2012 Honda CR-V Long Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

2012 Honda CR-V Long Term Road Test

Our 2012 Honda CR-V has a real old-fashioned key.

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emajor

It's not a real key until I can take it to the hardware store and have a copy made for $2.

duck87

Honda has been using that key design forever. I almost wonder what has been around longer- Toyota's choice of switchgear (window switches, cruise control stalk), or Honda's keyfob?

quadricycle

Just a normal key for me please! I won't lie and pretend like I don't appreciate some buttons though, so I'll also have a little electronic fob on my key chain. The Honda's would work fine for me too.

quadricycle

and @duck87: That's a hard question. I think electronic keys started to get really popular around '89 and after, while many Toyota models were CC-less and without power equipment available into the 1990's. I really think that some of the more upscale Toyota models had the all-too-familiar switchgear before Honda got into using that style of keyfob though. I know, I know, more than you probably wanted to know.

zimtheinvader

I used to think the push button start, no key, setup was silly but after having a car with it for awhile it is very nice.
It is a small thing but not having to take the key out of my pocket is a plus. The early reviews of people getting stranded because the person with the key got out of the car and someone else drove off without the key aren't a problem because the car beeps and flashes a warning light if the key leaves while the engine is running. If my wife stashes her spare keys somewhere in the car and we leave and lock up the car then ignores her keys and won't unlock the doors or start the car with them until they are found and a button is pressed on them (and with regular keys if someone breaks in and finds a stashed set they are good to go too).
With keypad locks on the outside doors at home my keys never need to leave my pocket so my vote is the no-key key.

jpnpower

I seriously prefer my Camry's normal key + fob. no buttons on the key please... Also real key ridges helps when you want to open boxes... But my main point, I think that turning a key really adds to the car experience. When I turn the ignition, and feel the key resistance, vibration and start up, I feel that I'm firing up something serious. I guess it's like manual vs auto gearboxes. That is why I seriously HATE auto starts, and would buy an FR-S over a BRZ in a heartbeat.

ed124c

@jpnpower: Wow, you would cross out a car with keyless start? That is such a small thing. Personally, I would cross out the BRZ because the standard equipment nav system is not very good and the front is dowdy looking. But if the FR-S didn't exist I w

eclogite

Is that RhinoCoat nail polish you're wearing?