2013 Honda Crosstour Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

Slotted between the 5-passenger CR-V and the 8-passenger Pilot on the Honda crossover SUV continuum, the 5-passenger Crosstour is built for the Honda Accord buyer who wants a comfortable cabin combined with added cargo-toting versatility. Built on the previous-generation Accord platform, the Crosstour never quite caught on with consumers, but Honda is hoping that a thorough refresh for 2013 will convince more crossover buyers to consider one.

The new 2013 Honda Crosstour debuted to the public at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, and is on sale now. Key competitors include the Ford Edge, GMC Terrain, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Nissan Murano, and Subaru Outback.

What’s New for the 2013 Honda Crosstour:

• Revised exterior styling with redesigned wheels
• More powerful and fuel-efficient V-6 engine option
• Standard reversing camera and blind-spot driver’s side mirror
• Optional HondaLink smartphone pairing and cloud connectivity
• Optional SMS text messaging capability
• Optional Lane Watch blind-spot monitoring system
• Optional Forward Collision Warning system
• Optional Lane Departure Warning system
• New Mountain Air Metallic and Kona Coffee paint colors

New 2013 Honda Crosstour: Styling and Design

I remember seeing spy photos of the original Crosstour, a development mule with a boxy rear end like a traditional station wagon, and thinking that Honda was about to toss the homely but hugely functional Subaru Outback into a coffin and start hammering nails.

Then a football on wheels rolled off the production line.

The 2013 Honda Crosstour retains its football-shaped silhouette, but stylists have cleaned up details related to the front styling, the side skirts, and the rear end. The result is a vehicle that looks like it sits higher and is more substantial than the previous version of the car, something that looks more like an SUV than a car. The end result is a more appealing vehicle.

Inside, the Crosstour similar to last year’s model, but can be equipped with a new optional 8-inch information display screen. Minor revisions are made to improve the cabin’s look and feel.

New 2013 Honda Crosstour: What’s Under the Hood

The 2013 Crosstour comes standard with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, which makes 192 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 162 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm. With this engine, a 5-speed automatic transmission drives the front wheels.

A 3.5-liter V-6 is optional, generating 278 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 252 lb.-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. The V-6 is equipped with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), which shuts half of the engine cylinders down when cruising and coasting in order to conserve fuel. A 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is standard. A Real Time 4-wheel-drive system is optional with the V-6 engine.

New 2013 Honda Crosstour: Features and Technology

Honda sells the 2013 Crosstour in EX and EX-L trim levels, the latter denoting its standard leather seats. The EX-L models is also equipped with dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, an 8-inch in-dash information screen, and a premium sound system.

For 2013, several new technologies are offered for the Crosstour. The EX V6 model is equipped with a Lane Watch camera-based blind-spot information system, while EX-L models get a standard Forward Collision Warning system and a Lane Departure Warning system. Models with a navigation system receive an upgraded multi-view reversing camera for 2013.

New HondaLink smartphone integration technology is also included on EX-L models. The cloud-based system includes SMS text messaging capability, Pandora Internet radio, and more.

New 2013 Honda Crosstour: What Autobytel Thinks

Honda has improved the way the Crosstour looks and drives, which should help to boost interest in the aging crossover SUV. But the Crosstour remains challenged in terms of cargo volume because of that fastback roofline, with maximum volume measuring just 51.3 cu.-ft., far short of the Honda CR-V. Until Honda can completely redesign the Crosstour, adding cargo space combined with handsome design, this Honda is likely to struggle to find an audience.