Honda Crossroad
Encyclopedia
The Honda Crossroad refers to two specific types of SUVs
made by Honda
. One of them is a rebadged
Land Rover Discovery Series I SUV, while the other is a completely different vehicle introduced in 2008.
rebadged and marketed the Crossroad when market research indicated that SUVs were becoming popular. Honda bought the rights to the Discovery Series I from Land Rover
and had it placed in the Japanese SUV market for a short time before the partnership ended when BMW
bought Land Rover
. Some of them had been sold as well to New Zealand.
With the end of the Crossroad in the Japanese SUV market due to the termination of Honda's partnership with Land Rover, Honda replaced the Crossroad with its CR-V
.
The Crossroad had been marketed for a short time in Japan from October, 1993
to 1998.
had threatened to end ties with Rover after it received news that it was sold to BMW. In 1997, a recall was issued by Honda on the advise of Ministry of Transportation due to a malfunction locking mechanism on the SUV's driver-side front door that could make the vehicle open while driving. Around 4,754 vehicles made from July 1995 to December 1996 were affected by the recall.
, released for the Japan
ese market in February 2007 for the 2008 model year. The Crossroad features three rows of seats capable of accommodating up to 7 passengers. It replaces the Honda HR-V for the Japanese market.
Under the hood, the Crossroad sports one of two 4-cylinder
engines
of 1.8 and 2.0L in displacement. Both will be mated to the only available transmission: a 5-speed automatic
. Honda's Real-Time AWD system has been thoroughly revised for the Crossroad. It now works in conjunction with stability and traction control as well as ABS brakes
. For the first time in a Honda, the Crossroad will be equipped with Hill-Start Assist which temporarily maintains brake pressure after the brake pedal is released when starting on a hill. Under normal driving conditions, the Crossroad behaves as a FWD vehicle.
According to AutoWeek
, Honda said it won't import the Crossroad to North America
, since their similarly-sized Element
takes its place. Honda's crossover SUV lineup in the United States
and Canada
already has the smaller Element, the mid-priced CR-V
and the larger Pilot
, as all three models are made in North America.
As of August 2010 the Crossroad has been discontinued.
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
made by Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. One of them is a rebadged
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
Land Rover Discovery Series I SUV, while the other is a completely different vehicle introduced in 2008.
Rebadged version (1993–1998)
HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
rebadged and marketed the Crossroad when market research indicated that SUVs were becoming popular. Honda bought the rights to the Discovery Series I from Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
and had it placed in the Japanese SUV market for a short time before the partnership ended when BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
bought Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
. Some of them had been sold as well to New Zealand.
With the end of the Crossroad in the Japanese SUV market due to the termination of Honda's partnership with Land Rover, Honda replaced the Crossroad with its CR-V
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is a compact suv, now called crossover, manufactured since 1995 by Honda. It was loosely derived from the Honda Civic to satisfy a public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda. There are discrepancies as to what "CR-V" stands for, with Honda sources in different markets...
.
The Crossroad had been marketed for a short time in Japan from October, 1993
to 1998.
Problems
Problems had emerged regarding the marketing of the Crossroad in Japan. For instance, HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
had threatened to end ties with Rover after it received news that it was sold to BMW. In 1997, a recall was issued by Honda on the advise of Ministry of Transportation due to a malfunction locking mechanism on the SUV's driver-side front door that could make the vehicle open while driving. Around 4,754 vehicles made from July 1995 to December 1996 were affected by the recall.
Reintroduced version (2008–2010)
The Honda Crossroad name was reused as a new crossover SUVCrossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
, released for the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese market in February 2007 for the 2008 model year. The Crossroad features three rows of seats capable of accommodating up to 7 passengers. It replaces the Honda HR-V for the Japanese market.
Under the hood, the Crossroad sports one of two 4-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engines
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
of 1.8 and 2.0L in displacement. Both will be mated to the only available transmission: a 5-speed automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. Honda's Real-Time AWD system has been thoroughly revised for the Crossroad. It now works in conjunction with stability and traction control as well as ABS brakes
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
. For the first time in a Honda, the Crossroad will be equipped with Hill-Start Assist which temporarily maintains brake pressure after the brake pedal is released when starting on a hill. Under normal driving conditions, the Crossroad behaves as a FWD vehicle.
According to AutoWeek
AutoWeek
AutoWeek is a fortnightly automotive enthusiast publication based in Detroit, Michigan. One of 32 titles published by Crain Communications Inc, its parent company, AutoWeek is unique as the only consumer title among its sister publications....
, Honda said it won't import the Crossroad to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, since their similarly-sized Element
Honda Element
The Honda Element is a compact crossover SUV based on a modified CR-V platform, manufactured in East Liberty, Ohio and marketed in the United States and Canada from December 2002.-Overview:...
takes its place. Honda's crossover SUV lineup in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
already has the smaller Element, the mid-priced CR-V
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is a compact suv, now called crossover, manufactured since 1995 by Honda. It was loosely derived from the Honda Civic to satisfy a public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda. There are discrepancies as to what "CR-V" stands for, with Honda sources in different markets...
and the larger Pilot
Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot is a mid-size crossover SUV. The Honda Pilot is built in Lincoln, Alabama, and was also produced in Alliston, Ontario, Canada up until April 2007. The first generation Pilot was released in the summer of 2002 as a 2003 model, and in 2006 it received new front and rear fascias, a...
, as all three models are made in North America.
As of August 2010 the Crossroad has been discontinued.