ENGINE: 3.5-liter V6 HORSEPOWER: 271 TORQUE: 254 lb feet EPA: 18 mpg city/ 27 mpg highway

2010 Honda Crosstour
Program #2911

The Honda Accord has been a bulletproof family car benchmark for over a generation. Well, now Honda infuses their line-up with a serious dose of modern versatility with the Accord Crosstour. Crosstour is their take on the swoopy five-door coupe-like crossover that's a current styling trend. So, let's see if the Crosstour deserves to be called Accord.

The 2010 Honda Crosstour is just the latest super-slick five-door utility to invade the crossover market. BMW started it all with the X6, followed by the Toyota Venza, and most recently the Acura ZDX.

So, now it's Honda's turn to go after a piece of this reformulated hatchback pie. But don't be confused-the Crosstour is not a rebodied Acura ZDX. The ZDX is based on Honda's truck chassis, while the Crosstour has genuine Accord DNA.

Crosstour's wheelbase is virtually the same as the Accord sedan, with less than 3 inches extra length.

But styling is a major departure from the mainstream Accord. The Crosstour's thick-faced front-end is aggressive and polarizing, headlighted by a big, blunt grille.

From side view, the Crosstour's short glass, high beltline, and fast roof give it a muscular and hunkered down look. Dental-trimmed rocker panels add lots of styling activity to the lower body.

The cinched back end's boat-tail shape features a dual-glass rear hatch, a la Insight, and dual chrome exhaust outlets.

With premium EX trim for starters, all Crosstours ride on either 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels.

But the 5-seat Crosstour's interior styling carries over from the Accord with few changes. The upswept dash and smart, intuitive layout add unique blue gauge needles inside chrome rings, and premium woody dash and door trim.

The standard dual-zone automatic climate includes a new low humidity sensor that cycles the air conditioning to save fuel.

Seats are supportive, with standard 10-way power for the driver, 4-way power for the front passenger. Our EX-L adds leather, memory, and heat.

Steering wheel controls for audio and climate are standard. Navigation adds switchgear for GPS and Bluetooth. The Nav screen itself sits atop the many-buttoned center stack where it also services the back-up camera.

Caring for the family includes six airbags, and a back seat that is ample for a pretty big trio.

But, compared to the rival Toyota Venza, it comes up short in rear head, leg, and shoulder room. There is a fold-down armrest and the seatbacks are split 60/40. Each section quickly folds by release levers just inside the hatch.

Indeed, cargo management is a Crosstour strong suit. The cargo lip is low for easy loading and, seats down, the cargo floor is long and inviting. While Crosstour's maximum cargo volume is well short of Venza's, it's still a useful 51.3 cubic feet.

The rear cargo floor is also reversible for carrying nastier items. And putting the spare tire under the chassis makes way for a deep under-floor removable tray.

The Crosstour is powered by Accord's 3.5-liter V6 with 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, tied to a front-drive 5-speed automatic.

Our car's optional-single speed four-wheel drive system is borrowed from the CR-V.

Out on the roads, the Crosstour feels strong from a standstill, with ample acceleration overall.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the Crosstour peak at a respectable 18 city/27 highway on regular gas.

Suspension design is also akin to the Accord-double-wishbone front and multi-link rear-but beefed up to carry the Crosstour's extra 300 pounds of weight.

The front dampers add rebound springs to help roll control. Stability control is standard and the all-disc ABS brakes are upgraded with dual-piston front calipers.

So, the driving experience is a solid one. It's an agile handler that basically feels like a heavy Accord. The ride is smooth and comfortable, though slightly harsher than the sedan. Compared to the softer Venza, the Crosstour is more responsive and fun to drive.

Pricewise, the base Crosstour starts at $30,380. The uplevel EX-L with four-wheel drive stickers at $34,730. That sets the Accord flagship a couple of grand above a comparable Venza.

Honda calls the Crosstour a "modern crossover." And it certainly is a rock-solid attempt at being a progressive blend of car and utility. Now, there's always going to be trade-offs. But for Accord fans who want a good measure more versatility than what a sedan can offer, and like leading-edge styling, the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is just the right idea.