What's New
The 2020 Honda CR-V arrives on schedule with a mid-cycle refresh. It features updated front and rear exterior styling, including new headlight designs, while the interior benefits from a redesigned center console.
The biggest updates affect the base LX trim. It now gets the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features and the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine standard. The former 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine has been dropped from the lineup.
Additionally, the range-topping Touring trim adds a heated steering wheel and wireless smartphone charging as standard equipment for the 2020 model year.
Choosing Your Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is available in four trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Pricing starts at $26,170 including destination for the updated LX and climbs up to $34,370 for the Touring.
Engine Choices
All CR-V’s receive the company’s 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that develops 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. The power is routed through a continuously variable transmission to the front wheels as standard. All-wheel drive is available across the lineup for $1,500.
The CR-V earns an EPA-estimated 28 miles per gallon city, 34 mpg highway, and 30 combined, or 27/32/29 mpg (city/highway/combined) with AWD.
Passenger and Cargo Capacity
The compact CR-V has a five-passenger capacity, and Honda struts its interior packaging know-how with 40.4 inches of rear legroom. It boasts 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which expands to 75.8 cubic feet with the second row folded down.
Safety Features
For 2020, all trims receive the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features. The bundle includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and lane departure warning. Automatic high beams are also standard.
Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert become standard starting on the EX.
The NHTSA gave the CR-V a five-star overall safety rating, the highest possible. It failed to earn a designation from the IIHS due to its headlights, but it scored high marks in all crash tests and the front crash prevention avoidance and mitigation testing.
Connectivity
While the base LX benefits from a new engine and safety features, it's still held back by a 5-inch color display. It does come with Bluetooth, Pandora compatibility, and one USB port.
More buyers will want to move up to at least the EX to get the 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, satellite radio, HD radio, and three additional USB ports. The Touring trim brings navigation and a wireless phone charger.
While the LX features the updated engine and active safety equipment, it's still a pretty basic crossover. Highlights include remote entry, automatic climate control, and 17-inch alloy wheels, but it's held back by halogen headlights and a six-way manual driver's seat.
The EX brings some welcome upgrades, including the 7-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Day-to-day livability is enhanced with a moonroof, heated front seats, a 12-way power driver's seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and push-button start.
The exterior is enhanced with LED fog lights, 18-inch wheels, heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators, and body-colored door handles, side mirrors, and roofline spoiler.
The EX-L trim adds leather seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Other upgrades include a power tailgate with programmable height, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a four-way power passenger's seat, and memory functionality for the driver's seat.
The Touring trim entices with several notable exterior upgrades like LED headlights, a hands-free tailgate, 19-inch wheels, rain-sensing windshield wipers, chrome exterior trim, and roof rails. The cabin is enhanced with a heated steering wheel, ambient interior lighting, and wireless phone charging.
Compare CR-V Trims Side-By-Side
Honda prides itself as offering the best value no matter the price. The 2020 Honda CR-V delivers in this regard, even in the competitive compact crossover segment. We'd stick with the EX trim to get the updated infotainment system and the best bang for the buck.