2017 Honda CR-V Gallery

How do you upgrade the best-selling SUV in the US? If you're Honda, you take it back to the drawing board and give it a more muscular, memorable design, then revamp chassis, brakes, steering, and wheels to improve driving dynamics. Then you add a new Real Time AWD system which can push more power to the rear than before.

Finally, you drop in the newest 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, paired with a CVT that does a good job of pretending it's a traditional stepped gearbox. The result is the 2017 Honda CR-V, more stylish and more capable than before, not to mention safer thanks to Honda Sensing being standard on all but the cheapest trim. Now in its fifth generation, the CR-V is bigger – physically, that is – than ever, which translates to more rear seat legroom, more cargo space, and nifty features like a power tailgate with custom positioning and hands-free opening.

On sale in December, it carries a $200 premium over the old CR-V. The entry-level LX uses the 2.4-liter engine from the old model, but you really want to step up to the $26,695 EX or above, which gets the turbocharged engine, Honda Sensing, the 7-inch DisplayAudio infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a number of other features.