I bought a CP215517HV a couple of weeks ago for $800 delivered. This is an commercial, 21" HI-VAC with the Honda 5.5 HP GXV160KA12 commercial engine and commercial steel wheels. This was a new, old stock model. The current commercial HI-VAC model has a plastic control panel with a cup holder and a slightly different ground speed control. The dealer included a side discharge chute and mulch cover at no additional cost. These are extra cost options on the commercial HI-VAC model. Another Snapper dealer offered me a CRP2160KWV for $750. This is the current commerical mulching model with the commerical Kawasaki FJ180V engine and commercial steel wheels. This dealer offered to included a side discharge chute and rear bag kit at no additional cost. These are extra cost options on the commercial mulching model. From my experience you can get a commerical Snapper 21" HI-VAC or mulching model for about the same price at the consumer grade HRX217K2HXA. To get the Honda 5.5 HP comercial GXV160KA12 engine that came on my new Snapper in a Honda mower you would have to buy the $1,169 Honda Commercial HRC216K3HXA model. Both the Snapper and the Honda commerical mowers have 14 guage steel decks and the consumer grade Honda HRX217K2HXA has a plastic deck. I have a brother who bought a plastic deck Honda Harmony. Even though he is careful with his equipment and only uses the Harmony for trim work, the deck cracked. Since Honda deems steel decks better suited for their commercial mowers and my brother's cracked deck experience, I prefer Snapper's steel deck over the HRX217K2HXA's plastic deck.

I don't know if Honda circulates "cheaper" versions of it's lawnmower to Home Depot...I would hope not! But I was in the same boat as cz9h3d, in the market for a new lawnmower. I went to the across the boarder to HD( our local HDs in Canada do not sell Honda mowers) at the intent of purchasing the 217HXA, after a study of reviews and specs of this specific mower. I was fixated to the HXA having the roto stop. But after comparing the 217HXA and 217VKA side by side and using the controls, the 217VKA's adjustable smartdrive control won me over with it's comfort and simplicity. To summerize the my comparison, the 217HXA = Manual, the 217VKA = Automatic....I went with Automatic!.. I suspect most of the buyers of the 217HXA are previous Hydrostatic Honda owners or for homeowners and professionals who want "total"(clutch, choke, speed, Rotostop) control of their mowers. 217VKA buyers are for people who want it simple and comfortable. It doesn't feature the Rotostop I wanted, but on and off is simple with the help of the automatic choke..no turtle -) bunny pictures on this mower! :P Come to think of it, after using this mower, I can probably mow with just one hand because of the Smartdrive. Last thing I want to point out. I've read many reviews about the smartdrive being uncomfortable. It might be because they got the non adjustable Smartdrive. Or the main reason for their woes is because they call it a thumb bar, well you actually use your palms to add or decrease pressure to the Smartdrive rather than your thumbs. Check out he Hondapowerequipment videos..

I chose not to address all of the points mentioned, but I do appreciate your input and advice. I finally got to try the HRX with cruise control, not just pushing it around on the showroom floor, but actually cutting the grass. Very impressive and high quality mower. Initial impressions, my opinion only, your mileage may vary: not a fast or as quiet as I would like; it bogged down a few times when I didn't expect it to be struggling, blade/cruise control will take some getting used to and at first try I do not find it as intuitive as the personal pace. It does seem like a high quality machine and I really like the composite deck and the Versamow feature and some of the higher end features like large bb wheels and the mulching blades and I can see why it receives great reviews. For the speed issue, I am going to try the Honda HRS216PDA, the push version, steel deck. There is no max speed on a push mower. Haven't seen any aluminum deck push mowers. At 63 lbs, it's the lightest I have seen of the quality push mowers. The Lawnboy10640 looks good too, but it gives up an inch on the front wheels and the blade, and my bumpy and large yard make these factors important to me. These two mowers also revive the B&S vs Honda engine comparison, but I get the point that both are good and will serve me well as long as I take care of them and whatever the power, should be enough. Still, I read the Cub Cadet thread and I also like to have the data and analyze it myself, with the help of the forum too. So, I am going to give the push Honda a try and if that doesn't crank my motor, I will get the Toro SR 20092 and be done with it. Yep, the B&S one, aluminum deck, 5mph top speed. Red is a faster color too. The quandry continues, and the grass keeps growing, but not under my feet. Cheers.

Well, just to update everyone on my decision and purchase... (Note: I tried to do this last week, but GardenWeb had a server problem which didn't allow me to Log In). After much research, visiting and "test driving" the Honda HRX217HZA and the Toro 20384 SuperRecycler (with Personal Pace) at our local mower shop, and talking with friends who own both brands, I purchased the Honda HRX217HXA, Given the excellent experience I've had with my 2003 Toro 20033 SuperRecycler, I was leaning very hard toward Toro. But, after testing both in my "real world environment" which includes quite a bit of mowing forward and backward due to all of the obstructions in the yard, the Personal Pace drive system was a bit awkward to use. Setting the Honda's "Cruise Control" of the HydroStatic drive at a convenient speed, and then just dropping the clutch bail when I need to reverse my tracks was much easier to use than the Toro's Personal Pace system. If I was just buying this mower for my use, and not also my wife's, I would have likely bought the Toro SR 20380 with the Variable Speed drive, instead of the Honda. At first, the Honda HRX was a bit intimidating with the two bails and two control levers, but after one mowing it's all very intuitive. Since this is my first walk-behind mower with the self-propelled feature, I must say it does make the job of mowing the lawn much easier. I do have one rather steep slope near our driveway that is more difficult with the Honda, and that's primarily due to the weight differential (Honda 102 lbs. vs. my old Toro 69 lbs.). The Honda wants to slide sideways down the slope when I'm mowing across the slope. The electric start is a very nice feature, and a God-send for my wife. The overall cut and mulching quality of the Honda appears to be on par with my old Toro with the SR deck design. One strange thing that I've noticed is that with the Honda it's a bit difficult to see the "track of the cut line or path" while mowing, whereas that was never a problem with the Toro. Why this is so, I really don't know, but I've found myself re-cutting paths that I've already cut with the Honda. Overall, I'm very happy with the Honda HRX, but check back with me in 10 years for a long-term comparison with my still like-new Toro 20033 SR push mower! ;) Thanks again for all of the input from everyone! saxman1... BTW, I have decided to restore the old Lawn-Boy Model 5274 2-stroke... I have found a person willing to rebuild and restore the D601 engine, so I will have a 19" easy-to-push trim mower here soon as well.