cars news 10: 2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Long-Term Update 5

We’re closing in on a year with the Honda CR-V Touring. Here’s a quick rundown of small things that stand out, plus a couple that don’t.

The Standouts:

Capless gas filler

Time and time again I am relieved and delighted to open the fuel filler door and find a capless fuel filler. Not only does this make filling up easier and faster, but it also means I never forget to put the cap back on.

A removable cargo floor

The cargo floor is made up of a square-shaped, lightweight carpeted false floor. Using the pull loop, the piece is easy to remove for wiping and vacuuming.

Two options for lowering the rear seats

Some SUVs allow you to lower the seats from the second row, and others let you do it from the cargo area, but Honda gives you both options. In the cargo area the levers are easily reached and activated by pulling handles on either side of the interior wall. From the second row, the seats are lowered via a lever mounted on the outboard side of the headrest.

2.5-amp USB outlets

USB slots are commonplace in most new cars, but in addition to two slots for the front seat, Honda offers two USB slots in the back seat, both of which flow 2.5 amps of electricity into your mobile device, allowing it to charge significantly faster than the more common 1.5 or 1.0 amp USB slots.

The gearshift lever detents

When acceleration is needed for merging or passing or just getting somewhere more quickly, the best way to achieve this is to drop the gearshift lever down two detents into “L.” This changes to the ratio of the CVT and spools up the engine for more power at the foot.

The Faults:

Single-piece rear floormat

I like to remove floormats for cleaning/vacuuming, but this floormat, although easy to remove, is unwieldy once out of the vehicle, and it’s too long to be easily shaken clean.

Exterior lower door trim piece

Although it contributes to the CR-V’s attractive curb appeal, the exterior door trim piece of the front and rear doors is susceptible to curb catching when parked on the street. It becomes even more vulnerable when the CR-V is weighted down with people, lowering the trim closer to curb.

2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Long-Term Update 5