[LQQK_OUT]

Last year (January 2018) I started my search for a new vehicle. I spoke with friends and co-workers to get their opinions of different vehicles along with reading the various reviews and test reports. I determined the CR-V fit my requirements but I was unsure which model I wanted. The issue was whether I wanted to spend the extra money for AWD. This seems to be a fairly common dilemma for people interested in the CR-V, FWD or AWD? In my mind, I was focused on FWD. I've owned FWD vehicles in the past, and I've never really had an issue getting stuck in snow or inclement weather. The benefits of FWD over AWD are:
1. Lower cost
2. Better fuel mileage
3. Lighter vehicle
4. Less complicated maintenance (no rear differential)

Speaking with my brother, he convinced me to go with AWD. He said the differences in MPG is minor, changing the rear differential fluid isn't a big deal and the benefit of having AWD will come in handy when you need it. He said you'll find AWD handy since you enjoy different outdoor activities, both winter and summer.
Fast forward to the US holiday weekend of January 19, 2019. It's a three day weekend and I made plans to go backpacking with a friend up in the Catskills Mountains of NY. Weekend weather was predicted to be a blizzard and both my friend and myself were looking forward to hiking in those conditions. The plan was to drive on up to the Catskill Saturday afternoon, and hike in to a local Lean-to and camp out. The next morning we rise up early, and head on over to Hunter Mountain were the adventure would start.
We each drove our own cars to the trail head, me in my 2018 AWD CR-V, my friend in his 2015 FWD Ford Escape.
We met at the trail head, hiked in, camped out and hiked out the next morning. It was cold and snowy. When we got back to the cars, they were snowed in, My AWD CR-V had no trouble getting out of the deep snow, but my friends FWD Ford Escape was just spinning his front wheels. Since the weather for this weekend was predicted to be a blizzard, I knew to keep a snow shovel in the car. I was able to shovel my friend out, and off we went.
We both knew what type of weather to expect and packed for those conditions, but even so, my friend was very cold and didn't want to continue on and backpack up on Hunter Mountain. My friend went home in his car, but stupid me, headed on over to the mountain by myself. Got a late start, hiked up only a short distance and setup my tent since it was already dark. I estimate temperature was at least -20 degrees F. Next morning hike back down to my snowed in car. Thankfully car starts and temperature gauge in car shows -4 degrees F. Let car warm-up around (5) minutes to defog windows and clear off ice. Coolant temperature gauge shows no indicator.
I leave the parking area and again, the AWD CR-V has no trouble traveling through the deep snow. Even traveling on secondary roads that weren't thoroughly plowed was no problem. Unfortunately I was so cold I didn't think to time when the coolant temperature gauge began to show some heat, but I'd guess it was close to 10 minutes of driving at 20 to 25 mph.
Could I have traversed these same roads if I only had FWD? Possibly. But it was sure nice having AWD at my disposal.

Edit to post: additional information
1. The front of the vehicle was caked in snow and ice. All the various Honda sensing features were disabled. Dash was lit up with orange warnings.
2. While driving, I heard what sounded like something knocking or hitting the exhaust system. Turned out that the drive-line was caked in ice. I eventually heard the ice fall off the drive-line and the knocking sound stopped.

 

[crvcal]

Good to know our awd is capable. I live in SF and I bought an awd even though i'll rarely get to take advantage of it.

 

[captainbeandip]

I have to say that the AWD along with the traction control system that's in these CR-V's does work very well.

I gave mine a good workout this last weekend by driving across a lake that had about a foot of snow on it.

I do have snow tires on mine, but even so it was surprising how well it chewed through it, especially when you consider that it only has about 8" of ground clearance.

I also found out that if you turn off the stability assist and put 'er in "S", the CR'V is capable of doing some kick a$$ doughnuts!

 

[BBLee]

good choice, I wanted to get an awd too but the wife convinced me I don't need it... I'm frustrated now (and the wife too) that I have to take into account the road conditions and decided not to go to the mountains this past holidays. I know, snow chains is a consideration but still we hesitated, and I know fwd is capable in light snow, there are a bunch of fwd's up there too, but .... were paranoid and overly cautious.
The scenarios the OP pointed out is the main reason we will definitely get an awd next...

have you guys seen the 19 rdx with its advanced awd system? it is awesome.

 

[valvelifter]

Just removed my car from over two feet of snow due to a storm we had in Quebec today. Had no issues whatsoever with the car getting out - just pressed the gas and it went the first time. I'm sure my Nokians helped in the mix but with FWD only, I probably would have had some trouble getting out. When the snow top is between the door bottom and side mirror, and you have to shovel just to open the door, you know it's bad!

 

[robbyg]

If you even think that you might be going off road at some point a 4WD vehicle is a must. I remember getting stuck like your friend on more than one occasion with a RWD vehicle. Ended up spending hours digging out the wheels and lining the path with branches and other stuff so we could eventually get out. So far with the CRV I have not had a single issue with traction, the AWD system works like a treat.

Rob

 

[billyrule]

I live next to the beach (National Seashore). AWD for 2017 is really outstanding! Sometimes we have to drive in soft scand and you can see the display change from rear wheels to all wheels and such. I can go places I could have only dreamed in my FWD Toyota.

 

[WA-Touring]

I've always hated driving in the snow. In fact, when I purchased my house a few years ago I picked one close to work with as few hills as possible to limit the stress in driving to work during snow days.

We just had a "snow event" this last week with 10" inches of snow coming down within the span of a couple of days. This was the first for my 18 CRV. To give it a quick test, we thought we'd go around the block to see how it would handle in preparation for the trek to work on Monday. Wow, was I impressed! We ended up having so much fun that we ended up driving to the store and then to the parent's house. It handled much better than expected and I was one of the few that showed up to work on Monday. I absolutely love my CRV.

 

[osbornk]

The resale value is more for AWD is more than the cost and they are also easier to sell than a 2wd station wagon.

 

[bluegrass]

The resale value is more for AWD is more than the cost and they are also easier to sell than a 2wd station wagon.

Where did you get this information? I'm seeing the opposite of what you claim.

I just looked up the resale value of a 2017 CR-V EX...
- Resale for the AWD version is ~$25,400
- Resale for the FWD version is ~$24,500

That is less than a $1000 difference, yet AWD is a $1400 option.

In addition, you have the added costs of fuel and differential servicing.

Obviously, if you plan to be backpacking in the Catskill Mountains during a blizzard, then AWD is worth it.
But for 90%+ of CR-V drivers, AWD is just an unnecessary added expense.

 

[Tigris99]

Man you must live where snow, dirt roads and such don't exist. AWD/4wd vehicles in the Midwest always have a higher resale by noticeable amounts (sometimes in the thousands) vs their FWD or 2wd counterparts.

I'm yet to see a Honda SUV new or old in my region that's FWD only.

Market value is based on demand. If you live in a warmer urban environment then yes awd/4wd is kind of a waste. For the rest of the country, it's not.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[kloker]

Where did you get this information? I'm seeing the opposite of what you claim.

I just looked up the resale value of a 2017 CR-V EX...
- Resale for the AWD version is ~$25,400
- Resale for the FWD version is ~$24,500

That is less than a $1000 difference, yet AWD is a $1400 option.

In addition, you have the added costs of fuel and differential servicing.

Obviously, if you plan to be backpacking in the Catskill Mountains during a blizzard, then AWD is worth it.
But for 90%+ of CR-V drivers, AWD is just an unnecessary added expense.

"Book" values are entirely artificially generated, by nefarious means, by the largest car-selling entities in existence, and are in no way related to actual value or sales prices in the real world. Their only purpose is to artificially jack up prices. And you cannot rely on them for any part of the buying or selling process, or shopping, for that matter. That said, there are a lot of people out there gullible enough to fall for that tripe, which is why they exist. A car, just like anything else, is worth what it brings, and there is no way to monitor those actual numbers. So, your math is flawed because it is based on fantasy. That said, of course a vehicle with options is worth more than one without, depending on age.

I don't live where snow is an issue. However, ice is. In any given year here we may or may not have anywhere from zero to any number of ice storms. This year has been very mild so far for us. And I don't consider a CR-V to be an offroad-capable vehicle, mainly because it isn't. I have an F250 4X4 for that if I need it. So, do I need AWD? Eh, probably not. But I have it, and I'm glad, because it could, at any time, make a life-and-death difference in a given situation. So, I made sure the CR-V I got has it, because all it takes is once. If it saves me just one time it will have been worth it. In the end that's all that matters. And in the used car market, beyond just a couple of years old, it makes no appreciable price difference. Which works for me, since I never buy new.

 

[Sandy52]

I drove FWD cars for years, sometimes in snow and ice, without snow tyres, and managed to get to work ok, most of the time.
After having an AWD CRV I know which I prefer. AWD every time.

 

[KCGL1800]

I have an older CR-V (2016) and this represents my first winter with it here in KC. We haven't had a real winter for several years but this year we are making up for it as it started early and we are ahead of the usual snow fall. Even with the hills and a significant amount of ice I've had no issues getting around. I agree that for much of the country fwd meets the bulk of driver's needs but for those of us who deal with snow and ice it is great!

 

[onestillme]

Just want to add my. i second that opinion. The awd on the crv is awesome in snow. Not middle of the mountains 10' of snow snow. but the 4-12" of snow ranges. It is a dream. The i think they are ecopia tires though. they are what made it a little sketchy. i could feel them not having the traction i think they should have.

 

[kloker]

Being a retired truck driver, I spent years and years running in every possible weather condition in North America, from the coming border wall to mid-Canada, and coast to coast, in a big truck. The experience ranged from high adventure, like sliding down Eisenhauer with the trailer brakes locked, behind a sand truck, to harrowing disaster, like the time I sat on the shoulder, unable to move, just South of Ft. Worth, for seven hours, and watched nine people die in crashes around me, including two firemen when their truck also slid off the service road on the ice and turned over. After sand trucks came and I got out, it was a five hour journey back to Austin in treacherous conditions. So, been there, done that, got the shirt.

But my bestest and favoritest snow driving experiences were in my 1959 VW Microbus, inherited from my Dad. More power than a push mower, aerodynamics of a brick, handling of a sports car, and, oh yeah, no heater por caca. But that thing would drive on any surface, in any conditions, and pass everybody and everything, else, period, in the snow. And be more fun doing it. And then, to top it all off, be highly rewarding at the drive in movies in summer with my girlfriend. No CR-V will ever top that bus as all-time best vehicle ever made.

Given all that, I just can't imagine why anyone would not give themselves every possible advantage with the vehicle they choose to drive. Why would one choose economy, or simplicity, or anything else, for that matter, over safety? Heck, even in Hawaii they needed it this week.

By the way, I hope all are safe given the weather some of you are experiencing. Don't worry about me, though. It was 91 here yesterday. Degrees. Fahrenheit. I did not break out my mittens.

 

[Coldhonda]

But my bestest and favoritest snow driving experiences were in my 1959 VW Microbus, inherited from my Dad. More power than a push mower, aerodynamics of a brick, handling of a sports car, and, oh yeah, no heater por caca. But that thing would drive on any surface, in any conditions, and pass everybody and everything, else, period, in the snow. And be more fun doing it. And then, to top it all off, be highly rewarding at the drive in movies in summer with my girlfriend. No CR-V will ever top that bus as all-time best vehicle ever made.

?

I’ve seen those hippie vans around here in New Hampshire. They can’t get out of their own way in winter snow!

Yours could beat any 4x4 in any conditions? Think ? maybe you smoked too much of the wacky tobacky?

 

[advmgm]

Being a retired truck driver, I spent years and years running in every possible weather condition in North America, from the coming border wall to mid-Canada, and coast to coast, in a big truck. The experience ranged from high adventure, like sliding down Eisenhauer with the trailer brakes locked, behind a sand truck, to harrowing disaster, like the time I sat on the shoulder, unable to move, just South of Ft. Worth, for seven hours, and watched nine people die in crashes around me, including two firemen when their truck also slid off the service road on the ice and turned over. After sand trucks came and I got out, it was a five hour journey back to Austin in treacherous conditions. So, been there, done that, got the shirt.

But my bestest and favoritest snow driving experiences were in my 1959 VW Microbus, inherited from my Dad. More power than a push mower, aerodynamics of a brick, handling of a sports car, and, oh yeah, no heater por caca. But that thing would drive on any surface, in any conditions, and pass everybody and everything, else, period, in the snow. And be more fun doing it. And then, to top it all off, be highly rewarding at the drive in movies in summer with my girlfriend. No CR-V will ever top that bus as all-time best vehicle ever made.

Given all that, I just can't imagine why anyone would not give themselves every possible advantage with the vehicle they choose to drive. Why would one choose economy, or simplicity, or anything else, for that matter, over safety? Heck, even in Hawaii they needed it this week.

By the way, I hope all are safe given the weather some of you are experiencing. Don't worry about me, though. It was 91 here yesterday. Degrees. Fahrenheit. I did not break out my mittens.

A page straight out of the book entitled " the older I get, the better things used to be"


I had a '77 Chevy Vega, the last year they were made.. In spite of all that's been said, that was actually a good little economy car.. With the tires that came on it, I went places in deep snow I swore I would get stuck but tried just to see if I could make it.
Never got stuck.. And it was RWD.

Anyone who remembers the winter of '77-78 in Iowa knows I had plenty of snow to test it with.

Tires are the key.

Sent from my LG-H700 using Tapatalk

 

[bluegrass]

nine people die in crashes around me, including two firemen when their truck also slid off the service road on the ice and turned over. Why would one choose economy, or simplicity, or anything else, for that matter, over safety?

This is a common myth spread by people who are uninformed about what AWD actually does and does not do.

In the scenarios described, the ONLY advantage an AWD CR-V provides is...accelerating from more quickly than you would otherwise without AWD. Why is building speed faster in icy conditions a good thing?

Unless you are actively accelerating, the AWD system does nothing. And it certainly does nothing to help you stop or steer on ice.

For 99% of CR-V drivers (who don't have advanced training/skills), I would argue that AWD can put them in a less safe position. They can accelerate/build speed faster, making them think they can drive normally, making them drive too fast for the conditions. Then they are unprepared when they can't stop, or start sliding.

 

[LQQK_OUT]

This is a common myth spread by people who are uninformed about what AWD actually does and does not do.

In the scenarios described, the ONLY advantage an AWD CR-V provides is...accelerating from more quickly than you would otherwise without AWD. Why is building speed faster in icy conditions a good thing?

Unless you are actively accelerating, the AWD system does nothing. And it certainly does nothing to help you stop or steer on ice.

It is my understanding that the Honda AWD system is able to react to the loss of traction and also provides increased stability in turns due to the redistribution of torque between the front and rear tires. I'm not saying this AWD system is a silver bullet, but it does appear to me to be an extra safety feature.