2017 Honda CR-V Review
The Honda CR-V is no secret. In fact, it’s currently the best selling crossover on the market. And for
2017, the CR-V has been completely redesigned, both inside and out.
Now in its fifth generation, the exterior has become increasingly sculpted, with more edges and lines than ever before. The previous teardrop shape has gone away, and it now has a much more athletic and sporty appearance. This is carried on into the wheels, which enrich the visual appeal and fit the vehicle perfectly.
On the inside, the new interior is comprised of many different colors, textures and materials, all of which work very well together. The previous generation CR-V had an attractive and functional cabin, however for 2017 they’ve made some improvements. Starting in the middle, the 7” infotainment screen on the top 3 trims looks clean and now features a volume knob, something that had gone away in past Hondas. Dual zone climate control is standard on most trims, which is always a nice way to make sure your front seat passenger stays happy.
The seats are comfortable, even on long drives. Heated seats are optional, however cooled seats are not available. Another unavailable feature is a panoramic moonroof. A standard sunroof is an option, however the panoramic moonroof is only available to North American buyers in Canada. Hopefully it makes its way into the U.S. in the next year or two.
The interior is spacious and roomy for up to 5 total passengers. In the rear seat, both headroom and legroom are ample. A USB port is available in the second row, however a rear seat entertainment system is not. The center arm rest can be difficult to lower, and don’t even try if you just had your nails done, as there’s no built-in location to place your fingers to bring it down. Oddly enough, we found closing the doors to be much more difficult than it should be. If we didn’t put some muscle into it, the door wouldn’t close all the way. It’s a small detail, but one we found to be quite annoying.
A convenient feature we’re seeing more and more is the ability to open the liftgate with the wave of your foot, which is included on the CR-V. This is truly a helpful option and after you use it once when your arms are full at the grocery store, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.
On the road, the 1.5L inline turbo 4-cylinder engine felt peppy and even engaging. With the CVT transmission Honda uses on all trims, driving enjoyment could have easily been lost, however with the turbo, we found ourselves forgetting about the CVT all together. The engine’s 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque could squeal the wheels from a stop or quickly accelerate during a pass on the highway. The LX trim on the other hand is powered by a 2.4L incline 4-cylinder, which produces 184 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. Even though the numbers are similar, fuel economy is a little worse with the 2.4L, and the driving experience is definitely not as enjoyable.
Our fuel economy averaged 30mpg in combined city and highway driving, which was a hair better than the 29MPG combined Honda claims for the AWD Touring model. All-wheel drive is available on all trims, and both LKAS (Lane Keep Assist System) and adaptive cruise control are available. We thoroughly tested each of these features and were impressed with their performance. Lane keep assist systems on other vehicles don’t always read the lines on the road very well or don’t respond quick enough. The system in the CR-V however performed just as you’d expect.
The 2017 Honda CR-V starts at $24,045 and can climb to $37,000 with a fully loaded Touring model. At all price points, the CR-V is an excellent value. It’s no surprise it’s the best selling crossover in America.