Tuesday, May 26, 2009

2010 Honda Accord Wagon (Passport?!?)

Here is some info that I found on the upcoming Honda Accord Wagon.
Pictured below is the Euro Accord Wagon....
Powertrains for the 2010 Honda Passport will naturally come from Accord sedan­s and should also parallel Venza choices. That likely means a base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine retune­d for around 190 horsepower, and a 3.5-liter V6 with Honda's gas-saving VCM cylinder-deactivation system and maybe 275 horses. A 5-speed automatic should be the only transmission. Buyers will have the usual choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, though 4-cylinder model­s may be denied AWD for performance and fuel-economy reasons.

­Not surprisingly, the 2010 Honda Passport will borrow many other features from its sedan sire. That should mean standard ABS, an­ antiskid system with traction control, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Options should likewise run to leather upholstery, sunroof, a navigation system with rearview camera, and premium audio with wireless phone hookup and music-player plug-in. Rear DVD entertainment will almost certainly be available, and a power liftgate may be, too. Wheels may well be smaller than the Venza's 19- and 20-inchers, which Consumer Guide deems too large for best ride comfort. We'd look for standard 18s and available 19s only.

­The­ Venza and now the 2010 Honda Passport mark another step in the evolution of SUVs from tall-body pseudo-trucks to something more like good old-fashioned station wagons that can be equipped with AWD. Tiny Subaru has prospered with Outback and Forester wagons that follow this exact formula. Now the big boys are joining in, so the trend should pick up speed, and that's fine with us. After all, not every driver needs to sit as high as an elephant's eye.

We haven't heard of any special innovations for the 2010 Honda Passport, but Honda is known for why-didn't-they-think-of-that-before features, so don't be surprised to see one or two such here. Sources do say the available AWD should have much in common with the Pilot's VTM-4 system, which lacks low-range gearing but allows locking-in a 50/50 power split for getting through, say, deep snow or rutted muddy dirt roads. But if it's a rock-hopper you want, look elsewhere. Like the Venza, this car won't have the necessary ground clearance or heavy-duty underpinnings, though chassis skid plates might be available.

Source;
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2010-honda-passport1.htm

No comments: