The 2017 Honda CR-V may just be the very best choice in the slightly-used SUV category. What it lacks in thrills, style, and extras, it more than makes up for in dependability, value, and safety.
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A Quick Look at the 2017 Honda CR-V
- With four trim levels, each available with either FWD or AWD, the 2017 CR-V offers a little bit of something for everyone. Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Pricing ranges from about $23,000 to $27,700, depending on the trim.
- The 2017 Honda CR-V is only offered with two engine options, a 2.4L available on the LX, and a 1.5L turbo on EX and above. While the upgraded option doesn’t add much power, it does up fuel economy to about 28 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.
- Honda’s 2017 CR-V shines in terms of safety, with both leading authorities the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) giving it their highest marks, with the latter naming it a “Top Safety Pick+,” which is only reserved for the models that perform far above average.
- While just three recalls were issued for the 2017 CR-V, over a thousand complaints were registered, mostly about the electrical system. Regardless, compared to its rivals, the CR-V is a true force to be reckoned with, excelling in nearly every category.
2017 Honda CR-V is Offered Across Four Trim Levels, and all have a CVT and standard FWD
The 2017 Honda CR-V is available in four different trim levels. The LX comes with the base 2.4L engine, while the rest pack a 1.5L I4. They all have a CVT, and they all come standard in FWD and are available with AWD.
CR-V LX Provides Many Standard Features, Making it a Fantastic Daily Driver
Up first, the LX, Honda’s entry-level trim for the CR-V. Some of the key standard options are LED daytime running lamps, an easy-fold 60/40 split rear seat, Bluetooth, hill assist, a backup camera, and an electronic parking brake.
There are some nice bonuses as you work your way up the trim list, but the LX is hardly bare-bones. Other built-in features include a valet function, an engine immobilizer, and remote keyless entry. The creature comfort list is low in the LX, but there’s nothing substantial missing, either.
Pricing for a base FWD LX with 66k miles should run between about $21,900 to $24,400, with a Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price sitting at $23,000 when bought from a dealer. Adding 4WD adds about $900 on average.
CR-V EX Adds a Slightly More Powerful Engine and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
The EX trim level introduces the 1.5L engine, which is a little more powerful and a little more efficient, but truth be told, any hill an LX won’t climb, an EX won’t be climbing, either.
The real upgrades with the EX are all about style and comfort. Deep-tinted glass comes standard, as well as 18-inch alloys, automatic climate control, some nice simulated wood in the interior trim, and heated front bucket seats, a must-have if you live in a cold climate.
The EX also introduces the seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 12-way power driver’s seat and fog lights.
A Fair Purchase Price on a 4WD EX rests at about $26,600.
CR-V EX-L Offers a Mild Upgrade Over Previous Trim, Adding Power Liftgate and Remote Start
The EX-L is a modest upgrade over the EX for a minimal price bump. You get a handful of ease-of-use bonuses, like an optional power liftgate for the rear cargo access, cargo access and remote engine start on your FOB controls, and some more leather in the interior, including a leather-wrapped gear shifter.
The EX-L is typically priced within $1,000 of the EX, and easily packs $1,000 worth of upgrades. Basically, if you’re getting the EX, you might as well consider stepping up further to the EX-L.
KBB shows a 4WD EX-L to have a Fair Purchase Price of about $27,300, not to exceed $28,900.
CR-V Touring Tops Out the CR-V Trim List with Unique Exterior Styling and Premium Audio System
The LX is the most luxurious, most feature-packed trim level for the 2017 CR-V. Several of these upgrades include LED headlights and rain-sensing wipers.
Honda added a premium nine-speaker sound system, with a subwoofer, as well as steering wheel controls for the radio, and voice recognition comes standard instead of optional. What’s more, you get a few more remote functions, like fuel access, and some nice chrome and black accents throughout the exterior.
Not a huge upgrade over the EX-L, but not a huge price bump over the EX-L, either. That’s sort of the recurring theme with 2017 CR-V trim levels: It’s not that big a jump from the cheapest model to the most luxurious model, and that applies to features, performance, and price.
As the most feature-packed model, a 4WD Touring has a Fair Purhase Price of $27,700, but shouldn’t go over $29,300.
2017 Honda CR-V: Engine Options, Performance, and Fuel Efficiency
There are only two engine options in the 2017 Honda CR-V, but they get the job done for most.
The LX comes equipped with a 2.4L I4 engine, which produces 184 horsepower and 190 lb.-ft. of torque
The 1.5L engine is a turbocharged direct-injection I4 and is found powering the EX, EX-L, and Touring editions. The 1.5L does add an extra six horsepower, but sacrifices 11 lb.-ft. of torque in the process.
Whichever trim level you go for, you’ve got a 14-gallon gas tank, a CVT, and the option of FWD or AWD.
2017 Honda CR-V Ranges from 26 mpg City Up to 34 mpg Highway Speeds
The 2.4L engine in the LX CR-V is estimated to get you 26 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. The 1.5L turbo in the EX, EX-L, and Touring should average 28 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.
With basic maintenance and smart driving habits, your own numbers shouldn’t be far off from the EPA’s reported mpg averages.
Honda’s 2017 CR-V is Decent Overall but Doesn’t Excel if You Need an SUV that Can Tow
In terms of performance, the 2017 Honda CR-V is a pretty good all-arounder. It’s not exactly an adventure vehicle, but it’s a somewhat capable off-roader, even if you go with a FWD model (though AWD is a must if you deal with a lot of mud and bad weather).
With a towing capacity of just 1,500 pounds, you can’t haul anything bigger than a trailer with one or two dirt bikes on it. Remember, it’s based on a Civic platform. Anything you wouldn’t pull in a compact, you probably don’t want to pull in your CR-V.
2017 CR-V is a Spacious SUV with Nearly 76 Cubic Feet of Cargo Capacity
As a compact crossover based on a Civic platform, the 2017 Honda CR-V isn’t one of the biggest SUVs on the market today. But, the interior is a little bigger than the 2016 CR-V by an inch or so.
Overall, the model is 180 inches long, 66 high, and 73 wide. Front occupants can enjoy 40.1 inches of headroom and 41.3 of legroom, while rear passengers get 39.2 inches and 40.4, respectively.
Cargo capacity goes from 39.2 cubic feet to 75.8 depending on whether the seats are folded. Regardless, seating for five is standard no matter the trim level or options.
2017 Honda CR-V is a Very Safe SUV, Earning a National Top Safety Pick+ Award
The 2017 Honda CR-V comes packed with safety features, thanks to the Honda Sensing suite. Options in this package include collision mitigation braking that can check for potential warning and pedestrians up ahead, road departure mitigation, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. It also includes all the basics, such as electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, etc.
These features helped the 2017 CR-V to earn the IIHS’ highest honor, the Top Safety Pick+. The IIHS gave the SUV a score of G, for Good, their highest rating, in almost every single category.
The two exceptions: headlights, which earned a rating of A (Acceptable) in the Touring model, and M (Marginal) in the other trim levels.
The NHTSA backed the IIHS in their generally positive assessment with an overall rating of five out of five stars, and a rollover risk of just 16.20%, which is on par for most compact SUVs.
Advanced Technology Features are Aplenty in 2017 CR-V, Including Honda Sensing Suite’s Robust Set of Safety Assists
The entertainment features in the 2017 Honda CR-V really get interesting at the EX level. The LX comes with a basic AM/FM, four-speaker stereo system equipped with Bluetooth, USB interface, and speed-sensitive volume control, meaning that the volume adjusts to your volume so you can hear your music over the road noise. In the EX level, you get a seven-inch touchscreen and six speakers.
That’s upgraded to an eight-speaker system in the EX-L, and a nine-speaker setup (with subwoofer) with Honda satellite navigation, and turn-by-turn directions in the Touring edition. All four trim levels feature a pair of LCD screens up front, but there’s no touchscreen in the LX.
As mentioned in the safety section, the 2017 CR-V also comes with the Honda Sensing suite, which includes a robust set of features that help the car to react to hazards faster than human reflexes allow.
2017 Honda CR-V Offers 10 Exterior and Three Interior Color Options, from Basic Shades to Pearlescent Coats
There are 10 available exterior color options for the 2017 CRV (six on the LX and 10 on the EX, EX-L, and Touring), most focused around subdued earth tones and monochromes. Metallics include Sandstorm, Gunmetal, Dark Olive, Modern Steel, and Lunar Silver. Pearlescent coats consist of Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, Basque Red, Molten Lava, and White Diamond.
Color options found inside the 2017 CR-V are very modest, with just Black, Gray, and Ivory available in cloth or leather, depending on the trim.
2017 Honda CR-V: Low Maintenance Costs, Recalls, and Few Common Issues Make It a Good Car Overall
The initial cost of buying a car is quite often the smallest expense involved in owning it.
The good news is that the 2017 Honda CR-V isn’t one of those vehicles where small maintenance expenses will empty your wallet. It’s dirt cheap to take care of, per Repair Pal, which puts the average annual repair cost at around $309, with major repairs costing between $278 and $340.
Overall, they give the car a 4.5-star reliability rating out of five, and ranks it second overall across all compact SUVs, topped only by the Subaru Crosstrek, which actually costs more to maintain, despite taking first place for overall reliability.
2017 Honda CR-V’s Most Common Issues Center Around Electrical issues and Dead Batteries
The NHTSA has more than one thousand complaints on file regarding the 2017 CR-V.
The biggest issues point to the electrical system, at 230 reports. Several drivers mention what can only be summarized as “bad wiring,” with batteries dying early, cars failing to start, and instrument clusters failing to operate.
While 1,037 complaints sounds like a lot, Honda sold 378,600 CR-Vs in 2017. This equates to around one driver in 400 having to register an issue with the NHTSA.
Honda’s 2017 CR-V Has Just Three Mild Recalls
As for recalls, the 2017 CR-V has three on the record. A September 2018 recall addressed a magnet becoming dislodged in the steering system in 54 units, resulting in the cars losing maneuverability. A July 2017 recall had to do with a fuel supply pipe that was liable to disconnect and leak in 32,233 units. Returning to the vehicle’s first recall in April 2017, an incorrect label was applied to 1,425 units.
In total, fewer than 10% of all 2017 CR-Vs have been recalled, so there’s a good chance that your new/used SUV isn’t affected. But, there’s no point in risking it. Recalls are free and are valid for the lifetime of the vehicle.
2017 Honda CR-V vs. Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-5, and Subaru Forester
There are a lot of good options in the compact SUV segment. You have adventure vehicles like the Jeep Cherokee, and luxury models like the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. But if you’re in the market for a Honda, you’re probably comparing it to efficient, sensible, mid-budget family SUVs. The closest competition to the CR-V would be the Nissan Rogue, the Mazda CX-5, and the Subaru Forester.
2017 Nissan Rogue is a Less-costly Alternative to the CR-V by About $4,000
Kelley Blue Book puts the starting price for the 2017 Nissan Rogue much lower than the 2017 CR-V, at just under $16k, compared to almost $20k for the CR-V. This immediately puts the Rogue in the lead for the budget shopper, but saving that $4k is going to cost you about 43 horsepower, with the Sport S only delivering 141 to the LX’s 184.
The Rogue doesn’t start to compete with the CR-V on performance until you get to the $23,820 S model, which comes in 11 horses under the LX at 170. The toughest Rogue available is the SL Hybrid, topping out at 176 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque, and starting at $20,239.
That extra 43 horsepower is nice to have, but if you’re on a budget, then the Rogue may win hands down on price alone.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2017 Mazda CX-5 Favors Conventional Automatics Over CVTs
The differences between the base Sport level CX-5 and the LX are pretty marginal. A CX-5 starts at just under $19k, with the CR-V starting at nearly $20k. The CX-5 delivers slightly more horsepower at 187 over 184. Both are passenger-oriented, five-seat compact SUVs with no real towing capacity to speak of.
Here’s the tiebreaker: The CX-5 comes equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. If you dislike CVTs, this makes the CX-5 the winner, hands down. Conventional automatics may become a thing of the past before long, so if you want to make sure that you spend the next 10 years driving a six-speed, you’ll want to buy an automatic while you still can.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2017 Subaru Forester Comes Standard with AWD and Excels in Off-road Capability
The 2017 Subaru Forester is the toughest SUV on this list, with the Premium trim level starting at just a few $100 more than a CR-V LX, going up to 250 horsepower when equipped with a 2.4L engine, more than 60 hp above the LX.
Foresters come standard with AWD and a six-speed automatic, so this is the option we suggest if you live somewhere rural and need something that can handle any road in any weather.
The towing capacity tops out at 1,500 pounds, just like the CR-V, so don’t expect a Forester to drive like a Wrangler, but it may be preferable to the CR-V if you’re not going to be spending all your time on paved roads.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2017 Honda CR-V Gets Our Full Approval as a Worthy Used SUV
If you’re shopping for a used compact SUV to be your daily driver, buy a 2017 Honda CR-V.
The 2017 CR-V is everything it’s promised to be. It has five-star safety ratings from both the IIHS and the NHTSA, up to 75 cubic feet of interior space, a capable 1.5L turbo under the hood, and an average mileage of around 30 mpg.
Yes, there are more exciting off-roaders, sportier hatchbacks, and more luxurious full-size SUVs, but there might not be a better everyday grocery-getter on the used market today than a 2017 Honda CR-V.
Photos: Honda
