Shifting gears with new Honda Accord Crosstour

Just when we thought we were running out of car segments to choose from, we have the entire motoring world turning towards yet another crossover. From the late Nineties until very recently, the focus was mostly on blending sedans with 4x4s. This resulted in SUVs, some of which had certain limitations. However, the segment did quite well with a whole lot of people who needed the extra space and were willing to compromise a bit when it came to off-road capabilities.

A lot of major brands, however, decided to stay away from theoff-road aspect and gave their SUVs better road-handling capabilities which again made a lot of sense for certain segments of the motoring public. Besides, 4x4 models that all along had a rugged appearance were getting more and more street-friendly and luxurious. With a plethora of crossovers available on the market in every possible segment, it did not take long for people to give those looking to buy a regular sedan odd looks.

However, sedan lovers now need look no further. The motoring world has found yet another muse and it's probably going to keep motoring enthusiasts occupied for the next decade or so. The new segment has managed to blend SUVs with sedans! Confused? SUVs were already meant to provide the best of both worlds, right? Well, they were supposed to, but somehow they fell short on certain counts.

These new crossovers are now based on the same platform asa regular sedan, which means they don't cater to the off-road market at all, which kind of makes more sense to me. If it's space that one needs,a sedan with a larger boot is the more sensible way to go.

Honda has also taken the plunge into this segment with its 2010 Accord Crosstour. Given the fact that the Accord already has a big fan following, it makes sense to blend the segment in with an existing model.

At first glance, the Crosstour looks interesting. With the large boot and relatively bigger stance than the usual Accord, I've had a lot of people asking me if it was an SUV.

The Crosstour does featurea full-time all-wheel drive system and has better ground clearance than the Accord. But it is not a replacement for an SUV. The all-wheel drive system simply improves its handling capabilities which would have been compromised for such a large car if Honda had stuck to the conventional front-wheel drive configuration of the standard Accord.

Thanks to the large stance, the Crosstour does look well designed from the outside. Most brands now have a signature front grille which makes them instantly recognisable, even from a good distance, and Honda tries to do the same with the Crosstour. The rear is unlike a Honda and it takes a bit of time to come to terms with the fact that it is indeeda larger and more spacious Accord. In my opinion, the Crosstour manages to deviate from the conventional Honda look, but after a few hours with it, the design does grow on you and somehow the family resemblance becomes quite obvious.

 Truly functional

The interiors, however, radiate the modern Honda look which in my opinion is both bare and functional at the same time. Like most Japanese cars, the interiors are built well and ergonomically, but I felt the individuality and ‘feel factor' could have been bettered.

The engine in the 2010 Crosstour is a standard 3.5-litre 6 cylinderi-VTec that produces 271bhp and 346Nm of torque. As is the case with most modern Hondas, the automatic cylinder deactivation feature ensures fuel efficiency by being able to run on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders depending on the power required. The 5-speed auto transmission has a rev match feature which makes downshifts smoother and less obvious to the passengers.

Driving the Crosstour on tarmac felt quite similar to the Accord, especially on straight roads. The all-wheel-drive system was a little obvious while negotiating curves but the sense of understeer remained very similar to the standard front- wheel-drive Accord. The 3.5-litre engine, combined with the auto transmission, outputs power that is suited for smooth sedans. It's not a very aggressive car to drive, although it does have a sports mode which, besides making noise in between gear shifts, does very little to boost the car's sportiness.

With no luggage in the Crosstour's boot, it feels a little front-heavy, especially around curves. However, it should balance out once laden with the weight that it was designed for.

The suspension, which contributesa lot to the handling, is comfort-oriented rather than sporty, and this makes sense in this segment.

The Crosstour is assembled in Honda's Ohio plant in the United States and, in my opinion, suits markets where driving cross-country is common. In this region, it would suit most family car buyers who would rather have a sedan than an SUV. It manages to maintain the sedan-like feel and ride height, while offering almost the same kind of boot volume. It needs to be stressed upon again that it is not a replacement for the wider range of functionality that is available on an SUV, but it offersa lot more than a conventional sedan. The Crosstour is only available with all the luxury and safety options as standard in this region and is priced at Dh139,999. Given the fact that it is a new segment - coupled with Honda's history of delivering reliability - it has a chance of becoming popular in the region. It is very close in its price to a mid-sized Japanese SUV.

Philip Shane is a Dubai-based motoring enthusiast and a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers, UK