The Honda CR-V continues to strengthen its position as one of Americas favorite compact SUV’s. Refreshed styling in 2020 help it remain a compelling choice. The exterior is sharp, with plenty of appreciated extras like heated side mirrors, roof rails, rain sensing wipers and more. The 19” alloy wheels, LED lighting and small tailgate spoiler add a sporty flair as well.
The once only optional 1.5L turbo engine is now standard on every CR-V that isn’t a hybrid. Additional equipment, both optional and standard, further enhance the CR-V’s appeal. There’s a robust suite of driver-assistance features, including adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, lane keeping assist and more. Each works well, alleviating the strain of long stretches behind the wheel.
The Honda CR-V receives an interior treatment that’s thoughtful and refined. Full of nicely appointed touches and high-quality materials. Leather wraps the steering wheel, seats and shifter. Interior finishes vary in texture and sheen, with soft and hard touch surfaces spread around for tactile variety. The seats and steering wheel can be heated for those cold mornings. Cargo capacity is also above average in this class. There’s room enough in the back for a couple average sized adults to car-pool in comfort.
The 1.5L turbo engine delivers 29 mpg combined. If you’re hunting for more, there’s a plethora of Hybrid trims to choose from that will better suite your needs. In complete honesty, this small displacement engine struggles to get up to speed. It huffs and puffs its way around slower traffic, with a CVT transmission that often seemed at a loss with what rpm range it should be in. Especially in aggressive driving scenarios. Thankfully, braking and handling are much better. The chassis felt confident in the bends with little body roll. Steering offered a nice, connected feel as well.
In a segment as jam packed as the compact SUV is, the CR-V has always managed to rise to the top. It does so by blending an attractive design with a quality interior. Feeding the recipe the most though is Honda’s time-tested reputation for reliability. Making cars you can count on. That’s how the new 2020 CR-V feels, and we can count on it only getting better.
Price as tested: $35,845.00
