After 15 years my Honda self propelled mower drive unit started to go-great machine!

I did all the maintenance on the mower myself, including cleaning the machine after use with water and drying the unit off. I would have given five stars on the new model, with the exception it does not have a flat deck like my old model, and is very difficult to clean dirt from under the engine area on the top side of deck. When I spend $700 for a mower, I would like it to last for several years. Please pass this note on to your engineering/design staff.

Just purchased this awesome Honda mower. I have only used it once so far and it was just what I expected, Great!

I have another Honda mower that I have had for 24 years and it continues to run great (not self propelled). I did not need a new mower, however because I am aging, I thought I would make it a little easier on myself and purchase a self propelled mower.

I highly recommend Honda products, they are well engineered, quality built and long lasting. (That includes Honda vehicles as well) 

I have used several lawn mowers with and without self propelled features including the Honda Hrr216vka which I compare to in this review.  This one is by far the best. I bought this first off to have a better cut lawn since I mulch and from that standpoint the cut quality is excellent but the same as the hrr.  I suppose the larger motor could churn through thick stuff a little better but I don't wait that long between cuts.  The advantage perhaps is that the deck is a little closer to the ground to hold in the mulch.  It doesn't scatter as much but not sure it mulches any finer. The second reason I bought this unit was to teach my son.  Here is where the lawn mower shines... First, the dial in a speed helps you to set a maximum speed but still control the acceleration.  Easier to feather in gradual speed increases with entire hand rather than thumbs.  Second the unit has three height adjustments.  My son is under five feet and I'm six foot six and the top and bottom position are just right for each of us.  Mind you my son is highly supervised and  just starting to learn. Third the electric start also makes easy work of starting the engine not that it's hard to start anyway.  Overall I'm super pleased with this mower.  Gas usage for a 200 cc is not bad either getting about 1.75 hours of usage. Couple of areas that could be better.  The mulching setting still leaves a good hunk of grass in the discharge chute.  Somehow they need a tighter seal.  I would trade fully open and fully closed opposed to all the partial settings to avoid pulling out several handfuls of grass from the bagging chute.  Lastly the grip could have a little more padding to isolate the vibration.  Of course gloves could accomplish the same purpose. Overall a very high quality mower that I will take care of and keep for hopefully a long time. 

The mower was a snap to setup. lock in the handle, add oil and gas, put the bag over the from for the grass catcher. I turned the key and was cutting grass. the bag holds twice what my old one did. The variable speed is a nice feature, can slow down for the taller grass. 

I’m 65 and had several mowers over the years and this is my 2nd Honda. The Toro I had was pretty good with all aluminum deck but the self propelled gear drive didn’t hold up, the John Deere was junk, the Snapper was junk, the LawnBoy junk, and and these mowers were all comparable in price to the Honda. I’ve also owned lesser expensive mowers and some of them the engines ran well but the decks, wheels, controls, etc., JUNK, no mower on the market can hold a candle to the Versa Mow feature on the Honda. Professional results whether you mulch, bag ,or discharge. The engine on the Honda runs perfect, starts without fail, doesn’t leak or use 1 drop of oil, and seems like it’s pretty fuel efficient probably because I discharge the grass instead of mulch. My personal favorite thing is the NeXite deck, I’m a clean freak and also have to store the mower in my garage so if I don’t wash the deck of accumulated grass it stinks the garage up. 

This unit has the electric start which is nice. Unit seemed to start easy. Self propelled was nice. My only complaint is when I have to pull the unit back when I am in a tight spot. Due to the self-propel feature the unit is hard to pull back.

HAD THIS FOR 2 YEARS. THIS IS THE KEY START MODEL. STILL RUNS GREAT- NO ISSUES. TURNS GREAT AND LIGHTWEIGHT. MULCHING IS NICE AS LONG AS GRASS ISNT TOO TALL. SUPER SATISFIED. I ONLY WISH HONDA WOULD MAKE A 30'' DECK LIKE THE TORO TIMEMASTER.

This is my first Honda mower. I love it. I've never has a mower that can hold so much grass. The electric start is wonderful. Everything is as it should be with this mower. I can't say enough good things about it.

So far so good. Only used it once

My previous mower was a Troy Bilt and 10 years old. The self propel quit working so it was time to retire it.  After much research I chose Honda's HRX217VLA.  Three things really stand out after using it for the first time today.  1)  The electric start is a fantastic plus.  2) The large grass bag along with the twin blades allows me to bag more than twice as much at one time than the Troy Bilt.  3)  Once you learn to use it properly the speed control is the easiest I have ever used.  Plus it is just a good looking product.  I now feel like I need to wear nicer clothes when mowing!  At 65 with this Honda mowing only gets easier.  Thanks for an outstanding product.

Comes ready built.  Just add the included oil and your own gas, and it is ready to start using.  I love the separate drive and blade speed controls.  I also love the activation levers.  They are comfortable, work well, and it is simple to use on both long runs and fancy turns.  I love the five year warranty, and also love the hydraulic drive.  It is smooth and will not wear out like a belt.  This mower is well thought out and should last a long while.

Comes ready built.  Just add the included oil and your own gas, and it is ready to start using.  I love the separate drive and blade speed controls.  I also love the activation levers.  They are comfortable, work well, and it is simple to use on both long runs and fancy turns.  I love the five year warranty, and also love the hydraulic drive.  It is smooth and will not wear out like a belt.  This mower is well thought out and should last a long while.

I thought I purchased a self-propelled lawn mower.  Instead I got part time self propelled.  Release blade disconnect bar, motor also stops, therefore no self propel.  I have rocky areas that I need to cross and I do not want the blade to be moving.  With the old John Deere Model 75x that is being replaced, release blade control, blade stops, motor still runs, self propel still works.  Also a quarter of the collection bag is open above the outlet not sealing allowing clipping to fly all over.  My fault.  Should have done more research before purchasing! 

The mower was ready to begin mowing when I went to pick it up.  The sales staff gave me a complete rundown of the features specific to this model.  I was ready to go.  Once home I tried the electric start and it fired right up.  I then shut it down and tried the pull - very easy and fired right up.  I shut it down to make sure the wheels were at the right height - very easy to adjust - not like my old one.  I then started to mow and easily adjusted the speed while I was walking behind still mowing.

The grass was cut very clean and the lawn looked great.

But the best part was how quite the mower is.  Much quieter than I expected - but very pleased.

Did a lot of research before buying this mower.  It was certainly not expected when the left rear wheel fell off within the fist 2 minutes of mowing.  As the only assembly required was the bagger assembly, I didn't think to check all the bolts and nuts before putting it into service.  Have never had a wheel fall off a mower so it was an eye opener.  It does take some getting used to the walk-behiind speed control.  It absolutely won't go up a hill while in slow. 

Does a great job of cutting though!

Havent set it up yet, just bought it.  Have owned Hondas for 20 yrs of various items, loved them all so far, we

expect continued great experiences.

Almost 60 yrs. old and this is the best lawnmower that I've ever owned.

Have used this mower to mow lawn about seven times and it has several positives. Quality seems fine. Mower starts easy and does good job of mulching. It's well-balanced and fairly easy to maneuver.

On the con side:

it's louder than other mowers I've had but not a big deal since it has such good power.

A major problem on this mower (Model HRX217k5 VLAA - top residential mower a few months ago) is the "Honda Smart Drive Speed Control" - it's not good at all. Setting the dial to minimum may or may not cause the mower to move when the control lever(s) depressed. Setting dial to about 1/4 between min and max allows you to push the lever to get a speed between slow and a very fast walk. The control levers are flexible and very sensitive to where an operator places their thumb on them. It is difficult to maintain a consistent speed less than a very fast walk. I would not buy this mower again because of the difficulty to control the speed. I see Honda just came out with a new top-end mower (I paid $679 and new one is about $730) and it has a lever and hydrostatic drive for speed control. I won't afford to try to sell a seven month old mower to buy the fixed new model. I would expect the new mower with good speed control to be a fine mower but can not recommend the one I currently have.

75 years old. Moved to smaller yard next to grandkids. Sold zero turn mower. This mower is excellent, plus i get some exercise while using.

Purchased very late in the mowing season to mulch the remaining leaves on our yard after our previous mower failed catastrophically. This mower absolutely pulverized the leaves and did a great job of cutting the grass below that had actually grow a bit. The battery is slow to take a charge so I cannot comment on the electric start, but will keep a happy thought. My only difficulty has been my inability to maintain a steady pace. My hands tend to squeeze the throttle too tightly and the mower charges ahead and I, rather comically, follow along in a near jog!  

This is the first Honda lawnmower ever bought or used.  All I can say, is Wow.  I have owned Craftsman pretty much all my life, but this is definitely a game changer.  I hesitated in buying it, by leaving the store, only to research the mower more, returning a total of 3 times and finally buying it.  This has smooth mowing with power to spare.  The bagging system is so good compared to the Craftsman, its a wonder that i waited this long to finally buy this Honda.  Buy one, you will not regret.  

Very easy to start. The adjustable speed make it easy to handle. The grass looks like green velvet after it has been mowed.

Purchased this mower June 19, 2018 because of the self starter feature.  Instructions state that if self start does not work with initial use after manual starting the key start should function.  Since owning the mower which works well cutting my lawn the self start electric feature after more than a half dozen uses does not work.  Today I brought the unit into the Home Depot store I purchased it from and was told this is partially my fault for not coming in sooner than 60 days and therefore I had to pay a $20 fee to have the unit looked at even though the electric starter feature has never worked properly.  The store manager (Carey), was not the best representative of a store manager telling a customer its their fault for not looking into the problem sooner than 60 days.

This Home Depot Store located at 5309 N. Davis Hwy., Pensacola, Florida 32503 is not the best retailer to sell this product which I believe is a good product other than the electric start feature not functioning since I purchased it.

very easy to use, efficient, the best

Major drawback because the mower did not have the rotostop feature.  I now have to drag the mower back to the storage shed. Understand that for an additional $200 I could have purchased a model that continued to have the rotostop feature.

Dr. Art Zoloth

BOUGHT THIS ONLINE FROM MOWERS DIRECT.  RECEIVED THE NEXT DAY WITH FREE SHIPPING FROM FEDEX.  EASY TO UNBOX AND SET UP.  NO TOOLS NEEDED.  ADDED THE OIL AND GAS TURNED THE KEY STARTED ON FIRST TRY.  LOVE ALL THE FEATURES ESPECIALLY THE MULCH CAPABILITY.  BEST PUSH MOWER I HAVE EVER OWNED.

The lawnmower is great with the many functions and options that Honda provides. What really cought my eye is the 5 year warranty and I'm loving it. 

This mower is exactly what we were wanting.  The first use was the night I brought it home, it was slightly drizzling, buy my old mower had given its last cutting, my grass was 7-9" tall and damp.  The Honda HRX217VLA mowed like the grass was butter.  The motor kept up with the conditions, the bagger captured the clippings and the lawn looked great.  I would recommend this mower to anyone who is tired of purchasing mowers every few years!

The self propel speed system is very erratic. One minute its perfect then too slow. You adjust and now its pulling you too fast. The dealer said you have to get use to it. Snapper for 17 years no problem with speed control. Electric start is great and engine has plenty of power. 

Brought 30 June 2018 from my local Home Depot. Took all of five minutes to set up, put oil in, some gas, turned key and it started right up. I'm very familiar with Honda lawn mowers and expect this model to be better than my fifteen year old Honda which was excellent in its own right. Honda makes a quality product and hope to get many years of service out of this model. Home Depot had on sale, dropping $50 off price and with military ID added another 10% off it was a good deal. But even at it's regular price I would still have purchased this product as it's worth it! I'll write another review in about three months after I had chance to use it many times here in central Georgia. If it works like I expect, you just can't beat it! I recommend Honda Lawn Mowers as they are the cream of the crop! 

$700.00 for a lawnmower and you didn't include the charger ($32.00) for the battery start.

Manual says it will self charge after 1 hour of mowing....it takes me 20 minutes to mow my lawn.

What an insult Honda!!

The mower does mulch grass into small pieces. The electric start is a nice feature. Power seems lacking from the last mower I have had. The self propel will not go unless you give it a push, not sure if this is how the machine is intended to operate. When I put it together the mower would not start. I had to put a washer behind the blade control cable to take up the slack in the cable since there is not any adjustment. 

I bought the first one in Septmber, 2015 from Home Depot in Huntsville, Alabama. Not happy with electric start, returned within 90 days, replaced new in December, 2015. Most of the time one pull start, electric start still doesn't work and not happy about that. Honda should look into this problem. I would give 1 rating for false ad. I paid $499.00 plus tax from Home Depot, just because it was an electric start and, because I have lower back problem..You decide for your self if you want spend over $500.00, and not getting what you want..Honda is a very reputable company, and hopefully after reading my review, replace a new electric starter or refund at least $100.00.

The mower worked perfectly right out of the box. Was very easy to assemble and started on the first pull. Probably will never need the electric start but that's more for the wife. The yard looked fantastic with no tire tracks of grass like the previous lawn mower would leave. Very happy with the first use of the mower.

This is my second Honda mower and it is great just like my first one.

Istill have my first mower and just could not wear it out so gave it to my daughter to use.

It is 10 years old and never fails to start on the first pull.

I am 71 years old and wanted to get a new Honda mower with electric start.

I have used it twice already and it is a totally awesome self-propelled mulching mower.

I highly recommend Honda mowers.

Bill

Purchased this on 05/26/18. Initial impression was 100% positive. After mowing my lawn for the second time and cleaning the mower I noticed the front right wheel was far out of line. So far out of line it scrubs the protrusion on the deck. The left front wheel has a space between the protrusion and the rubber. Upon further inspection I discovered that the front arm collar,part number91561-VH7-000 wobbles inside the deck. Everything is tight and assembled as it should be per the parts diagram. The bore of the hole on the deck is to large for the collar. There is no play on the other front arm collar for the left side. I had a perfectly good mower that paced to my personal speed and a Ariens commercial that I had owned 15 plus years. I sold them both and purchased what is said to be the #1 walk behind on the market. Very let down by this discovery of poor quality control. I found out why people call them plastic now.

this mower is as good as they get had a Honda for 30 some years and it is still going

I really haven't used it enough to give a good review, but so far, it has done a very good job.  I am leaving it on highest setting so as not to work engine much during first five hours of use.  Started on first pull and after using it, I tried electric start and it started right away.  It seems to have plenty of power, and I am getting used to the select drive system.  It looks like it is well put together.  So far so good!  I have several acres here and will use it mostly going around fruit trees, as I use riding mower for the rest.  Living in Hawaii, it is good that I got a mower with a non rusting deck, as that is regular occurrence with most mowers rusting out.  My wife was able to use it easily and she is 65, so it should work fine.  

warranty no good

I will probably use it for the first i spring.  It was recommended by my son who owns one and is very happy with it so I'm sure I will like mine.  I did try using his and was very impressed.

So Far so good, only used a few times so far but very good

After first use, i started to google my problem of Honda lawn mower turning off on its own. i checked the fuel. its full. the carburator and other items needs not be checked coz i haven't used it much. It does not charge the battery either. Apparently there are a bunch of youtube videos showing the problem with their spark plugs. Unfortunately i have the electric start one also. Gonna contact the customer service. will update if they are helpful. Followed the user manual as well to no avail.

At 82 years old, I wanted a unit with electric start and self-propelled. My first attempt, because of cost differential, was to replace my 20 year-old Toro (aluminum deck) with a new Toro (stamped steel deck) rather than the Honda I really wanted.  When I opened the Toro box, there were parts missing . . . backup recoil starting rope and mechanism, parts in the ignition socket for the plastic key, etc.  Also, the cheap-to-manufacture deck height adjusters were very hard to move.  Back it went and I had the justification I wanted for upping the ante to get the Honda HRX217VLA I wanted originally with the NeXite, non-rusting deck.  Money well spent!  Ordered it online from Mowers Direct on Saturday, 9/9/17, Checked by phone on Monday to see if it was to be shipped that day (it was) and the FedEx man was knocking on my door Tuesday morning!  Documentation was good and set-up was quick and straight-forward.  It's great, but even though the deck height adjusters look much better-designed and substantial, they're very difficult to move.  Also, I feel Honda should put in a washout port in their non-rusting decks like some of their competitors do.  Over all, I'm very pleased with my purchase.

very satisfied with mower with my first use,worked perfectly as described. Although this my first use of it, the electric starter powered the mower in first start attempt with no issues. The twin blade cut is outstanding, grass looks like carpet. One immediate disappointment is the lost of the key, fail off during mowing and now  need of replacement. 

I was really looking forward to the electric start. The manual start is easy but I went for the extra money and I am disappointed. The first time I mowed I assumed the battery would charge. The second time I used the mower, today, the key worked twice and no more. I had to stop several times as the weather was extremely hot.

What is the point of this electric start and charging system if it doesn't work? It is extremely difficult to go back to Home Depot with it for repairs after only the second time. At this point, although the cutting features are find, I am very disgusted with the electric start feature for all the money this mower costs. 

Set up was easy and fast. Everything works so far. Speed control takes some getting used to due to use on hilly and sloping lawn. First cut on very high grass and weeds at full mulch which left numerous shreds of uncut grass. Next cut will be at full bagging and not so high grass. I expect better performance. Quality is very good.

I've gone back to a Honda lawn mower after owning two Hondas then switching two other brands. Both of the

other brands were Honda powered but neither would cut and/or mulch like the Hondas. I will stay with the

Honda lawn mowers from now on!

Great engine and well built.  Mows very well and does as advertised. Bags and mulches better then most of its competitors.  One of the highlights is the mower deck not being metal is awesome.  Does not build up grass like most other mowers.

The only negative is the wheel height adjusters are a little hard to move.  Won't matter if your not moving them every time you mow. 

Premium price for a premium mower.

I really hate mowing the lawn and yard work. So when my lawn service quit, I had to purchase a new mower and decided to buy a good machine that would keep the experience as pleasurable as possible. I am so happy with my purchase. While I might rather be doing something other than mowing, I no longer dread the task. This mower was worth every penny and has features that outshine the competitors. If you buy this machine, I think you will be very happy with your purchase.

This review is for my recent purchase of a Honda Self-Propelled Mower with Electric Start. Model #HRX217K5VLAA GH Please note: You should update your site to include my Model #...I had to choose the selection for Model #HRX217VLA since my Model # was not listed.

1. The mower has "wheel-hop" when using even the Lowest self-propelled setting. Of course this can be dangerous if you are not expecting it to happen.  (Possible solution: Increase the angle of the handle one or two more settings to allow a little more stability and ergonomic comfort when mowing.)

2. The Mower Bag often seems impossible to completely empty. (Always grass clippings in the corners of the bag which get caught under the metal structure framework. And, once the bag is filled the weight of the clippings tend to pull the front wheels off the ground.) Also not safe for one and all...

3. A plastic wedge would have been nice to place in the rear discharge area to keep out the unexpected pile of grass clippings that fill this cavity when the mower is in Mulch Mode. (Cleaning this is a turnoff and time consuming.)

4. Maneuverability could be better in tight areas. (Perhaps the above mentioned "Increase in the angle of the mower handle" could limit this problem as well as some of the "wheel-hop" when engaging the rear wheel drive.)

5. So far, the Electric Start Feature Does Work as it should. (I saw many complaints on this from other reviews.)

6. After only 6 or 7 mowings, I noticed the edges of the Nexite Mower Housing is already starting to scratch on both sides. (Perhaps the affected area could have been vinyl coated.)

7. There is an open area under the mower that leaves the drive belt exposed and this fills up with grass clippings.  We faithfully cut every week here so this is not from extra long grass pile-ups. (I would have preferred this area to be less exposed.)

8. The 190cc engine seems to be powerful enough to handle the cutting tasks.

9. The Honda Mulching Blade Stacked Configuration may be the cause of the "uneven cuts" many are complaining about. (I would prefer a different configuration in the placement of the blades to get a more even cut and better follow-up with the second blade making a better second cut after the initial cut.)

10. If anyone in the Honda R&D or Engineering Department reads this I would appreciate the expertise of your response.

 

  

big box was delivered in my drive way.  I cut the top open and started to unpack.  Instructions said to get a friend to lift it out of the box.  I was by myself, so I cut the end of the box and rolled it out, from there it was follow the instructions.  Easy to assemble and start, no problems.

I was relieved to receive my new mower on May 24, 2017.  I waited eight days for delivery.  The box enclosure was beaten and the handle bars were sticking out the end of the shipping box.  But there was no damage to the mower itself.  I do believe the mower should have been better supported inside of the shipping box.

Set up was easy, I did install the optional mower deck guard kit, P/N: 06761-VHT0000AH.  Used four 6" wood clamps to secure a tight fit before drilling the second hole.  This is a must accessory, and should be standard.  The electric start worked first turn of the key after adding oil and gasoline.  The select drive control took a little trial and error to figure out how it was suppose to work.  I am 6'2" and do wish the handles would or could be adjusted a bit higher.

I set the blade height at #3 and full mulch.  The HRX217 is easy to control, I have a lot of shrubs to mow around the unit is much easier to maneuver with back & forth motion.  I have about a ¼ acre with half on a hillside it goes up hill with little or no effort, nice.  Can this mower be washed when hot or will the bearings suck water and destroy them?

I have had two Honda lawn mowers. Both outstanding cut and easy to use. You pay a little more for this mower but it is well worth the additional investment.

So far, this mower is nothing less than FANTASTIC!!!

Have now mowed three times and it runs beautifully.  That second blade really cuts well through thicker patches.  Easy to start and easy to maneuver.  I LOVE it!!

the dealer filled the gas and oil , itook it home ,turned the keyand off i went

Excellent mower, the features are very simple and easy to use.  The mulch blades are phenomenal they make the lawn look great.  The engine is quite and clean.  The clip director knob for bagging, mulching or a combination of both are a great design.  The select drive control is very impressive makes mowing easy and fun.

The electric start is a great asset with a backup of the manual start if there is ever a problem.  You can't loose with this mower.  I would highly recommend this to anyone.

I've had a Toro Personal Pace Recycler for almost 10 years now. It wasn't dead but was dying. I decided it was time for a new Toro but decided to do some research first. Glad I did. All signs pointed to Honda and when I really broke the price down I couldn't find a reason not to order. Wow best decision ever.

Right out of the box it took me a little more than 2 minutes to set up and crank. Started immediately. I decided to torture test it right out of the box. I have lemon grass all over the yard and hate cutting and bagging it. I decided to see if this mower could handle it. Boy did I have no clue. In a little over 2 minutes this thing chewed through what would have taken me at least 10-15 minutes to bag. And used half the space in a trash bag. It then made quick and easy work of the yard in record time. The self propelled mechanism on the Honda is far and beyond the personal pace system on a Toro. Cutting my lawn was effortless.

Could not even imagine a way to be happier with this purchase.

I love my new Honda Mower, the electric start is swift the engine is pretty quiet and it is just overall smooth. The cut /mulch is awesome. The new composit decks are great as well, no more rusty deck. The mower feels sturdy and just good quality. I really love how the red engine stands out. I'm super happy with my purchase. Honda please send me a Honda Tshirt I can wear while mowing :)

LOVE this mower, very easy to start, use, and empty.  The only downfall is that it shoots lawn clipping out the right side.

Started right up and really cuts the grass great. I like to mulch and this machine does a fantastic job. The grass can be quite long and it does not bunch up and just grinds the grass up. Always wanted one and when my old other brand went down I did not look at any other brand just went and bought it.

I bought the first unit, saw model, used it for 1 hour, mower would not restart.  I took the mower back to Home Depot, and they replaced it with a new one.  No problem with the 2nd unit.  Works great.  I have an older Honda mower, it is 12 years old, had always been a great mower.  I am hoping the new choke system is not going to be a problem.  I will be using the new mower this week, and expect to have great results.  If Honda finds the new choke system to be an issue, it should be replaced with the older choke system.  After regular maintenance, I hope to have many years of  great service.      

excellent mower - easy operation - except battery was dead when I got it but it was easy to pull start and after that the electric starter worked great - but 4 days later the battery was dead again and after pull starting it charged the battery - and now 2 days later battery dead again - I will have to see if they will warranty the battery - I paid the extra money so I wouldn't have to pull it - first time I can understand but 2nd and 3rd time is unacceptable

Received new unit in box that was tore up during shipment. After removing unit from box, it was discovered that the left handle latch assembly was broken(but still functional) also the key was missing. I would like to have these items shipped to me. I am not interested in taking unit into shop for these minor repairs. I have used the unit and it appears to be working ok.

I use to have a small lawn business after I retired, about 30 lawns. I was a believer in Toro lawn mowers until the last 7-8 years. I felt their quality had declined terribly. I purchased a generic mower to get through last season, it was too heavy and once again I was not pleased with this product. I knew I was going to purchase a Honda mower this Spring, 2017, and I kept returning to The Home Depot to see if they had their lawn mowers out yet. Last year the higher end Honda mowers that The Home Depot carried were the electric start and the NeXite deck. This year their Honda selection was not as good, the higher end were either made of heavy duty steel or they were not electric start.

While checking the mower selection the end of March the saleman stated they had 3 of last years models left. I was so happy because it was exactly what i wanted, electric start and NeXite deck. I have used the mower 3 times since I bought it and I love it. I would recommend this mower to everyone. Easy to operate, light weight, electric start, no clumping of grass, and the drive control is great. 

Just bought this Honda after having used Toros for 40 years.  Electric start great for me because I have a bad shoulder.  Little tricky to get used to because I was so connected to my Toros which adjusted to my walk speed.  First time I used this one I felt like I was running .  As I learned how do disengage the throttle while my terrain changed, I had the hang of it after one mowing.   Bag holds a lot of clippings.  The grass cut was better than I had ever seen  with my previous mowers.  Had several compliments.Mower started the first time.  Only minor complaint is ease of use in walking speeds and taking the bag out.  Certainly better than most but had to clean excess clippings by latch bag to get bag to go down sometimes.  Overall a 4.67.

Cranked right up after sitting in the box all winter.

Purchased this mower one year ago for the battery start and Honda reputation. Used it one summer.  Third cut had to change spark plug due to fowling.  Replaced five plugs during the summer.  Had to pull start unit, 95% of the time to start and remove plug, dip it in gasoline, reinsert and manually start.  Contacted Honda about issue, and was basically thrown to a local dealer for repair.  Dealer charged $90, said warranty did not apply since there was grass blade in the carb. (As I had done on my 24 year old Sears mower I always wiped off the gas cap with a clean shop rag before pouring gasoline in and gas container was stored separately.)  How did grass get into carb.?  Weird.  Mower was purchased for features and to help me stay active at the age of 71 by making some aspects of cutting grass easier.  Just the opposite occurred with this product. Nice specs and features. However, warranty, execution and I believe design leave something to be desired.  Will try one more summer,  if issues return will fix up old Sears and go back to it.  Very disappointed with product and support.

Why did I wait so long to fleet up to this machine?  I've been using the same Honda GCV160 since 1997 and was completely satisfied until I hurt my shoulder trying to start it recently. It was my fault because the gas line was clogged. When I got that fixed it started up and runs like new again.  Fortunately, the new HRX arrived on the same day I fixed the GCV, so it has been retired in place.  The new HRX started with the key switch right out of the box and I haven't had to pull a cord since.  I set the walking speed to go slower when mulching leaves, and faster when mowing grass.  The HRX maneuvers easily around bushes and trees and is easy to back up when required, just release the drive control.  The discharge bag is easy to manipulate and makes leaf mulching a piece of cake.  I haven't set the drive control to max because I probably couldn't keep up with it, a mid-range setting is fast enough for me.  Thank you Honda for an OUTSTANDING piece of lawn equipment.  You have definitely changed my life for the better!

a better machine than I expected

A lot of research went into our decision on buying the Honda electric start mower.  It is built very well.  All components work very smooth.  Very smooth Smart Drive Control.  This mower was very well thought-out for the consumer in ease of use.  No issues at all.  Cannot beat the Honda Engine plus the composite mower deck.

i do not like the way it moves in reverse when trying to back up

the front seems too light - the wheels do not stay on the ground

i don't likle the fact that i had to purchase a battery charger the first weekend

i cannot get the battery charged while using the mower

hope this mower was worth the investment

....but with so many plastic parts, I wonder how long this lawn mowing machine is going to last.  My previous lawn mowing machine, a Honda, lasted 28 years.  That's impressive.

works fine for my lawn

Very easy starting with electric start.  Design of the mower makes mowing simple and easy.  The engine slightly surges when cold but runs smoothly soon after starting.  I am very satisfied with this mower.

As titled - first use was a dream.  All features worked and easy to use.  Honda is known for quality, so we will see how it holds up long term:  but composite body should return years of service beyond metal deck models that rust out quickly.   Service center at warranty shop indicated parts are readily available and reasonably priced for when service will be required.

The electric start is not cut out to be all that, I have yet to get it to start the engine during my first week of usages.  Wish me Luck with my electric start.  

This mower is a Honda!  It does it's job quite well.  The owner is a dumb PA Dutchman who has trouble getting the speed control to operate at the proper speed.  I'm finally getting the hang of it.  A lot more power than my 19 year old Honda mower that I'm still using on our other place.  Love the electric start and the better placement of the handlebar.  What a great mower.  Thanks Honda.

Great grandson is much more easily motivated to mow the lawn with this mower.  It doesn't stall out from heavy growth.  Electric start and self propelled feature easier on the old folks when no willing grandchild is in view.

I CUT FOR OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF;;;;;STARTER DID NOT SO MUCH AS TICK

VERY DISAPPOINTED

From the time it arrived, open box, removed mower, filled oil, filled gas, adjusted wheel height and pulled starter cord.  .  . Started first pull.  Took all of 10 minuted.  What a machine.

This is my second Honda lawn mower, and they keep getting better and better. The new drive system took a little getting used to but once I adjusted to it, it worked to perfection. Also the electric start is awesome and much appreciated when you have a bad back. That's why you buy Honda products, pure quality!

P.S. The other Honda mower still runs like a champ, but I bought the new one for the electric starter 

Purchased this mower in March of 2014, it has seen two mowing seasons, since owning I have had to bring it in for service twice because the autochoke would fail and I could not get the mower to restart when the engine had warmed up. The autochoke was replaced both times, but after the second replacement it seemed to be fine. In addition to that problem the electric start is randomly none existent, also this mower has always left random blades of uncut grass.

I have tried every suggestion  from Honda and searching on the net, service dealer tells me there is nothing wrong, I have documented pictures of the random blades sticking up about a hour after I cut and I have to re mow the lawn, I have also read other people having this problem so it's just not me or something I am doing wrong. This will be the start of my third cutting season and after two mows I can't deal with it anymore. I just placed an order for a new Cub Cadet, I owned a Cub Cadet prior to this Honda and never had a single problem in the several years I owned it. This Honda will be going on Craigslist.

This is a nice lawnmower except it will not keep enough of a charge to start it each time. I like the variable bagging system and the blade.

We have run it several times for 45 min to an hour each time and it still won't start when cold. The local dealer said to get the expensive charger. If this mower needs a charger most of the time, why doesn't Honda ship it with one.

Another feature would be nice would be a maximum speed setting. Several times when we hit a high grass area that slows the mower down, we accidentally push forward and it takes off - fast.

I'm on my second one of these after repeated issues with the first one I purchased from a local dealer. Apparently the type of fuel required for these delicate mowers does not exist because no matter how new, stabilized or premium the fuel is, it apparently is still the cause for the catastrophic engine damage I caused according to Honda.  The letter I received from Honda regarding my issues was quite condescending to say the least. 

At least the manager who sold me the first mower felt this to be extraordinary and offered to exchange the old one for another new one of the same model, the HRX2174VLA.  Not even five times around the yard and I already have a "dirty carburator" due to "bad ethanol fuel." Nevermind that it's completely new fuel and I put stabilizer in it. I don't leave fuel in the gas tank and run it dry.  

Now I have to pay for yet another repair on a mower that's not even 6 months old.  I will never buy another Honda and certainly not anything with the Honda name on it. This is robbery pure and simple. These mowers are complete garbage with a Cadillac price. Whatever you spent to purchase one of these, plan on doubling that value  because it'll cost you hundreds to repair.

I plan on selling this mower as soon as I get it back, taking my losses and buying a different brand. I can't do this anymore.

Sold my four year old Honda Mower after 2015 cutting season when i saw this one offered by Home Depot for 400.00. I wanted the electric start, but have found it to not work properly. Battery will not hold charge or charge while mowing. Honda has sent a new battery and charger that is a bit better, the mower will start from cold and than not so well after warm. Starts ok with rope pull when warm except that defeats the purpose of this purchase. On the upside everything else is good and it cuts very well. Do not bother with the electric start unit.

I purchased this mower after a neighbor recommended Honda.   The throttle design is not the best.  If I was riding an ATV it might be of use riding something like that.    For a mower, it is not a good design.  The throttle has different adjustments up and down, but it still is erratic no matter what setting, especially on the bumps in the lawn.   If it was a flat smooth lawn, it might be okay.  But I am not mowing a golf green.   THE BAG DESIGN IS TERRIBLE.    I have to pick the grass off the top of the mower where the catcher rides every time I empty the bag.   The grass does not flow into the bag well either.  I have to empty it more often than other mowers to keep the grass from accumulating by the chute, and cleaning the grass from where the bag hangs every time is very annoying.  For this amount of money and the Honda brand it should have been designed and tested better.   I do not recommend this mower.

A badly designed product. It gave me a lot of headaches.

Has a major design flaws with handler and engine.

On first season (a brand new) I lost all the bolts, screws that holds handler.

I had a difficult time to find  replacement. I decided not to use factory screws , because of a design flaws that problem will persist after replacement.  Naturally mower vibrates and if you have uneven surface, many turns, bumps then handler will come off. 

Another problem is with its engine. It burns oil very badly. You have to check oil every time you start the engine (it is fine printed in the manual). If engine stops working because of it is oil dry then Honda warranty will not cover it. I think this is show stopper. In my view this is a crime. Engine should not burn oil. It emits toxic substances into air that you breeze during the operation of mower and it is  bad for environment in general.  It reminds me engine of early 20th century that you need to keep adding oil to it in order to operate.   Apparently, Honda engineers stock with that area of thinking.

My neighbor for example has Toro mower for 10 years now and according to him he even did not change the oil for that many years and never adds any drop of oil and it is working fine.

I purchased it mainly because of advertisement about it is noise reduction features. But, it is still loud.

I have contacted to Honda and tried to get rid of this piece of garbage that they call a lawn mower. But, Honda refuses to do anything about it. I think, this product should be recalled.

Thanks for the Home Depot. They listened my problem and agreed to take it back even though a return period has passed for a long period of time.

From now on will not trust Honda. Will not consider even their cars, trucks.

WORST LAWN MOWER I'VE EVER BOUGHT. MOWED MY LAWN 6 TIMES, CLEANED IT 6 TIMES, CHANGED OIL 1 TIME, AND AFTER ALL THAT, I HAD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, BECAUSE WATER GOT ON THE COLD START LINKAGE AND CORRODED IT SO IT WOULDN'T WORK AND WATER GOT ON THE ELECTRIC WIRING AND ELECTRIC PARTS SO THE KEY START WOULD NOT WORK. 

SO FOR $650.00, IF I MOW MY LAWN APPOX. 6 TIMES OR SO, I GET TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL $53.00

TO GET IT FIXED. WHAT A BARGAIN! AT $53.00 FOR REPAIRS EVERY 6-8 WEEKS, I CAN TRUTHFULLY TELL YOU I CAN'T AFFORD TO EVER BY ANOTHER ONE!!!!!!!! IT'S A PIECE OF JUNK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I purchased this Lawn Mover on on July 5, 2015 from Movers Direct, 1325 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook, IL 60490 (PH.8008378247). The supplier was quick to supply this item and I received this on 9th July. 

Opened and as per instruction Manuel filled with gas and supplied bottle of engine oil. Self-start did not work.  The instruction stated that "start the engine with pulling the string and use it for about couple of hours to recharge the battery that may drain and loose power due to shelf life. The self-start again did not work and it looked that there was no charge. On the morning of July 15 I contacted the supplier Movers Direct. The lady there told that since the item has been gassed, they can’t accept it back and that I need to talk to Honda technical support at their phone #770-497-6400 and she transferred me to that number. They told me to contact the Honda dealer and gave me telephone # 7329680778 in Bond Brook area in New Jersey or asked to talk to Honda dealer in Belmead.  I spoke to Honda dealer in Bond Brook.  They told me that since the time is brand new received only a few days back, I need to talk to the supplier.  I again called the supplier Movers Direct and spoke to Katty and her supervisor Sherry but they told me the same thing again and said they accept no responsibility for this defective item and that since Honda has five years warranty, I need to talk to them for this. Again I was transferred to Honda tech support at 770-497-6400.  Spoke to Mike.  He again wanted to pass the buck back to the Dealer and asked me to take this item to them.  But when asked to speak to the Manager for purpose of my record and that of my attorney, he took the details of the Lawn Mover, its model and serial # and the supplier and the date of purchase and my contact phone number and said that I will be getting a call from them soon. Mike called in the in the evening a left a voice mail stating that the case manager has asked him to send a new battery for the Lawn Mover and that it is being sent.  It is still awaited.

I am an old person and the seventies. I went for electric start for ease of use and the name of HONDA even though the item was expensive in comparison to what is available in the market. I can not move this item myself and have no means of moving around with this item. I fail to understand as to why Honda or the supplier does not accept their responsibility for supplying a defective item?  Why I am being bounced from here to there and nobody is ready to take any responsibility for this defective item? The did not pay to buy a machine that is defective from the very beginning. I am quite frustrated and want this item either to be replaced or refunded immediately.

Out of box quality was excellent.  Wasn't sure what to expect as the item was shipped over a thousand miles to get to me.  Added gas and oil and the mower started right up.  I bought the Honda to replace my John Deere 41SB and have no regrets.

Mower started right up but after a 2 hour mow electric start still would not work. Took the 3 screws off the cover and surprise, the electrical connection to the key wasn't done. A quick push of the connector and it started right up. Whats up with only one key, even a cheap riding mower has 2 keys! Come on Honda,whats it gonna cost you, maybe 10 cents. On a positive note, this replaces my 15 year old Honda with worn out rear wheels(no traction) and a carb that needs rebuilding and this mower with a bigger engine (190 vs 160 cc) used less fuel and can almost pull you up a hill.

This if my 4th Honda mower in 21 years.  I just bought it the morning and went  to mow my lawn.  The electric start did not work.  It seemed to not be engaging the clutch.  So I went and started it manually. It ran fine and I mowed my half acre of lawn.  When I finished, the electric start battery seemed to be pretty dead.

Really does a nice job cutting the lawn ( I mulch) but I am not looking forward to lifting that into the trunk to take it for repair.  These days that is a 3 to 4 week proposition.

Upon receipt the mower was coated in a greasy film and the air filter was full of the film.  Had to purchase a new filter.  I started the machine to see if it ran and when it shut off there is a rattling sound.  Called the seller and was told there was nothing they could do and they referred me to Honda.  Honda referred me back to the dealer and said they couldn't help.  They refused to replace the mower nor did they even try to do anything or care that I was upset that I spend $650 on a lawnmower that can't be used without being repaired.  I had a Honda Accord and was not happy with that either.  Save your money and get another brand!

Great mower.  I have a large hilly yard and live in the Southeastern U.S.   It's a real chore to mow the lawn in the heat and humidity.  This mower easily drives itself up the slope of my yard, making it much easier to cut the grass and still have the energy to enjoy the rest of the day.  I haven't used all the features yet but I'm impressed by how it mulches anything small left on the lawn - leaves, small stems, and pine straw.  I noticed it uses twice the gas as my last mower but that's a small price to pay for convenience.

I Like the throttle control.  Easy to use when mowing around trees, burms and other landscaping features.   The maintenance features are easy to get at.

I am on my second Honda lawn mower.  First one, the wife ran over something and bent the crank and it was not worth fixing.  When I went to buy another I opted to go with the HRX series due to the lifetime warranty on the deck.  My wife cuts the lawn for her exercise, and at times had trouble pulling to get started.  This time Honda had the electric start available.  What a great idea!  This thing is amazing!!  Over the winter, I stabilized the fuel, turned gas off and ran carb out of gas.  When I went out for the first time this season, I thought I was going to have to pull to get it started.  To my surprise the battery still had enough juice in it to get the mower running!!!  I was up and running in 5 minutes because of the proper storage.  We did not go with the hydrostatic transmission even though I wanted to, because of the speed settings.  With this one you control the speed with a device like a throttle located where you put your hands.  You can decide how fast you go, not the machine decidine.  The only negative is I would like to have the roto stop feature, which I had on my first one.  The electic start one did not offer that without going with the hydrostatic transmission.  This machine is probably the last one I will ever have to buy as family members have had theirs for 30 plus years and they are still going, just the deck is rotting away.  Not with this model.  With the composite deck I should never have that problem.  If you are looking for a mower I would highly suggest this one.  Yes, you can get cheaper mowers, but not of the same quality.  You have the choice, buy 1 every few years, or buy one and have it for a lifetime!!!  Pay me now or pay me later!

I WAS MILITARY AND DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN (2X). I BOUGHT THE MOWER FOR THE ELECTRIC START FOR MY WIFE. SHE ACTUALLY USES THE PULL TO START, BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY. THE WHEELS AND SPEED ARE EASY TO ADJUST. THE 190CC ENGINE CUTS MY SOZSIA LIKE BUTTER. THANKS FOR A GREAT PRODUCT…..

Simply I wanted my second Honda and chose the model I bought - I liked what I had for years and simply replaced my old for a new machine - I like the product

We purchased this mower to replace another brand which was still working. Solid construction, great smooth cut,nice drive system, electric start, easy bag removal. Dropped one star because mower seems heavy to back up. Speaking of backing up; this mower also cuts great while backing up, much better than the other brand. Quite happy with this purchase.

BEST LAWN MOWER I HAVE HAD STARTS RIGHT UP EVERY TIME.

I've had several Honda mowers over the years, (4 in all) and they keep on getting better!  This is my 2nd electric start HRX217VLA mower, with one for my home and one for my daughters.  Very easy to start, mows/mulches great, runs quietly, very pleased!   Will definitely recommend them to others.  Quality built, and runs great.

this is my second honda lawn mower , if the first one is as good as the this one I will name my next grand child after honda.when I received my new honda it was missing the manual , oil , and key one call from customer service they quickly sent out my missing items . Being a ex MARINE we have and old saying

SEMPER FI. Which means all ways faithfull

I have only had this mower for 3 weeks however am blown away at thh quality of the machine, the cut and the speed! I have used other walk behind mowers (this is my first honda) however not one impressed me as much as the Honda. Set up out of the box was a 10 mins. It started right away with the electric start. The cut as expected, is clean and the machine is relatively quiet for the 190cc engine. What most impressed me so far is the excellent cut at top speed. I have been able to cut 45% off the total time to cut. The machine handles much easier than the appearance and weight indicate. The gas cap is much larger with the opening to match. Easier to fill with gas! All around I am thoroughly impressed with my first Honda mower!!!

It is an awesome unit.  Very easy to start and use.

Bought this for my mother. She had a hard time starting her old one with the pull start. BEST Mothers day gift ever! She loves to be outside and was getting very frustrated with her mower. I put this mower together and it started first try and every try since. Cuts great! And its a Honda so it will last forever!

Just purchased a new HRR model and a new HRX model.  These are the third and fourth Honda mowers I have

bought in the last 15 years.  The two cost me $1400.00.  My neighbors think I have lost my grip on the limb for

spending that much on two lawn mowers.  I tell them I spend that much to get the best product on the market

and enable me to have a better looking lawn than them. 

These mowers start on the first pull each and every time, even after sitting all frigid winter in my garage.  They

cut 8" high grass like it was half that height and they never "bog down."  The lawn looks "manicured" after it is

cut.  Their convenience and safety features are so many that it is inconceivable to me that there could be any

more!  If these lawn mowers were cars, you could say they're "loaded."  Considering a new mower?  Do yourself

a big favor and go to your Honda dealer first.  You will buy one if you try one!

I've used this mower 5 times now and it doesn't start after it has been ran for short amount of time. It starts up fine if it's sat for a half hour or longer. Only after it's ran for a little while it seems to get flooded. I assume it due to the automatic choke, based on similar reviews I've read. Expensive mower to have something silly like this happening.

  Very disappointed.  Spent a small fortune on this machine and it runs horriBly. Sputters, misses, smokes, and dies.  Tried fresh premium gas, but it did not help.  The dealer all but told me to drop dead when I called for help.

Highly recommend this mower, easy to use and cuts very nice.

Since  time has taken it's toll on my shoulders, I looked into a mowers that could be started with a key.

I looked at most, and went with the Honda and really like the ease of the electric start now.

Neighbor has one and loves it, had it for years. So it was a no-brainer.

Have not mulched with it yet, will wait till grass  is dry, but so far so good!

This is my second Honda mower, The first one lasted 40 years and it is still running. I saw this one in home depot and just had to have it. If you are in need of a lawn mower this is the one.

It was very easy to setup and get ready for the first use.  It started on the first pull of the rope.  Half way through the mowing, I shut it off to take a break.  I used the electric start then to restart, and it started right away and actually had the energy in the starter to do it easily.  I have had a Toro with electric start that was extremely disappointing.  All Honda adjustments were easy to make and it is nice having the mowing height marked by the adjusters.

Well designed mower that works as advertised.  The drive control is great for setting a comfortable speed and the dual blade design produces much smaller clippings that fill the bag more slowly.  I adjusted the mulch/bagging to do about 50% mulch and 50% clippings and only had to dump the bag twice when I used to dump I 5 to 10 times with my old mower.  Good power and the electric starter works very well.  I love this mower!

I've only had this mower for a week and a half, and after using it twice I must say that I am impressed with its ability to cut clean, pull leaves and grass upward to be mulched, and its key start has worked perfectly even though I was a tad concerned about that from reading a few other reviews. But for me, thus far, this mower has been a dream. Though I have used the key start primarily, I did use the pull chord (Recoil Starter) to start it a few times to see how difficult it would be to start it. It started on the first pull each time. Impressive!! But I'm still going to use the key start in the future. This mower deserves a 5 star rating in every category. However I gave it a 4 star rating in the quality category for what is probably very trivial. My intent is not to discredit its quality at all, but to hope the few suggestions I have are read and considered in this mowers manufacturing. I have 3 things that manufacturing engineers can address. One being... dirt is brown, and grass stains are green.... Why is the grass bag white?? I would suggest that it be made black. Number two is.... when the grass goes to the grass bag, there is an ample amount that gets cast on top of where the grass bag attaches. I think a better design of the grass catcher attachment should direct the grass 'directly' into the bag and no where else. And last... My third enhancement is the hand bars. Maybe nothing can be done about this, and I'm the one with issues. But I prefer to just push the mower. That doesn't cause a problem, but doing so consequentially causes hand fatigue at the base of ones tubs, in the palm of the hands. This is from gripping the hand bars without using the 'smart drive'. So maybe this isn't as worthy of a suggestion since I love all of the features of this mower but I'd just rather push it. But all in all, this is a fabulous mower and my few picky concerns in no way diminish this mowers greatness. Best mower I've ever had. Good work Honda!!

I purchased this mower because of Honda's reputation for building excellent mowers. Based on my experience with this mower, the reputation is entirely undeserved. I have had this mower for less than 2 years but, in that time: (1) the electrical start failed, (2) the pull-start failed,(3) it was recalled because a manufacturing defect that resulted in the engine not shutting off (on the rare occasions when the mower could be started), and (4) from the time of purchase, the mower deck has been warped. The latter complaint results in an uneven cut when the wheels are set at exactly the same position. In contrast to the repeated failures of the Honda mower over two years, I previously owned two Sears mowers that didn't need a single repair over an 8 year period and a 10 year period. The truth is in the data. Honda lives on its past reputation. Unfortunately, their current products, at least on the basis of my experience, do not live up to their heritage. Stay away!

I have had this mower for three seasons.  Starts on the first or second pull every time.  The gas shutoff allows you to run the carb dry which means it won't be gummed up the following year.  You have to slowly engage the blades when first starting off which isn't a big deal as the safety feature is great so you can allow a teenager to use unattended.  Bag capacity is sufficient and the mulching works well so long as you don't let the grass grow tall.  Height adjustment is easy to use.  I can cut 0.2 acres in about 45 minutes with little effort.  Works well on hills, definitely the best mower I've ever owned.

In this price range, you expect design features to be light years ahead of mowers of half the price, but such is not the case.

Maybe it’s because I’m tall, but I could not find a comfortable position for the Smart Drive control paddles. The flat paddles are designed to be held with your palms, but are positioned to be operated with your thumbs. All of the pictures show the operator using their thumbs to press the paddles. You cannot hold a steady speed with your thumbs, and holding the flat paddles with your palms is awkward.

• Removing the grass bag requires several steps, when simply designing a different handle would make for a smooth, one step removal and installation process.
• Grass clippings collect in cavities at the rear of the mower and spill when the bag is removed. Requires extra time for cleaning. Unique to the NeXite^® deck?
• Smart Drive controller with infinite positions and a locking ring instead of 5 positions would allow anyone to find a comfortable position for the paddles.
• Make up your mind: design the drive paddles for thumb use, or position them for palms.
• Rear wheel drive makes it difficult to turn and control. The mower tends to lift the front wheels off the ground as the grass catcher bag fills. Front wheel drive is a better design.
• The bottom lip of the NeXite^® deck is wider than a steel deck, preventing close trimming around trees.
• I expected the engine to be quieter. It’s nearly as loud as the 16-year-old Briggs & Stratton it replaced.
• Once it was warmed up, it would not restart with the electric start (cranked, no start). Used the pull start with no problem.

The cut is smooth and even, the engine is powerful and did not bog down at all when mowing my heavy grass at 3½ inches. The grass was longer than normal due to the demise of my old mower and subsequent search for a replacement. I did not test its mulching ability due to the length of the grass, but I suspect it would do an excellent job based on the size of the clippings in the bag.

I had an incredibly quiet Honda HT3813 that performed very well for nearly 20 years. It was still running and working well when I sold it for nearly half the original purchase price. The very positive experience with that lawn tractor was the driving force behind another Honda. However, I am returning this HRX217VLA to the dealer today and getting the HRX217HZA (buying from a dealer has many advantages over the box stores or online). I’m hoping the drive system on the HZA is smoother than the VLA. Look for an un-biased review of the HZA in the coming weeks.

I love the overall quality of this lawn mower with the exception of the electric start.  After following the owners manual and after (3) attempts of charging the battery while running for at least 1 hour the electric start still does not work properly.  Simply put the battery does not appear to be robust enough to turn the engine and get it to start.  After about 6 seconds of very slow cranking the battery charge gives out; the pull start will start the engine on the first try.

After calling the local Home Depot they told me I'm the 7th or 8th person this summer with the same problem on the electric start Honda lawn mowers.

Honda engineering needs to revisit the design of this electric start and come up with a better solution.   

Have mowed my yard twice so far (~ 5-6 hours total) and my only complaint is with the drive system. It has a delay if attempting to move slowly but once it gets moving it is very, very hard to maintain speed control.

With the design of the throttle, every time the mower hits a bump or a dip, that of course makes the handle jump up or down  immediately, and by having to maintain a steady pressure on the throttle, when that pressure is altered by the handle movement, so is the speed.

I have had occasions where I would suddenly either ram my body into the handle or the mower would literally jump out of my control.

This system is ideal for a golf green, but not, IMHO, a residence of any size unless it is a smooth as a green

If I would not lose so much on a trade, I would get another brand with a different drive system immediately.

My old mower had the “push harder, go faster” system, and it took a little getting used to, but by the time I had used it as much as I have this Honda, it was a part of me.

I’m hoping, but doubtful, that I’ll find some key adjustment in me and/or the mower to make this one work.

It does a magnificent job of mowing, and so far I like everything about it, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVE SYSTEM CONTROL!!!!!!!

i bought an expensive honda because i thought that they were reliable.   It is very hard to start.  Have to spray ether in order to get it to start.   I have to start the mower every month in the winter or it wont start in the spring.    I have taken it to the dealer and they said that these mowers were just hard to start.  After it starts, it runs just fine.   Also the carb plugs up easily and has to be taken apart quite regularly.

Would i buy another one?  NO NO NO

After the performance of my Honda 3000iu generator, when the time came for a new mower I knew Honda was what I would buy. I wasn't sure I needed all the bells and whistles of the HRX line - I just needed something that would mow grass. After shopping the available models at my local Honda dealer, I chose the HRX217VLA. After I got it home I worried I had over purchased according to my needs. After a month's use, however, I could not be more pleased. The 190cc engine is powerful and efficient; the adjustable handle allows me to easily load the mower in the truck, the shed, or anywhere space is an issue; the mulch/bag feature allows for infinite ability to adjust to mowing conditions - also important, the discharge opening into the bag is large enough that clogs are no longer an issue, even with damp or tall grass; and the twin blade cutting system eliminates those rows of clippings that have to be raked after the moving is finished; and the electric start and self propel features are a luxury after a long hot day of mowing and there's still more to do - they will save the back and shoulders, that's for sure. The Nexite deck I was unsure of; turns out it it as durable as a metal deck without the worry of rust or paint peeling, and it is impervious to gasoline spills - just don't ask how I know. The only knock I can think of is the rear discharge - gives me a couple shoes full of debris, but that's easily cured by just moving the handle to mulch and leaving it there when you're not using the bag. I cannot speak to the Roto-Stop feature, as this model does not have it. This mower may seem expensive initially(it did for me) for a "push mower", but it is worth every penny. With care this will be the last mower you buy. After a month of use at home, however, I couldn't be more happy with my choice. 190cc engine is powerful and efficient; the easily adjustable positioning of the handle makes it a snap to load into the truck, the shed, or anywhere that space is tight; the bag/mulch settings are so varied I can match any condition in my yard to either pick up debris or grind it in; and, importantly, the discharge opening on the mower is large enough that grass does not compact there and cause a blockage - even damp grass discharges into the bag easily. The double blade system totally eliminates rows of clippings in the yard, even with 6" tall grass, and the electric start and self propel features are a luxury when you've been mowing all day and you still have more yard to go.

We had a hrx216 that worked fine until my wife hit a fire hydrant with it.  It was cheaper for me to replace the entire mower rather then get it fixed.  We spent the extra money and got the HRX217VLA with electric start and it is great.  Best mower I ever mowed with.  Nothing is too thick for this motor, it cuts as easy as short grass.  Another quality product by Honda.