.

Somebody else enjoying the Ridgeline -

jsciales · 11-03-2009, 10:01 AM

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour to start at $29,670

It's fair to say that the 2010 Accord Crosstour has caused Honda some heartburn in the U.S. already, but Japanese brand's new CUV has taken another step toward the showroom regardless. Honda has already given us some wheel time with the Crosstour, so keep your eyes peeled for our review at noon Eastern today. If that's not enough to keep you occupied, pricing for the 2010 Crosstour has just been released, and the new model starts just slightly under $30,000, running up to about $37,000. Honda has also released tons of new Accord Crosstour glamor shots (check 'em out in the gallery below).

EPA efficiency numbers are also included with the pricing, helping buyers understand what the care and feeding of an Accord Crosstour will do to their wallets. An EX-L loaded up with all-wheel drive ("4WD" in Hondaspeak), all the luxury goodies, and navigation earns an EPA estimated 20 mpg combined. Honda's 3.5-liter V6 with Variable Cylinder Management earns 25 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg city. Front-drive ("2WD) Crosstours muster 18/27, which are competitive figures for its class. Speaking of classes, don't forget to check out our First Drive at noon to see if the Crosstour is the Valedictorian or in need of remedial instruction.

Autoblog.com

HighestOfHigh · 11-03-2009, 10:03 AM

I need to get me one! Maybe I will trade in my Ridgeline!

Giannis · 11-03-2009, 11:14 AM

Still looks ugly

Beemer B773ER · 11-03-2009, 11:14 AM

This car reminds me of another Honda..the CRV, because there's not a single design element which actually appeals to me. I really like compact 4WDs like the size of the, and I'm even looking to buy a compact 4WD, but the CRV is just aweful from every single angle, and the Crosstour is even worse.

Where is this model supposed to be positioned within the Honda line-up ?

dr Dunkel · 11-03-2009, 11:16 AM

Oh, this segment will be clogged... the response from one tier down came much faster this time.

jsciales · 11-03-2009, 11:19 AM

Hmmm...still not sure about the exterior...but the interior is nice...

martinbo · 11-03-2009, 11:32 AM

HondAcura. Trying to do what BMW's doing. Only much more badly.

HighestOfHigh · 11-04-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

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.

Having established that Ashton Kutcher wasn't about to spring forth from behind the stand's display of pumpkins, we stood back and watched, surveying the scene while chatting with the stand's owner. Even though the proprietor would later confess to not liking Hondas (her husband being a retired General Motors lifer and all, that kinda thing just wouldn't be right), she had been kind enough to oblige our photography and she seemed to be as curious as we were. We admit it: we did not expect things to go down this way. And in our defense, neither did Honda.

You are the Target Market

You see, earlier that same morning, we attended a press conference and walkaround with company officials, and as it turns out, our elderly snoopers aren't who the Crosstour's blunt prow is aimed at. According to Lee DaSilva, senior product planner, the model is targeted at both fifty-something Baby Boomers that find themselves with newly empty nests and Gen Y types who are just starting their own families. Our admirers were clearly neither.

However, given their newish MKZ, they probably had the educational and financial credentials that Honda has bogeyed, and besides, it's often true of niche cars that they end up selling to vastly different audiences than the one that was originally intended. Just ask Scion. Or Honda's own Element buyers.

Beauty is in the Eye of (Other) Beholders

Regardless of The Lincolns' ardor, it's clear that Honda is facing considerable early pushback with its newest nichemobile. Advanced marketing efforts through social media sites like Facebook haven't exactly gone according to plan, sparking widespread derision studded with the occasional kudos emanating from the Commentariat. The only problem is, the overwhelming majority of these detractors have never seen the Crosstour in person.

We could tell you why the Crosstour is better looking in person. Thing is, we're not sure it is.It is at this point that you might reasonably expect us to fence-straddle a bit and tell you why the Crosstour is better looking in person. Thing is, we're not sure it is. Perhaps you expect us to note how what few photos Honda has released to this point fail to tell the whole story. Fair enough – they don't. And we needn't remind you that auto journalists (us included) are regularly accused of using mealy-mouthed words like 'unique,' 'distinctive,' 'polarizing' and 'intriguing' when what they're trying to say is that a design team has shat the bed. In that spirit and from our vantage point, we'll say this polarizing Honda is uniquely distinctive in an intriguing way.

First Impression: Like the Accord sedan upon which it's based, the Crosstour is larger than you might expect. At 196.8-inches long, 74.7-inches wide, 65.7-inches tall and 3,887 pounds, our EX-L tester was a big boy. As our new friends illustrate, the Crosstour's design clearly has its adherents, but we can't help but think that its self-described "thick face," oddly dimpled rocker panels and high-waisted Kammback tail tries too hard to be different.

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

^X6 Killer?

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German Car Zone

Honda Announces 2010 Accord Crosstour...