First, thank you to the person who started this topic and those that have shared opinions. Up until today I was leaning towards an HRV EX but I was watching a YouTube review of an LX and all of a sudden it occurred to me that an LX might be fine for my needs after all. So what's the first thing I do? Come to this handy forum to see if anyone else has been thinking like me and see what they did and why.

One of the things that first drove my EX choice was because I currently own an EX-L Accord and before that an EX Civic, so I just assumed I'd always be a Honda EX guy.

But after reading the differences between the LX and EX I don't see anything that really jumps out at me as a "must-have" feature, other than maybe the better stereo. Heated seats? I live in Florida... give me cooled seats and that would get my attention. Push to start? I was in a rental Prius once and it took me 15 minutes to get the darn car started because I didn't know about the pushing the brake pedal rule. Smart key? Seems like a huge security problem if it gets stolen or a hassle if you lose it. Right side camera? I think this would distract me instead of helping.

I do have the auto climate control in my Accord and it was nice for the first several years of ownership but lately it doesn't work as well as it used to. I still find myself fiddling with the controls.

And maybe I'm an old fogey but I think I'd prefer knobs instead of a touch screen. Speaking of that, I do wish the LX had the 7 inch screen of the EX instead of 5 inches.

I do have one question I'm hoping someone can answer: as I understand it in the EX or EX-L you can connect your smart phone to the 7 inch screen with an HDMI cable to view phone content on the screen, correct? I'm assuming this would let you use your phone navigation on the Honda's screen. Is such a trick not possible on the LX? I don't think the LX has an HDMI connection so I suppose there is no way to see your phones content or apps on the LX 5 inch screen? That's kind of a bummer if true.

For now I think I'm leaning towards the LX unless I'm missing some other major difference.

 

Cue HR-V4ME and his list of differences (yet again) of the extras the EX comes with 'for not much more money'.

I bought the LX AWD. It has everything I need plus some, and I saved $2000 over an EX. Only thing I miss from the EX is the privacy glass, but I plan on tinting the windows so no big whoop.

 

Main advantages of the LX:


Control Knobs instead of total touch screen --distraction-reduced driving
Higher roof clearance -- no moonroof
-Slightly- more cargo space

and the big one:

Cheaper -- ultimately the big difference for those good Americans among us who would sooner change their shirt than a five dollar bill

 

BTW, heated seats are great year round even in hot climates....feels great on your lower back. ENJOY!!

HRV4ME sometimes I don't know if you're being serious or sarcastic. I can promise you that from April through November in Florida any car with black leather seats (like my Accord EX-L) maintains heated, make that HOT HOT HOT seats all the time, and its not always nice! I imagine this is the same for people in Nevada and Arizona as well. I've heard that some new cars have cooled or ventilated seats (like the Kia Soul of all things) so that's the future I think with global warming. Who knows? One day we may all look back at heated seats and shake our heads that this was actually considered a benefit.

 

As always, being totally serious here. Leather may be different, but on cloth seats it feels great on the lower back. YMMV! :nerd:

 

Back to the topic of the LX vs EX/EX-L, something I read in a user review elsewhere reminded me of another reason to get the LX: with that $2,000 you save take $150 and get a Garmin Nuvi GPS navigation unit at Best Buy. 5 inch screen and free lifetime map and traffic updates for $150! Models by Tom Tom and others are in the same price range and all get great reviews.

 

I haven't read through all the comments in this thread, but I drove an exl and a lx. I drove the exl the day hrv was released and thought it was such a smooth ride. I simply loved it based off of that alone. I eventually rode as a passenger in an exl at another dealer & still loved it. Then, last week I wanted my mom to ride in the exl, but the dealer didn't have one. The salesmen pulled the lx around, rather than the ex they had. I figured no big deal...it's still an hrv. I hated it. It felt really loose, rough, and just plain crappy. My mom rode in the backseat & after we got back she said it was awful. Then, I wanted to check out the sound of the stereo to compare it to both the hrv exl & the crv exl. The crv exl radio is bland, but I can live with it. The hrv lx radio is just poor quality. The hrv ex (listened to it after the lx drive) & exl radio sounded pretty darn decent. My mom took notice immediately as well. Who knows.. maybe our experience with that lx was just a fluke.

 

Maybe it was the leather seats in the EX-L that made you think it was better. Logically there should be no other reason because the engine and ride quality in the EX/EX-L and LX should be identical. I doubt Honda assigns the making of the LX to their "B" team of robots.

But yes, the EX does have a better stereo. Wonder if that can be upgraded after-market?

 

I may be inclined to think that had I driven them back to back. Maybe it's because I had just came out of the crv they let me take home for 3 days. *shrugs*

 

T m i !!!

 

The Only Option I would Love On The LX If Possible would Be The EX Radio Installed At A Later Date, Does anybody on the forum think that could be possible by just purchasing the radio like replacing the door panels from the LX to the EX Trim.

 

Can a member with an LX post a pic and then someone with an EX/EX-L? That should tell you. As long as the size/dash is the same, shouldn't be a problem.

 

I just drove an LX at the dealer. I liked the way it drove, but thought the interior finishes were kind of cheap looking. Especially the upper door panels. They only had an EX-L on the lot next to it so I was wondering if the EX with cloth has the same kind of material on the upper door panels as the LX?

Also, does the LX come with the two tone color that I saw in the EX-L, the gray and white interior colors.

 

EX does have cloth doors.

 

Do you know if it is the same cloth as the EX?

 

On the EX/EX-L doesn't the radio and nav unit also include the climate control, or is that separate? I assume if they're all together this would make it nearly impossible to install this unit in an LX later.

 

They are separate.

 

Since only the EX and up comes with paddle shifters, can you still change "gears" manually with the CVT on the LX model? Is it done with the shifter on S mode?

 

On the EX, the paddle shifters allow you to shift down from 4th, 3rd, etc.

 

I didn't look at an LX- I would assume there is 1 low gear, maybe 2, in the cvt...but no, you can't downshift it the same way

 

Correct. I tried 'S' on my LX and it acted like '2' does on a normal automatic. I was doing 40mph and the engine was turning around 3500 RPM

 

The EX vs LX issue all depends on what you consider necessary. As far as engine and suspension they are identical. It does lack the paddle shifters in the LX. I drove both and find the paddle shifters to be fun but totally unnecessary.I have an 07 fit sport with paddles and rarely use them. If you drop the LX into the S mode while driving , it is the same as downshifting with the paddle shifters one gear. I find that to be similar as most drivers don't row (Opps) Tap-through all the gears regularly. The interior is the same material however it has Crome accents. unless you go for the leather that is. Yes you get a few more amenities such as heated seats a few more power ports. moon roof, lane watch, push button , start, fog lights,touch screen electronics with a some increased abilities when compared to the LX. I do feel the increased price for the EX is more than worth it for what you get.
For myself however I do not feel all the increased amenities in cars are completly necessary. I don't mind using a key. heated seats ? good for creating more off gassing of toxic chemicals. I dont mind a cold butt for 3 minutes. I dont like moon roofs, in my past experience they end up leaking over time. The LX has outo on off headlights. The fog lights I will give you that one but not necessary.
The electronics I feel to be the real down side. I dont care much for Tech. The Touch screen to me is more distracting than manual knobs. does it work with gloves? My GPS is better. All i really need it to do is play my music and amplify my GPS and it does that
I am more of the mind set- simpler is better. I think its better to turn my head when changing lanes than staring at a screen.
I don't need to look at the moon through the roof while driving (ha) I dont know its personal preference really.
You have to ask your self for the inreased price of the EX financed over time, will you Need , use all the Extras. If your answer is yes than go EX. I bought the LX and refused to get AWD. Which was a huge problem for the dealer " Honda says you need AWD"
" I say I don't " I eventually 3.5 months later got my car and I am more than pleased. The LX does everything a car is supposed to do very well.

 

All depends what you want- I really wanted heated seats, so all the other stuff came too.
Having had a fwd before, I really wanted the awd this time around. So I got the ex.

 

Where one lives has a big impact on which version is better suited. I live in Georgia, where the winters are relatively mild, with occasional ice and snow. Heated seats were a "must have" feature for my wife. The paddle shifters are very handy on mountain roads, and yes I do "row" through the gears as needed if I'm driving spiritedly. In a place like Florida, neither of these features would be very useful.

I am finding the keyless ignition/doorlocks to be one of the most addictive features of the EX, to the point that I doubt if I will ever buy another car without this feature.

Having driven both the LX and EX, I actually prefer the physical knobs over the touch panel for HVAC, mainly because I can find them without taking my eyes off the road. That said, I normally set the HVAC to Auto, and the only control I touch with any regularity is the temperature. I'm considering taping a small piece of rubber tape between the up and down arrows, so that I will be able to locate them more easily by touch.

I don't remember much from the one LX test drive I took, but there have been many complaints about the speakers on the base model. I won't claim to have audiophile hearing (although I can hear the difference between Sirius XM and over the air FM), but I feel no need to change anything with the 6-speaker system that comes with the EX.

I've never been a fan of moon/sun roofs, but it's not an avoidable option in the EX trim. However, cracking the moonroof and windows has a fairly dramatic effect on reducing heat buildup inside the car if it's parked on a hot sunny day. Other than that, I hardly ever use it.

Kind of like Goldilocks, the EX is "just right" for me, as the LX has too many compromises, and the EX-L has too few added features to justify its price premium. One of the other trim levels may be "just right" for someone else.

 

Heated seats were a "must have" feature for my wife.

I am finding the keyless ignition/doorlocks to be one of the most addictive features of the EX, to the point that I doubt if I will ever buy another car without this feature.


Kind of like Goldilocks, the EX is "just right" for me, as the LX has too many compromises, and the EX-L has too few added features to justify its price premium. One of the other trim levels may be "just right" for someone else.

I agree with all of this and the addition of heated seats, extra speakers, keyless entry and push button start were worth the additional premium to me. The EX-L didn't add enough features to justify the price for me.

Honestly if you are on a budget the LX is a great value and has almost everything the average driver would need.

 

I couldn't live without the paddle shifters in my EX-L CVT. I also went back and forth about whether to buy LX/EX/EX-L, but the thing that made the decision for me was the EX-L roof rack attachment for the crossbar accessory (I have a kayak). As it turns out, I have yet to take my kayak anywhere with my HR-V, but I use the paddle shifters every drive--this was a feature I didn't think I needed and didn't really consider when deciding which HR-V to buy, but I'm sooooo glad I have them!

 

Keep in mind if you plan on selling the car later, lower trim models tend to depreciate at a lower rate than higher trim models. Buyers in the used car market tend to be more price-seeking than features-seeking.

 

Depreciation/resale value is not an issue for me, as I tend to keep cars forever, unless to give one to my daughter.

 

On the HVAC touch screen, the controls that I use most frequently are the temperature +- so I worked out this solution to the issue of finding the touch points for the arrows without taking my eyes off the road. I cut chevrons out of some 3M double-sided trim tape (about 1mm thick), but left the protective red layer intact. I'm pleasantly surprised how well this little bit of added tactile feedback works.

Getting the angles and positioning right was a bear — I have lost track of how many chevrons I cut before getting a pair that were reasonably symmetrical.

 

On the HVAC touch screen, the controls that I use most frequently are the temperature +- so I worked out this solution to the issue of finding the touch points for the arrows without taking my eyes off the road. I cut chevrons out of some 3M double-sided trim tape (about 1mm thick), but left the protective red layer intact. I'm pleasantly surprised how well this little bit of added tactile feedback works.

Getting the angles and positioning right was a bear — I have lost track of how many chevrons I cut before getting a pair that were reasonably symmetrical.

Nice idea. Plan on using, small top and bottom dots, for tactile feel, will be almost invisible.

 

Here in Michigan, heated mirrors and heated seats would be nice. I'm thinking lane watch would be nice. Too bad those aren't standard on the LX. Also auto dimming rearview, but that's only on the most expensive model. I'd say the rest of the stuff on the EX I don't need or would prefer not having. I like the utility and basic straightforwardness of my LX. It's entirely comfortable and capable the way it is. Got a thin heated seat cover at Walmart for eight dollars. That's a certain pleasure and relief sometimes. Should have been standard along with heated mirrors. Michigan's winters can make you want all the weather related (snow) help you can get. I think the Canada model LX comes with more of the practical EX stuff standard, but I'm not sure.

 

Here is the LX, in Canada:

LX comfort and convenience features

17-inch aluminum alloy wheels
7-inch touchscreen Display Audio12 connectivity interface
Electric parking brake
Rearview camera with dynamic guidelines
Heated Front Seats
Tilt and telescoping steering wheel
Cruise control
Steering wheel-mounted controls for audio, cruise control, and Bluetooth®10 HandsFreeLink® phone interface
Automatic climate control system with air filtration
160-watt, 4-speaker AM/FM/CD with MP3/Windows Media® Audio playback capability
2 USB inputs11
Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® phone interface
Auto-off headlights
Cargo area light
ECO Assist with ECON mode
12-volt power outlets (front/second row/Trunk)
LED taillights
One-touch turn signals
LED pocket light
Rear heater ducts
Two-speed intermittent windshield wipers
Reverse-linked intermittent rear windshield wiper
60/40 split 2nd-Row Magic Seat®
Speed-sensitive audio volume control
Power windows and door locks
Siri Eyes Free Compatibility
Body coloured heated side mirrors with expanded View Driver’s Mirror
Floor mats
SMS Text Message functionality
Front Wiper De-icer

I wish that's how they came in Michigan

 

I'm in Canada as well and I initially thought I would buy the LX, but opted for the EX which in Canada also has:


Fog Lights a must have for me.

Lane watch - I really like this feature

180 watt audio system - no big deal

Cargo cover

Dual zone automatic climate control with air filtration

Illuminated driver's and front passenger' vanity mirrors

Auto on/off headlights

Proximity key entry and pushbutton start - really like this feature

Rear privacy - tinted glass

Moonroof

Mirror integrated LED turn indicators

Variable intermittent windshield wipers. rather than 2 speed.

The EX AWD is an additional $2500.00 in B.C.

 

My wife wanted heated seats so we went with the EX and the funny thing is neither ever wanted a sun roof but now that we have lived with it ...... LOVE the sun roof!