Cargazing
By Derek Price
Honda took an unusual approach when planning the hybrid-powered version of the CR-V, the most popular crossover vehicle in America over the past 22 years.
Instead of focusing solely on fuel economy, the new-for-2020 CR-V Hybrid is the most powerful and capable version in the lineup. Its 212 total system horsepower makes it the quickest CR-V you can buy, and it comes standard with all-wheel drive.
Honda could have goosed the gas mileage by giving it a smaller engine and only powering the front wheels, but even with this new design’s focus on performance it still manages to be the most efficient CR-V ever.
It’s rated for 40 mpg in city driving and 35 on the highway. That’s not enough to best the hybrid version of its arch nemesis, the Toyota RAV4, but it’s impressive nonetheless because of how responsive the CR-V Hybrid feels from the driver’s seat.
Everything about the Honda feels more taut than on its Toyota counterpart — or most other crossover vehicles, for that matter — thanks to engaging steering and firm, communicative suspension tuning. It feels hefty, though, in no small part because the hybrid components add more than 200 pounds of weight.
New for 2020, the Honda CR-V Hybrid is rated for 40 mpg in city driving and comes standard with all-wheel drive.
Every new CR-V Hybrid comes standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of driver assistance and active safety features that make new cars feel smart. It includes adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist, along with sensors and programming to avoid and mitigate collisions.
Outside, the CR-V Hybrid shows its Earth-friendly colors through a range of visual cues. It proudly wears special badges on the grille, tailgate and front fenders, and it comes with a unique design for the rear bumpers and fog lights made from five LEDs.
Other than that, the hybrid closely mirrors the gasoline CR-V’s styling that I call “handsomely inoffensive” when I want to be polite, or “dull and derivative” when I want to be honest. Most of today’s crossovers have the same cookie-cutter, predictable shape, and this one falls comfortably in that same lookalike category.
Inside, the CR-V Hybrid lives up to Honda’s excellent reputation. Quality materials feel tightly assembled, and the cabin is designed in a way that makes it comfortable, beautiful and highly functional. Honda designers do a terrific job avoiding sacrifices in those three important areas.
The CR-V is built with roomy seating for five, plus a generous cargo area in back. The cargo space is big enough for a couple of dogs or luggage for a road trip, but not so big that the vehicle feels bulky or truck like over the road.
Its overall driving feel is nimble and car-like, with a sporty ride that lets you feel the road better than in most crossovers. If you want the zippiest feeling from the driver’s seat, though, it still doesn’t beat a Mazda.
The CR-V’s cabin is a great example of Honda’s reputation for solid interior design. Construction feels tight, and storage spaces are flexible and logical.
You have to look hard to find weaknesses in any freshly designed Honda, but there’s a glaring one in the CR-V: its infotainment system looks and feels hopelessly outdated.
If you frequently use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, as I do, it won’t matter so much. Your digital interface will come from the phone designers. But the digital design provided by Honda looks blocky and clunky, as if it was created a decade ago, and already feels outdated for a newly built vehicle.
On the upside, this has been a common complaint with Hondas for many years, and it doesn’t seem to hurt their desirability and resale value in the slightest. They’re still hot commodities on the used-car market, which makes pricing on new CR-Vs seem very reasonable.
Speaking of which, pricing starts at $27,750 for the LX trim or $30,260 for the more well-equipped EX. The EX-L with leather seats is priced at $32,750, while the fully loaded Touring trim costs $35,950.
At A Glance
What was tested? 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring ($35,950). Options: None. Price as tested (including $1,120 destination charge): $37,070
Wheelbase: 104.7 in.
Length: 182.1 in.
Width: 73 in.
Height: 66.5 in.
Engine: 2.0-liter four cylinder, plus electric motors (212 total system horsepower)
Transmission: Direct drive, 3.89 ratio
Fuel economy: 40 city, 35 highway
RATINGS
Style: 8
Performance: 6
Price: 8
Handling: 7
Ride: 7
Comfort: 7
Quality: 9
Overall: 8
Why buy it?
It’s an all-around solid choice, with the addition of impressive fuel economy from its hybrid powertrain.