Her + His Car Reviews
2017 Honda CR-V 1.5 T AWD Touring
There are two sides to everything, right? To keep our car reviews innovative and interesting, we provide an animated, insightful, detailed and sometimes uncouth two points of view on the same car from - Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $34,595 | $34,595 |
| Performance | |
| Honda tweaked the performance in the mid-year redesign and power and handling are improved. Acceleration is good, but there is a split second hesitation. The model sports 190 horsepower and 1.5 turbo so it's not the fastest vehicle on the road but it does the job. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) works well and works like an automatic. | Power comes from a 190 horsepower, 1.5 liter, direct injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with a continuously variable transmission. No complaints here! Although the CR-V does feel a bit heavy coming off the line, it's only for a second or two. The handling is Honda sharp, with tight, precise cornering, and steering that is just about as centered and unflappable as they come. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| The Honda CR-V has a very impressive fuel economy record of 33 highway and 27 city miles, to average out at 29 mpg. The AWD intelligent control system is great for all weather. | A pretty respectable 29 miles per gallon, 27 city and 33 highway. Annual fuel costs are $1,250 based on 15,000 miles of driving on $2.45 a gallon gasoline. You can save $750 in fuel costs over five years by buying the CR-V, compared with other new vehicles. And it uses only 3.4 gallons per 100 miles! |
| The Vehicle | |
| Honda gave the 2017 a re-design which touched almost all areas from design to performance to technology. This third best selling mid-sized SUV really has it all for the family or person wanting an all around, get-around-town-SUV. The vehicle is spacious in all areas - front, back and the trunk. Those with longer legs will enjoy its roominess. Honda is paying attention to the details in this year's model with stitching in the steering wheel complimented by leather wrapped shift knob. The leather seats are quite comfortable and are heated, along with having 12-way power seat and lumbar. Plenty of stuff can be placed in the tri-center console sections. Cup holders, too. The rear seats fold easily with the touch of a finger to a 60/40 split position so its easy to manipulate seats into various configurations needed. The cabin noise is a tad loud, we found. Assembled in Ontario, Canada. |
I had not driven a CR-V in many years when this one arrived, and I can see why it is hands down, a favorite. It is so well built, so comfortable to drive, comes well equipped without adding a thing, and its got its own distinct styling going on--you will never confuse this with anything else. And the new styling themes make this CR-V look way more expensive than it is. For 2017, Honda introduced a whole new generation and there is quite a bit to talk about in terms of changes. For the first time, there are two engine choices with a new 1.5 liter turbocharged version that powered our test example. The other engine is a 184 horsepower, 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine. Honda says the CR-V has best fuel economy rating in the class with the new engine, and the company also claims top-in-class cabin quietness, steering precision and rife comfort, a long with tops-in-class interior space along with five feet of flat cargo space. The EX trim and above have standard Honda Sensing safety/driver assist technology, too. This year the CR-V also gets a new programmable power tailgate with several height positions, and it also has a two mode floor setup around back: the upper mode is for a full, flat layout, and a lower level mode that offers maximum capacity with four large hard suitcases being able to be stored under the tonneau cover. There's also a new three-mode center console that includes USB charging ports for front passengers, an upper tray for holding smartphones, or a trick where you can flip the tray over and stow it at the back of the box for maximum storage capacity. |
| Safety | |
| Lots of safety features on the CR-V. Airbags galore. Anti-lock Braking. Vehicle Stability Assist. Brake Assist. LED Daytime Running Lights. LATCH System for Child Seats. Adaptive Cruise Control. Collision Mitigation Braking System and Forward Collision Warning. Adjustable Pedals. Front and Rear Tow Hooks. Blind Spot Monitoring. Emergency Trunk Release. Rollover Protection System. Lane Departure Warning. Intermittent Wipers. Capless Fuel Filter. | A highlight is Honda Sensing, which combines collision mitigation braking system, lane departure warning, a collision prevention package that includes adaptive cruise control with Low-Speed follow feature; a lane keeping assist system, and auto-high beam system; a blind spot information system that provides more lateral safety, and a rearview camera and cross-traffic alert system in the touring for more rear safety. |
| Technology | |
| The Touring left no technology to the imagination. AM/FM/HD Premium Audio with 9 Speakers including Subwoofer. Sirius XM Satellite Radio for 3 months. 7" Display audio with Electrostatic Touchscreen and Honda Satellite-linked Navigation. Multi-Rear View Camera - nice. Car Play with Android Auto Integration. Bluetooth hands free link. Pandora Internet radio interface. USB Audio interface. 4.2" Multi-information Display. Driver Attention Monitor. Push Button Start. Dual Zone Climate Control for personalized comfort. Auto Dimming Rearview Mirror. Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirror. Home Link System. Electric Parking Brake. Power Moonroof. Roof Rails. Dual Chrome Exhaust Finishers. Tailgate Spoiler. Walk away Auto Lock. Remote Engine Starter. |
The EX offers a standard 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (190 hp, 179 lb-ft), remote ignition, 18-inch wheels, foglights, heated mirrors, body-color door handles and spoiler, rear privacy glass, a retractable cargo cover, keyless entry and start, an upgraded driver information center, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power driver seat, heated front seats, a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Audio, satellite radio, an upgraded rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, numerous advanced safety features (automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and intervention, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking) and second-row USB charging ports. Step up to the EX-L and standard features a programmable-height power liftgate, driver-seat memory settings, leather upholstery, a power passenger seat (though it still lacks height adjustment), a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an eight-speaker audio system with HD radio. A navigation system is optional on the EX-L but not on the lesser trims. The top-of-the-line Touring boasts LED headlights, roof rails, dual chrome exhaust tips, automatic wipers, hands-free functionality for the power liftgate, ambient interior lighting, the navigation system and a subwoofer for the audio system. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| Beginning with the outside, the front design and lights have an Acura-esque quality to them; very fresh and updated for the CR-V. The lines are clean throughout and approachable. Honda - like many in this category - have done away with the unnecessary paddle shifters. We think of this as a small victory as we've been lobbying to take those out of the car, and put the money elsewhere. Who really uses them on a vehicle like this? The Design elements on the inside are aesthetically pleasing, though a bit basic, but that is just fine, because that helps to make it a best-selling vehicle in its class. The moon roof is handy. No real blind spots - enjoyable vehicle to drive, supported by four 18" alloy wheels. |
A winner in my book. The new styling is more substantial looking, and rather elegant in all model levels. The Touring is a knockout with the tasteful side trim it offers, and the CR-V has turned into a real head turner. Inside, the CR-V is tastefully done, but traditional, especially in terms of what Hondas traditionally have offered --which might turn off some design minded consumers who want a more contemporary, forward-looking interior. I also didn't care much for the touch screen design that Honda uses--it's a few seconds slow to respond. |
| Warranty | |
| 3 years/36,000-mile basic warranty. Roadside Assistance 3 year/36,000 miles. | 3 years/36,000-mile basic warranty. |
