[03AccordV6]

Well I officially have the 2011 CT Brochure. Our dealership just got them in a day or two ago. The 2011 isn't on Honda's website yet.

There were rumors of USB audio interface on all models and the revised 2011 center stack as well as a 6 speed Automatic Transmission.

Not the case. Not a single thing changed.

In other news, our Frontline Newsletter from Honda this month says that salespeople should market the Crosstour as it's own model, based off the Accord platform. Even more interesting, there has been speculation that the Crosstour may no longer have the 'Accord' nameplate as of MY 2012. To help distinguish it from the Accord Sedan.

In addition, the newsletter suggests that salespeople taut the CT's luxurious appointments and it's smooth, quiet ride. There is also a section about making customers see the Crosstour as a unique vehicle. I suppose that's to make owners feel special.

Also, the new brochure has a picture of the Sedan and the CT side by side, with length measurements under each car. To point out there's only a 2.X inch difference in the size. Obviously that's there to deal with size objections.

In case anyone is wondering, here's demographics of the 3 Crosstour's I've sold in 4 months.

1. Male, 25 years old, Executive Assistant - Red EXL 2WD - Prev Car 04 Accord EX I4 Sedan - Car sat on lot for 285 days.

2. Female, 57 years old, UPS Driver - Green EX 2WD - Prev Car 98 Volvo 850 Wgn - Car sat on lot for 368 days.

3. Male, 19 years old, student, - White EX 2WD - Prev Car 05 Accord EX V6 - Car sat on lot for 301 days.

 

[spatel133]

i heard it can fly =D

 

[ThEvil0nE]

you sold them all 2WD??? LOL

 

[ncelk]

Wow, very interesting information..........

 

[Osiris_x11]

you sold them all 2WD??? LOL

After-all it is Tejas, y'allz!

Speaking of which, I had assumed ALL CrossTours were AWD!?!

I mean, raised ride-height & flared fenders for a full-time front-wheel-drive wagon... wth!?!

 

[03AccordV6]

you sold them all 2WD??? LOL

In Texas we don't get very many 4WD products from Honda. You can't get a 4WD Pilot from any dealer in Austin Texas either. CT's were avail in 4WD earlier in the year. :yes:

For some reason though, our dealer has a massive amount of 4WD CR-V's... :dunno:

 

[Edaccord08]

Considering they just came out and i don't think Honda is selling large numbers of CT seems reasonable that not much changed .

If the CT was only FWD maybe they would come out with 6 speed auto like on the Odyssey touring model , maybe next yr .

 

[redaccordcoupe]

what honda needs to do is make them rwd and then they would sell boatloads. im tired of the only rwd honda being an s2k

 

[Accordriver]

what honda needs to do is make them rwd and then they would sell boatloads. im tired of the only rwd honda being an s2k

Which isn't even made anymore, lol.

I was hoping the big thing for 2011 would be the end of the crossturd, CR-Z, and all the other vehicles Honda is putting out that have no conceivable market...

 

[GoLowDrew]

When the CT come back used in the marketplace, I expect the resale value to tank. I may pick one up then.

 

[atomiclightbulb]

In addition, the newsletter suggests that salespeople taut the CT's luxurious appointments and it's smooth, quiet ride. There is also a section about making customers see the Crosstour as a unique vehicle. I suppose that's to make owners feel special.

Also, the new brochure has a picture of the Sedan and the CT side by side, with length measurements under each car. To point out there's only a 2.X inch difference in the size. Obviously that's there to deal with size objections.

It's not just the length of the Crosstour that's objectionable. It's bulky and heavy, without much utility to show for it. The rear visibility is terrible.

The basic idea of the Crosstour -- making an AWD wagon variant of the Accord, is a good idea. I just think Honda messed it up from a utility/visibility standpoint with the sloping rear. The front grille is ugly too, but that can be easily fixed.

I honestly cannot see how this Crosstour can compete with peer vehicles like the Subaru Outback.

Car sat on lot for 285 days.

Car sat on lot for 368 days.

Car sat on lot for 301 days.

Ouch.

vtec.net posted sales figures for Nov. 2010. In its first year of production, the Crosstour sold less than 26k units, far short of the 40k Honda wanted to sell. This should be a clear wake-up call to whoever is doing product management at AHM.

The Crosstour has a lot going for it: excellent ride and handling, superb ride quality, reliable drivetrain. Fix the utility and the styling, and I think it will sell at a fast pace.

 

[pgarci01]

The CT is only 3 inches longer than the Accord sedan...The rear visibility is not much different than my old 08 sedan... The ride is so smooth and the road noise is muffled so well that going 80mph feels like you're going 50 lol... It handles like a slightly bigger Accord, which is impressive considering the extra weight... The utility aspect of it depends on what you're used to "hauling." I don't haul many big items but it can hold pretty large boxes with no problems. I can fit a 47 in vizio from plus a lot of Costco groceries with room for two ppl in the back seat. The utility space under the cargo floor was a nice touch as well. I don't plan on using it for more than that. The sloping roof makes it look better than the subaru outback. So yea, they sacrificed looks for utility. I think the CR-V is a more comparable vehicle to the Outback anyway. Let's be honest, take the sedan and imagine the back part being "wagon-like" like the outback. Pretty ugly car if you ask me. The current sedan doesn't have the shape to just add a wagon model. It's a solid car and I see more and more on the road everyday. Is it perfect? No but what car is. It was just never given a fair shot... It actually answered a lot of the complaints I had in my 8th gen sedan which is why "I crossed over to the darkside" lol...

I can't count the number of times people have asked me what car I'm driving (debadged) and how cool it looks... I've gotten a lot of compliments from sedan owners surprisingly enough... I've posted a few pics and the worst comment thrown at me has been "take off the pinstripes" lol... I think if they can create a base model with a lower starting price it would sell more... 30 grand starting is pretty steep for a lot of people considering the base accord sedan is around 19...

 

[Accordriver]

The sloping roof makes it look better than the subaru outback. So yea, they sacrificed looks for utility. I think the CR-V is a more comparable vehicle to the Outback anyway. Let's be honest, take the sedan and imagine the back part being "wagon-like" like the outback. Pretty ugly car if you ask me. The current sedan doesn't have the shape to just add a wagon model.

:scratch: Am I missing something? I thought the Crosstour *was* a wagon model...

The Accord with a wagon-like rear doesn't look as polarizing as the Crosstour, but it does resemble a shrunken minivan...

Personally, I would rather have a Crosstour over an Outback. However, the reason people would rather have the Outback isn't for looks, it's because the Outback has the same utility, but at almost $10,000 less.

 

[Osiris_x11]

The sloping roof makes it look better than the subaru outback. So yea, they sacrificed looks for utility...

:scratch: Am I missing something? I thought the Crosstour *was* a wagon model...

The Accord CrossTour is a 4-door wagon w/ fastback roof styling, that is found on the Porsche Panamera & other similar models. As mentioned before, "fastback" sloping roofs give a sleeker profile & more sporty appearance (it's generally a styling cue from 2-door sports-coupes w/ rear-glass hatches).

I don't know what the beef everyone has w/ the CrossTour, it's a stylish take on a wagon based on the 8th gen' Accord sedan. Where were all these critical comments in the past w/ regards to past USDM Accord wagons (along w/ some Civic wagons). Those were straight up fug'.

If anything, the raised look & stance are perhaps my only gripes w/ it. I'm sure this was done to win'over some soccer-moms who love the aggressive/heightened appearance & elevated seating position of SUV's.

Lastly, again- I don't how how/when/where/how the masses started thinking that Honda's were ever stylish, beautiful, and trendy lookin' vehicles... :dunno:

Compared to their contemporaries in their respective time periods, Honda's were always the more conservative, basic, and slightly inoculous [sic] quirkly looking vehicles. Other than choice Acura models (ie. 2nd gen' Legend, NSX, etc), I've never found any Honda to be particularly attractive or quote/unquote a good looking car.

 

[03AccordV6]

I personally blame Honda's lack of marketing for the Crosstour's slow sales. Nobody know what it is! Everyone I've sold is to someone who saw one driving or came in looking for something else and I suggested the CT to them. My customers, including myself, have learned to effectively use the side mirrors and honestly I have no issues with blind spots. yes, backing up at night isn't exactly easy as cake but it's not a deal breaker.

I love mine, it's been awesome for when I need to haul something and it's such a nice quiet ride with just enough sport in the mix to make the CT feel athletic and fun.

The CT is a car that has to 1. Be seen in person to really appreciate. and 2. Is for people that value it's interesting looks compared to the anonymous Accord Sedan styling but also enjoy a little more utility and increased ride height.

As far as competing with the Outback, a Subaru store is a part of my dealers auto-group and we do have Outback buyers look at the CT. Dollar for dollar, you can most certainly get a comparably equipped CT for less if not similar cost compared to the Outback. Our CT EX 2WD's start at $25,999. Much less than it's $30,380 MSRP.

Not everyone is gonna love it, obviously. Different Strokes for Different Folks.

 

[pgarci01]

What I meant was putting a wagon tail on an accord sedan lol... My bad my wording was funky... But that's what I've been trying to say this whole time... This car has to be seen in in person to be understood lol... People just try to find the ugly in it instead of just looking at the car as a whole... When I got the CT in August, I was actually just hoping to catch a glimpse of the 2011 Accord coupe, then I saw my CT looking wayyyy nicer than I thought it would in the showroom, test drove one and the rest was history.

That accord/tsx wagon mashup almost looks like a Venza lol...

The car can look sick if you give it a chance (commence show off mode lol)...

 

[Accordriver]

The Accord CrossTour is a 4-door wagon w/ fastback roof styling, that is found on the Porsche Panamera & other similar models. As mentioned before, "fastback" sloping roofs give a sleeker profile & more sporty appearance (it's generally a styling cue from 2-door sports-coupes w/ rear-glass hatches).

I don't know what the beef everyone has w/ the CrossTour, it's a stylish take on a wagon based on the 8th gen' Accord sedan. Where were all these critical comments in the past w/ regards to past USDM Accord wagons (along w/ some Civic wagons). Those were straight up fug'.

If anything, the raised look & stance are perhaps my only gripes w/ it. I'm sure this was done to win'over some soccer-moms who love the aggressive/heightened appearance & elevated seating position of SUV's.

Lastly, again- I don't how how/when/where/how the masses started thinking that Honda's were ever stylish, beautiful, and trendy lookin' vehicles... :dunno:

Compared to their contemporaries in their respective time periods, Honda's were always the more conservative, basic, and slightly inoculous [sic] quirkly looking vehicles. Other than choice Acura models (ie. 2nd gen' Legend, NSX, etc), I've never found any Honda to be particularly attractive or quote/unquote a good looking car.

I found that the beauty of Honda was that they had enough little quirks to be interesting and different, but the styling was never polarizing. In other words, you looked at the Honda vehicles that came out in the 90's and early 2000's and every single one just looked like a nice, reasonable car that may not have turned heads, but then it didn't turn them away either. Even though the latest civic didn't look like a Ferrari, it still looked like a nice, sleek new car. Lately, Honda seems to be trying too hard to be unique in the market, and not taking enough time selling cars that have no obvious faults (like Accords, Civics and CR-V's of old).

Now, we have hybrids that aren't good hybrids, trucks that aren't good at being trucks, cars that are supposed to draw in teens when they draw in people in their 40's (element), and now we have a versatile, sexy car that isn't versatile, and isn't really sexy either. With all of these new cars falling short, some of Honda's best cars haven't seen a real update in almost five years.

 

[Osiris_x11]

The car can look sick if you give it a chance (commence show off mode lol)...

Hotness... :thmsup:

I found that the beauty of Honda was that they had enough little quirks to be interesting and different, but the styling was never polarizing. In other words, you looked at the Honda vehicles that came out in the 90's and early 2000's and every single one just looked like a nice, reasonable car that may not have turned heads, but then it didn't turn them away either. Even though the latest civic didn't look like a Ferrari, it still looked like a nice, sleek new car. Lately, Honda seems to be trying too hard to be unique in the market, and not taking enough time selling cars that have no obvious faults (like Accords, Civics and CR-V's of old).

Now, we have hybrids that aren't good hybrids, trucks that aren't good at being trucks, cars that are supposed to draw in teens when they draw in people in their 40's (element), and now we have a versatile, sexy car that isn't versatile, and isn't really sexy either. With all of these new cars falling short, some of Honda's best cars haven't seen a real update in almost five years.

2x!

I don't get the overall USDM direction of Honda/Acura from a styling/design point-of-view. I don't know if it's a Japanese or North American design philosophy being penned into the models.

Though, the USDM 8th gen' Accord sedan is presumably a JDM design as the Inspire over there is a virtual replica of the USDM Accord sedan in terms of appearance.

Funny... I've been away on vacay' for the past 2 1/2 weeks or so, and I miss my Accord sedan! No lie, haha... I love that bucket for all it offers me for the price-point it was at!

 

[pgarci01]

Lol thanks... I recall Honda saying that the 8th gen Accord was the first fully developed Accord in America from design to production. The coupe revealed for the first time at the North American auto show, the first Honda to ever be debuted first in North America. In a way the Accord is more American than most American cars since everything for it was developed and made here in the US. In most of the world, their Accord is our TSX. The coupe is not even sold in Japan. Don't quote me on this but i think the coupe is only sold in North America (US and Canada). I personally think the cars have been looking better over time and when the 8th gen dropped I was one of those "I gotta get this now" ppl... but a lot of people said it was the ugliest Accord to date. Now that general feeling has diminished after the car looking like this for a few years (its amazing what tints can do to a car lol). That seems to be the general trend with Hondas, ppl hate them at first then over time ppl like them.

The Inspire used to be our Acura Legend until the model was discontinued and they released the Acura TSX. This was also when Honda started building the Accord in America. The Inspire interior is way sexier too lol... This is what it looks like (no aftermarket parts)

 

[GoLowDrew]

The Inspire used to be our Acura Legend until the model was discontinued and they released the Acura TSX.

Actually, Inspire was never a Legend. It was the Acura Vigor.

It was an unique car with an in-line 5 and mounted north to sound. Let's call it better weight distribution.

Honda dropped that concept and the Inspire name has been passed around like a cheap whore, since.

Badge engineering.