[williamsji]

I have an EX-L and it has the grey/ silver ones and I think they look fine. I think the crossbars look funny. I don't have those.

Yep. Touring here, pearl white, with the factory rails installed, and I think they look great as is. Black would look... wierd to me actually.

 

[williamsji]

Thx yup have seen silver and you can see black on white in the product I linked in OP. There’s enough black on the lower part of the car that black rails “frame” the car. I saw somebody post in another thread they want the StormTrooper look, LOL.

The reason I think Honda chose silver rather then black on the OEM rails is because it compliments the upper trim appearance of the vehicle (see the chrome window framing in particular) AND it works well with all colors the CRV is offered in... not just pearl white. If you look objectively at the styling of the gen5 CRV.... it's muted and black low to the ground, and more vibrant with chrome trim and similar features higher up in the vehicle. It does actually make esthetic sense.

Of course anyone is free to go with a different finish on after market rails.... so.. by all means go for it.

 

[williamsji]

I see plenty of white cars with both black and silver in the mix. It can come down to function. The protective trim near the bottom / bumper (even some on grill), fender flares: black. The sport-functioned stuff: black. Other things get chrome / silver. And I do think white in particular is where this can be done well (based on Subarus and a Lexus NX I saw yesterday which somehow had black rails).

That black plastic on the lower levels of the vehicles that is so common with todays SUVs... is black and fairly tough specifically because it is designed to minimze showing any damage from anything poping up from the road as you are driving, particularly pebbles from the vehicle in front of you. I don't know exactly what plastic compound they use, but it will resist denting, scratching and abrasions..and even if it gains any.. it will not show it well except under very close inspection under bright light. Personally I love the stuff and wish there was more of it.. though I see the 2020 CRV front bumper design has even more of it and I don't appreciate the asethetics in that particular case.