New Honda wagon spied testing before fall debut

You need some cargo room, but you don't want an SUV, a minivan or a pickup. What to buy? Honda thinks it might have an answer in this wagon with a sporty, sloped roofline.

Expect to see this vehicle arrive in Honda showrooms later this year. It's widely expected to wear the Crosstour name. Look for it to do battle with wagons such as the Toyota Venza.

Look familiar? These Honda prototypes bear a resemblance to the Acura ZDX wagon that was shown in prototype form at the New York auto show last March. But industry watchers say the ZDX and the Crosstour do not share the same platform. The Crosstour rides on the Accord platform.

On these prototypes, some body color tape squares off the back edge of the rear windows, the side points of the rear taillamps and covers parts of the hatch.

By Dale Jewett