Once a member of Honda’s well-conceived Accord sedan family, the 2015 Honda Crosstour is, since 2010, sort of a style-challenged mongrel. Labeled a 5-passenger midsize hatchback, this niche-defying people-hauler might be seen as a small crossover offering less-than-commodious rear-seat room and a cargo area that handles only 51.3 cubic feet of capacity with the rear seatbacks folded, far less than your traditional midsize crossover holds. Silver-lining-wise, however, stowage space to the rear seatbacks is 25.7 cubes, which, of course, is considerably better than the Accord sedan.

Again looking on the bright side, the Crosstour’s higher stance means better visibility and easier entry and exit, but these perceived advantages are tempered by less agility and, frankly, a less attractive automobile than the spiffy next-gen Honda Accord.

Unchanged for 2015, the Crosstour comes in basically 2 trims, the EX and the EX-L. Drivetrain and creature comfort variations, though, can compartmentalize each of these into the Crosstour EX V6, the EX-L V6 and the EX-L V6 with Navigation. Furthermore, though front-wheel drive (FWD) remains standard, V6-toting EX-Ls can be delivered with available full-time all-wheel drive (AWD), resulting in the EX-L V6 AWD and the EX-L V6 AWD with Navigation sub-trims.

Also returning in the 2015 Crosstour stable are a pair of powerplant and transmission offerings. The base EX and its up-featured EX-L sibling tote a 192-hp 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder (I4) engine mated with a 5-speed shiftable automatic transmission that manages 162 lb-ft of torque. Look for an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city/31 highway from the I4, which, by the way, is unavailable with the AWD option.

For a bit more grunt, both the EX V6 and the EX-L V6, in both FWD and AWD versions, pack a 3.5-liter V6 powerplant that combines with a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission sporting steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Expect 278 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque from this capable 6-banger, to the tune of 23/30 in FWD versions and 19/28 when equipped with available AWD.

Despite a certain reluctance by most media folks to give the 2015 Crosstour the respect of its reworked Accord running mates, let it not be said that this Honda lacks the expected posh of many of its kissing cousins. For example, the base I4-toting Crosstour EX comes with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, a power moonroof and heated power-adjustable mirrors outside, with cloth upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat and full power accessories adorning the cabin. Additionally, this entry-level trim boasts cruise control, telescoping tilt-wheel steering and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, not to mention air conditioning, a rear-view camera, Bluetooth hands-free calling and a 6-CD changer with 7 speakers and a USB interface.

Step up to the EX V6 and you’ll find, besides the beefed-up powertrain, 18-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, audible text messaging, power-adjustable front seats, Aha Smartphone apps, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen and Pandora Internet radio.

The EX-L with the I4, meanwhile, returns with 17-inch alloy wheels, but adds standard satellite radio, heated front seats and memory for driver settings, while the EX-L V6 comes back with those 18-inch alloy wheels, as well as a remote garage door opener.

In a somewhat refreshing break with tradition, Honda rarely clutters things up with complicated and usually pricy optional equipment schemes. The abovementioned 2015 Crosstour EX-L with Navigation sub-trim remains delivered with GPS navigation and further includes 16GB of music storage and illuminated steering-wheel control buttons.

Finally, standard safety equipment in all Crosstour iterations includes 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), front and rear head airbags, active front headrests and front side-mounted airbags, along with standard front fog/driving lights, daytime running lights and a remote antitheft alarm. The EX V6 and higher trims additionally sport standard blind-spot monitoring, while all EX-L versions boast standard lane-departure warnings and forward-collision alerts.