2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid Review: Better Than RAV4?
Honda’s first electrified SUV in the United States offers a viable, if slightly flawed, alternative to the popular Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
While Toyota has been experimenting with electrified variants of its RAV4 SUV for the better part of a decade, Honda has always played it more conservatively with the CR-V. However, for 2020, the CR-V sees both an exterior refresh and a bit of a rethink about what’s happening under the surface.
The biggest news is that, for the first time ever, Honda is finally offering an electrified SUV to customers in the U.S. in the form of the new CR-V Hybrid.
At first glance there isn’t much to distinguish the Hybrid from any other CR-V model, other than a few blue-tinted badges. This isn’t a bad thing, however, as the CR-V Hybrid sports a handsome facade, like a shrunken down Honda Pilot, and the 19-inch wheels, which are part of the $37,070 Touring trim level, fill out the fenders and look sharp against the Sonic Gray Pearl paintwork.
The interior, likewise, is very charming and incredibly spacious, with black leather punctuated by pieces of matte finished faux wood trim. Additional features, like heated and powered-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, and an upgraded premium audio system with nine speakers, along with wireless charging make the Touring trim worth springing for.
Unfortunately, some of the luster begins to fade once tasked with using the infotainment system. While it is equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and looks slick at first glance, the system relies almost entirely on a touchscreen, which can be clunky to use, especially while driving. This system, which debuted in the Civic, is a disappointing sight in the CR-V, especially when an updated, and more tactile system is available in other Honda models, like the Accord, or Insight.
What the CR-V Hybrid does take from the Accord parts bin is the powertrain, as it uses the same 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine and 1.4 kWh battery pack system, however, unlike the Accord, CR-V can also send power from that gasoline engine to the rear wheels as AWD is standard on the CR-V Hybrid.
ALSO SEE: Honda Accord Hybrid Review: One-upping the Toyota Camry
The power output of 212 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque makes the Hybrid the most powerful variant of CR-V, and it feels amply potent off the line and around town. Unfortunately, acceleration notably tapers off at freeway speeds, resulting in the occasional hold your breath moment when overtaking.
On the upside, the refined cabin works in tandem with the exceptionally smooth ride and handling to present a very relaxed ride. The CR-V Hybrid goes down the road, and through the occasional bend, with fluidity and poise.
ALSO SEE: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Review: The Best Plug-in Hybrid
The quiet cabin gives one ample time to think, though these thoughts were mainly preoccupied on whether the fuel gauge was broken. It was not.
While the Accord Hybrid returned a real world figure of 42.4 MPG, the CR-V Hybrid only managed a scant 32 MPG, which is quite poor for a hybrid, and falls way below the EPA estimates of 35 MPG freeway, 40 MPG city and 38 MPG combined. It’s also much lower than the 40 MPG figure seen while testing the RAV4 Hybrid.
Other publications have also reported unusually low numbers from the CR-V Hybrid, which is disappointing, and makes the $2,700 price premium for the Hybrid over an AWD CR-V, which is quoted 29 MPG combined, a tough sell.
At $37,070 as tested, the CR-V Hybrid Touring does undercut the price of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited by a few thousand dollars, and features an interior which feels more substantial, as well as a more solid drive, but that RAV4 Limited is also equipped with a few more comfort and convenience goodies than the Honda, and is much more fuel efficient. So, in the battle between the Honda CR-V Hybrid and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, buyers will have to ask themselves what they value most out of their next vehicle, and buy accordingly.
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