The Honda Accord Crosstour is a noble experiment.  It’s based on the midsize sedan, but is 7 inches taller and has a hatchback.  It’s sort of like a compact crossover crossover wagon hatchback.  In other words, it’s a genre unto itself.  But is that enough?

The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour EX is the lower of two trim levels.  It has a 3.5 liter V6 engine that produces 271 horsepower.  It has 17-inch alloy wheels, front wheel drive, and a 5-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

It comes with a 10-way power driver’s seat, keyless entry, 4-way power front passenger seat, foglights, automatic headlights, a sunroof, a multi-function tilt-telescope steering wheel, 2-zone climate control, and a 60/40 split folding rear seatback.  The audio system has AM/FM radio, MP3, a 6-CD changer, 7 speakers, and an audio input jack.

The Crosstour has anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints.  In government testing under 2010 standards, the Crosstour got perfect scores of 5 stars all around.  In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it got perfect scores all around except for a “marginal” score in roof strength testing.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The Crosstour is almost exactly like a Honda Accord on the interior, but bigger.   The dash has a lot of controls, and not a lot of room for adornments.  There is plenty of headroom and legroom all around, though.  For most people, the seats are very comfortable.

The drive is good, but definitely not sporty.  The steering is accurate, but there is a split-second lag time between input and response.  The suspension can handle most demands, but there is some body roll because of extra weight and a higher center of gravity.  The engine has enough power for most demands, but there is also lag time between pressing the pedal and accelerating.  This is not a vehicle for impatient drivers.

The ride is quite nice.  The suspension is tweaked for comfort as opposed to performance, so this is one of “those” cars in which it may be more fun to be a passenger than a driver.  The cabin is quiet, and this car cruises very smoothly going straight down the road at highway speeds.

There are some negatives here.  Some are trade-offs, and some are more correctable.  Some people find the lumbar supports to be too aggressive.  Also, there isn’t a lot of cargo space here.  There is 25.7 cubic feet behind the seats, and another 25.6 can be made by folding the rear seats.  Also, too many of the materials on the dash and interior are cheap.

Industry people slam this crossover, but owners love it.  If you drive conservatively and want just a little more room than a sedan without buying a full crossover, this is a great choice.

The verdict: owners right, “experts” wrong.

MSRP  $22,780

For most of the ’00′s the Honda Accord has been “the ubiquitous Honda Accord.”  In other words, it has held a pretty high position in the market for midsize family sedans.  In a marketplace like today’s, that usually doesn’t last for long.

The competition is brutal in this segment, for the sedan or the coupe, which is great for buyers but tough for manufacturers.  The Accord started losing a little bit of ground, so they have had to tweak their product to regain its market share.  But is it enough to justify its lofty status?

The 2011 Honda Accord LX-S Coupe is the entry-level trim out of 4 trims.  It has a 2.4 liter inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 190 horsepower.  It has a 5-speed manual transmission with front-wheel drive.  It is rated at 23 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

The 2011 Accord LX-S comes with a height-adjustable manual driver seat, tilt-telescope steering wheel, standard air conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry, and full power accessories.  The audio system has 6 speakers, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.

The Accord comes with the five modern safety essentials: anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags.  In the 2011 government crash tests under the new, more-strenuous standards, the Accord scored perfect 5 star ratings all around.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

There is a lot to like here and a lot that may make one want to check out the competition.  It still gets decent mileage for its class, especially on the highway.  In many ways, it is still the same, reliable Honda Accord that has done quite well this millennium.  Even the coupe has plenty of space, for drivers and passengers.  The trunk could be bigger, especially in the coupe, but it still has adequate space for cargo.

Also, the Accord still holds its resale value quite well.  If you are a serial buyer who gets bored with a car after a year or two, this is important.  The tweaks have given the Accord a more updated look, and it has better aerodynamics and mileage.  The steering is more responsive, and the acceleration isn’t bad for a small engine.

But there is a downside, too.  The increased size has affected the drive a little bit, creating a slightly irritating body roll when cornering.   For some reason, Honda has gone to less-expensive, harder cabin materials, and the seats are not as comfortable as they once were.  And the road noise can be a little intrusive.  Really, for a flagship car in a competitive market, one would expect a little more.  Honda used to be the leader in this market segment, but now it is lagging behind its competitors.

The verdict: the Accord is still a decent car, but some of the competition is making great cars.  I would pass on this year’s Accord and wait for them to make some more improvements.