#PRODUCTWATCH: 2021 HONDA CRV BLACK EDITION

We last got paired with the Honda CRV series back in November 2020, an experience one-upped only by our Test Drive in the 2021 Honda CRV Black Edition in a a classic Platinum White Pearl. As our province has just entered Phase III of our re-opening, it has been reassuring seeing businesses and restaurants welcome us back. Having had the reassurance of being double-vaccinated, I felt comfortable enough finally to be able to go out and visit our old stomping grounds downtown again, reuniting with missed friends including Team Mr. Will, and attending some in-person events again at long last. We couldn’t have been paired with a more powerful and elegant partner in the 2021 Honda CRV Black Edition!

What is a Black Edition you ask? It is a tier available in Honda’s offerings where the vehicle has black aluminum-alloy wheels, a black grille, among other aesthetic options.

The 2021 Honda CRV Black Edition is powered by a 1.5 litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 190 horsepower and 179 -lb.ft. of torque. As it physically is more imposing than some of our favourite Honda Sedans and Hatchbacks, it is a bit slower on the accelerate, but once it’s in motion, the CRV is sheer power.

Fuel Economy comes first and foremost for us and the 8.7/7.4/8.1 litres per 100 km of regular fuel (City/Hwy/Combined). This is aided further by is game-changing ECON mode and Idle Stop. The latter which we got plenty of use from dealing with Toronto traffic! Over five days, we drove from the east-end of the City to Hamilton, Etobicoke, Mississauga and Downtown multiple times on approximately $60 of fuel which is tremendous, considering that gas prices are on the higher side of late.

The Black Edition of the 2021 Honda CRV is a statement of style and luxury. Its perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces and woodgrain panel finish exude pure class. Did we mention the Driver’s Seat is adjustable 12 ways?Appearing here is Honda’s beloved 7-inch Display Audio System with Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, plus its Panoramic Moonroof is a real treat, bringing ambience to both front and back passengers, not to mention interior ambient lighting.

A litany of passenger-catering considerations show Honda‘s commitment not only to the driver’s experience, but also their passengers’. Powerful Climate Control and vents, charging ports (our favourite wireless charging plate is back!) and gracious, spacious roominess sets the vehicle aside from others. Not to mention the generous storage space in the hatchback which activates and closes with a push or a lift.

The audio experience during our drives were phenomenal, as it boasts a 331-watt AM/FM Premium audio system with MP3/Windows Media Audio playback capability and 9 speakers including subwoofer. The SUV is SiriusXM-ready and syncs easily to Bluetooth, Apple or Android enabling Playlist-curated drives.

All the bells and whistles mean nothing without safety and Honda continually has asserted itself as being best in class in this regard. How do you go for any other make when you know the 2021 Honda CRV is jampacked with a laundry list of safety and cautionary features?

A Rear Cross Traffic Monitor system; Collision Mitigation Braking System; Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system; Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF); Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system; Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA ) with Traction Control; Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).  These all are working for you, in-motion while you are focused on our drive. Think of this as rolling with an entourage and a security team everywhere you go.

In the event of collision, the 2021 Honda CRV Black Edition comes armed with an i-SRS airbag system (front); Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor system; SmartVent side airbags; HondaLink Assist; and Automatic Emergency Response System, among others.

Let’s not forget that super-resourceful multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines.  You can reverse, parallel park and more with confidence knowing that you can’t get it wrong with this! And who doesn’t love a car with rear windshield wipers?  It’s as if the CRV read our minds!

Some trips down memory land this past weekend in the 2021 Honda CRV Black Edition.

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Never been so excited to ride the escalator of death. First in-person screenings in forever! pic.twitter.com/AqGIimwRhE

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) July 19, 2021

The 2021 Honda CRV Black Edition starts at $43,870 CAN. More here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

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