The new Honda Crosstour has a lower price and improved fuel economy, the latest incarnation of an Ohio-made model that has never been a big seller.
Dealers on Tuesday began selling the 2013 Crosstour, a crossover vehicle recognizable for its big hatchback. It is the first version to feature Honda’s “Earth Dreams” engine and transmission technologies.
The automaker expects the new features to provide a strong boost in sales, although spokesman Sage Marie declined to provide estimates or targets.
“It’s a significant redesign,” he said. “It addresses styling. It addresses content. It addresses visibility.”
One of the biggest complaints about the model has been that it has poor rear and side visibility. The new version seeks to address this by reducing the size of rear headrests and adding a “blind-spot camera” along with a standard rear camera.
Honda had planned to design the vehicle in Japan, but abruptly moved the work to the research and development center in Raymond, Ohio, following last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
“They had to quickly assemble a team, get their designers and quickly execute the vision for this particular model,” said Scott Ruhl, engineering project leader for the Crosstour at Honda’s East Liberty plant, where the car is assembled.
The assembly process has been complicated by an ongoing expansion of the plant. Honda is continuing with regular output while it relocates workstations and makes other adjustments. The bulk of the $166 million expansion will take place during the holiday shutdown in December.
Despite the challenges, Ruhl thinks the new Crosstour is a major step forward for the model. The design is what automakers call a “mid-cycle refresh,” a series of changes that fall short of a complete redesign.
“The styling has been enhanced to give it a premium, active, dynamic appearance,” he said. The front and rear bumpers have gotten a new look, as has the grille.
The V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission are part of a relatively new Earth Dreams line from Honda, built to provide more power while improving fuel economy. Horsepower is 278, up 7 from the prior model, and combined highway and city fuel economy is 23 miles per gallon of gasoline, up 2 from before. The model also is available with a four-cylinder engine.
The sticker price begins at $27,230, which is $525 less than the 2012 model.