Honda HRX217K2VKA Review – The Lawn Mower Guru (2024)

Honda HRX217K2VKA Review – Key Features

• NeXite deck – This is innovative feature Honda has brought you. You know the usual steel or aluminium decks you find on most mowers? Well you won’t find one here. These decks are made from a special polymer material which is unbelievably strong (So strong that in Honda’s promo video’s they actually drive over one of these decks deck with a truck and hit it with a sledge hammer and it still doesn’t break – although please don’t do that to yours). These decks give you several things: enhanced manoeuvrability since the deck’s weight is cut by over 10 lbs, no peeling paint, no rust issues and it’s easy to clean as the grass doesn’t stick to it. Honda is so confident in these decks that they actually come with a lifetime guarantee, which says it all really.
• Solid feel and reliability – These things feel really solid. They are built to last more than just a couple of seasons. You also get a 5 year warranty, which is better than most others out there.
• Honda 190cc engine – This mower packs plenty of power and can deal with longer grass. This will serve you well if you go away on vacation or cannot cut your lawn for a while for whatever reason.
• First time starter – This is a given with the HRX series. One light pull and you are up and running.
• Versamow system – If you haven’t heard of this before then you have been missing out. This is a 4-in-1 system that allows you to bag, mulch, rear discharge or shred leaves. All four of those functions packed into this one mower and you don’t even require any additional add-ons. What’s more is if you want to, you can half bag, half mulch.That is pretty special! You have a small lever system called the “clip director”. At one end of the scale you have “bag” and at the other end is “mulch”. In between the two extremes you have several other settings. On the middle setting half your clippings will end up in the bag and half will end up on your lawn.
• Microcut Blade system – This model features a twin blade system. So you actually get two blades cutting your grass. This produces smaller clippings, so you can actually fit more clippings in the grass catcher if you intend to bag. This in itself will save you time, as you won’t need to empty the grass bag as often.
• Adjustable handle – This is a definite plus. Too many mowers have a handle which is just set at one height. But we are not all the same height, are we? No. Well with the Honda HRX217K2VKA you have 3 height setting and they suit both the tall and the small.
• Variable speed self propel – This propulsion system gives you total control. You are given an ergonomically designed paddle, which you can use with either one or two hands to adjust the speed. This is a big plus on uneven terrain and slopes as the mower does the work for you rather than you busting a gut trying to push it. One thing that should be noted is that the paddle control does take a bit of getting used to and a few people have actually found they don’t like it (more on the later on) – but the majority of people find it very precise and easy to use.

Honda HRX217K2VKA Review – Performance

• Cutting Ability – We found this to be a solid performer, whatever the conditions. It performs well whether you are cutting dry, damp or wet grass. It isn’t noisy either so choose one of these and your neighbours will love you. And you won’t get any grief when mowing your lawn.
• Mulching Ability – Are you in the market for a mulching mower? You will not find anything much better than this. It has a twin blade system which cuts the clippings into ultra fine clippings which decompose faster. Free fertilizer for your yard and less clippings going to landfill. Everyone’s a winner.
• Shredding Ability – Have you got a few trees in your garden? Or perhaps a whole orchard? You will love this feature in the fall. With no other attachments required the Honda HRX217K2VKA will effortlessly shred all the leaves scattered across your lawn.

Honda HRX217K2VKA Review – Pros

• Real easy to set up
• Starts with a light pull of the cord
• Runs nice and quietly
• Shreds leaves like a boss
• Emptying grass bag is easy
• Self propel helps you get the job done faster and easier
• Adjustable handle height
• Performs well in all conditions
• Mulches great
• 4-in-1 cutting options
• Powerful Honda engine
• NeXite deck which is ridiculously strong yet still lightweight
• Overall quality construction

Honda HRX217K2VKA Review – Cons

• Investment – Obviously the initial cash outlay is high which is something to consider with this model. But for the big bucks you get awesome quality. You just have to decide if you can afford the initial cash investment.
• Drive system – The paddle control lever seems to be a love it or hate it kind of thing. The majority of people get on well with it, but there are a few that don’t like it and think it’s difficult to use. This is because there are no set speeds and you need to constantly adjust it and because it’s quite sensitive you can seem to go either too fast or too slow until you master it. It has only been a minority that have said this but you should be aware of this.
• Weight distribution – The weight on this mower is predominantly on the rear side as it’s a rear wheel transmission. If you are planning to bag your clippings, once the bag gets near full then the increased weight on the rear can tip the front end up slightly. The grass catcher is pretty big to be fair, so you could solve this by not filling it 100%.