2012 Honda Crosstour Four-Cylinder Lowers MSRP, Gains MPGs

In addition to dropping the Accord part of its name, the 2012 Honda Crosstour is also getting a new engine option for a more affordable and more fuel-efficient base model. With the V-6 engine, the Crosstour starts at $30,340, but the new four-cylinder model will undercut that price significantly with a lower MSRP of $27,655 which doesn't include the $810 destination and handling charge. All 2012 Honda Crosstour models are built at Honda's East Liberty Auto Plant in Marysville, Ohio, and this new inline-four model is in dealers now.

The "new" engine in the Crosstour is the same 2.4-liter DOHC i-VTEC inline-four currently offered in the Honda Accord (among other Honda and Acura models), and it produces 192 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. This is a slight increase of 2 hp over the Accord EX models, but still trailing the 201-hp output of the Acura TSX. In the Crosstour, this engine not only helps drop the entry point for pricing, it also increases the fuel economy with EPA estimates of 21 miles per gallon in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and a rating of 24 mpg in combined driving. This is an improvement of 3 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway compared to the V-6-powered 2011 Accord Crosstour. Regardless of engines, all 2012 Crosstour models use a five-speed automatic transmission, and the new four-cylinder Crosstour models will be front-wheel drive only.

Honda is also adding plenty of standard features to the 2012 Honda Crosstour to make even the base models very well equipped. Some of these standard features include a power moonroof, a backup camera with a display built into the rearview mirror, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and a 360-watt audio system that includes a six-disc CD changer and a USB port. Stepping up to the $30,705 Crosstour EX-L, customers get plenty of added luxury including leather seats, memory driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever, dual-zone climate control and XM Radio. Finally, the Crosstour EX-L with Navigation gets all the EX-L goodies plus Honda's satellite-linked navigation system as well as a $32,805 starting price.

The 2012 Honda Crosstour equipped with the smaller engine option can be distinguished from the V-6 models by its 17-inch, five, triple-spoke alloy wheels. The Crosstour also adds two new colors for 2012 called Twilight Blue Metallic and Basque Red Pearl II.

"The new four-cylinder Crosstour offers sleek design, unmatched passenger comfort and ingenious functionality now with four-cylinder pricing and fuel economy," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "With four-cylinder and V6 options and a long list of standard features, Crosstour should be on every CUV buyer's shopping list."