Honing method and machine tool for contour honing

The invention relates to a honing method for machining the inner surface (214) of a bore (210) in a workpiece (200) by means of at least one honing operation, wherein, during a honing operation, an expandable honing tool (150) coupled to a spindle is moved back and forth inside the bore in the axial direction of the bore in order generate a reciprocating motion and, at the same time, is rotated inorder to generate a rotational motion superposed on the reciprocating motion. A bore shape that is rotationally symmetrical with respect to a bore axis (212) and that deviates from the circular cylinder shape and that has an axial contour profile is produced. In order to generate axially varying material removal, a stroke length and/or a stroke position of the reciprocating motion is varied in atleast one stroke variation phase. A honing tool (150) having an annular cutting group (155) having a plurality of cutting material bodies (156), which are distributed around the periphery of a tool body (152) and which can be