Given the way the industry’s going, this website might soon have to change its name to The Truth About Crossovers. Thankfully, the acronym remains the same.
A U.S. design patent granted to Honda on Tuesday reveals that three utility vehicles might not be enough for the Japanese automaker’s American lineup. As car companies both domestic and foreign scramble to fill in gaps in their showrooms, it seems Honda hasn’t yet reached the crossover saturation point.
The patent, which carries a filing date of August 2nd, 2016, shows a two-row crossover with a more steeply raked rear window than either the compact CR-V or midsize Pilot. There’s no headroom for a third row back there. A spoiler adorns the top of the liftgate.
Basically, if the defunct Honda Crosstour and Ford Edge had a baby, it might look a lot like this. The appearance of high-end flourishes, such as a chrome fender vents and integrated twin tailpipes with some surrounding brightwork, lend credence to Automotive News‘ prediction of a potential near-premium two-row arriving next year as a 2019 model.
Dealers apparently pressed Honda for a larger model positioned above the CR-V, designed to do battle with swankier rivals. The model would shun the CR-V’s platform in favor of that of the three-row Pilot.
Not only would the larger platform give backseat passengers room to stretch out, it would also add more acreage aft of the rear seats, allowing for rakish rear glass in the now-commonplace four-door SUV coupe tradition. The model would surely borrow the Pilot’s powertrain, and would be built in Alabama alongside its three-row sibling.
Should it make it to production (what automaker says no to a new crossover?), Honda had better not use the “c” (coupe) word.
[Images: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office]
I’m trying to figure out how one would need even MORE rear seat room than the CR-V, and I’m coming up blank; I’m 6′ 2″ and I can easily sit behind myself. This gives unneeded rear seat room and compromises cargo space. What possible use does it serve?
I used to think of the 2-row midsize crossover class as superfluous when compact CUVs have as much interior room (by the numbers) but then I had a few Ford Edge rentals that changed my mind. These two row midsizers are just nicer to drive and feel more substantial. Better rides, better NVH control, the added cabin width does add to the sensation of roominess and just being a more luxurious vehicle. This being built on the Pilot platform rather than the CRV drives the point home. Like the Edge being closer to an Explorer rather than a Focus-based Escape.
Same deal with compact vs. midsize sedans. Though the compacts may have nearly as much interior room, the midsizers are just nicer in every way with practically no fuel economy penalty.
Some guys take the middle seat out of minivans; for legroom in third row….. And in “high end” houses, 12-14 foot ceilings aren’t uncommon. Even in butt cold Montana.
More rear legroom? Think Chinese market, and to see what extra 2nd row leg room translates to in real life terms take a look at the 2nd row of the Ford Flex.
Looks like a next gen CrossTour to me with more conventional styling versus the air pumped original.
Somewhere a modern day Sloan has decreed…a crossover for every purse and purpose.
This has to be great for profitability, they sell at a nice premium to sedans, likely with little added content / manufacturing cost.
That’s the production version of the Concept D concept car from the 2015 Shanghai auto show.
https://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/20/honda-concept-d-crossover-shanghai-2015/
Good spot. I’m sure most other people are like me, and our ability to remember concept crossovers is nonexistent a few minutes after seeing them.
What will it be called? We have already had the Honda CRX, CR-V, and CRZ… my guess is that the 100th SUV/CUV on the market will be called the CR-Y.
The CR-Y. It’ll make you want to.
That would have been the appropriate name for the original Crosstour.
I don’t get the Crosstour hate. That thing was about the best driving crossover ever built. And was low enough to make roof racks/top boxes practical. While having a dead flat load floor long enough to sleep in for even tall people. Anything built on a Pilot platform, is bound to be infinitely more cumbersome and clumsy.
Same here – the Crosstour just needed bigger wheels to make it look proportional.
The hate is because it was @55 ugly to most. Nothing more, nothing less.
Ask anyone who owned one and they will tell you that the Aztek was an amazing vehicle. But it will never be remembered for its good traits.
Don’t see how this thing qualifies for a patent; the design is hardly new or even different, outside of just a little more rake to the rear window for a vehicle that size. Honestly, it’s more of an enlarged, four-door CVCC of the ’70s/’80s than anything really original. Even the Pontiac Aztec had this general shape.
Design patents are specific to the “ornamental non-functional design for an object” rather than the more commonly thought of utility patents.
Things like screen fonts can be covered by design patents.
Came here to say the same thing. Looks more Aztek than not.
But…but….the Aztek was ugly! It was so ugly it would kill your dog and maim your grandmother!!!!!
(of course, in a world full of BMW 4 and 6 series SUV 4 door coupes, the Aztek could have been dressed up as a Cadillac and made tons of money.)
The Aztek’s biggest problem was that the wheels and tires were disproportionate to the size of the vehicle. Its second biggest problem was that even with a V6, it was underpowered… in my opinion, critically underpowered. It had so many things going for it that my wife and I both wanted–we even liked its look, outside of the wheels– but especially with AWD it needed more power and a way to get that power to the ground.
Based on the fact it’s based on a concept shown in China, this is most likely a response to the Mazda CX-4, maybe China only?
I would hope that this has the Pilot drivetrain, but my guess would be it has the 2.0 turbo from the 2018 Accord…
But don’t use the Pilot trans. worst ever :=(
My guess is it would use the 10 speed that it’s paired with in the Accord.
Nothing wrong with the Honda developed 6 speed auto. The problems come from the non-Honda 9 speed auto. That’s the one you want to avoid
I think it looks like a Toyota Venza. Which could also morph into a Acura, and we know they need more SUVs
Came here to say this also. It’s pure Venza.
The question is, was Toyota ahead of its time–or is Honda behind the times, sketching out a vehicle that the market has already decided doesn’t fit?
This car is already on sale in China, and has been for like two years now.
It’s either the Honda Avancier (Honda Guangqi) or slightly restyled and sold by Dongfeng Honda as the Honda UR-V.
https://paultan.org/2017/03/20/honda-ur-v-launched-in-china-dongfengs-avancier/
Thanks for the link. That Avancier is nice. Fingers crossed it keeps that 2.0T.
It looks like Hondas interpretation of a 1977 Chevy Chevette. I would guess its to fill the gap between the crv and pilot.
Perhaps the content chosen fits the prescription more than all possible news and content in the industry. Just maybe… mmkay?
This is the Honda UR-V the Avancier looks slightly different. I prefer the UR-V I like the tail lights on it better than the Avancier
Why the **** hasn’t Honda made a second generation Honda Element yet? That funky box was their most practical offering, they sold over 338,000 of the things and it would undoubtedly be even more popular in our crossover-crazed automotive landscape.
It is with the same design team working on the S2500, the Integra mk.2, and of course, the NSX 2.0, not the tarted up thing they are selling….
Boring-ass Hondas for all !
More crossovers….more…..MORE…..MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
I thought that a few months back, “rumor control” had Honda doing some sort of a “Pilot Jr.,” slotted between the CR-V and the existing Pilot. This is probably it.
Engines? Thought I saw another mention around the time I mentioned of the latest Odyssey being the last newly-developed vehicle with the J-Series V6, so some iteration of the 2.0T/10A from the Accord would be a good guess, unless there’s another small, boosted V6 in the pipe.
Better looking crv!! Was definitely needed.