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The 2020 Honda CR-V is a very appealing small SUV. It has exceptional storage space and functionality, plenty of features, a comfortable ride and enjoyable performance. Even better, all of that comes at a competitive price for the class.
The base CR-V ditches the lethargic, non-turbocharged engine and now comes standard with the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that in the past was reserved for higher trims. Honda's suite of safety features is also standard for 2020, meaning even the most affordable CR-V provides not just crash-prevention technology but adaptive cruise control as well.
Of course, there are updates to the styling, with a sleeker front end, new alloy wheels and a fantastic new blue paint option. Inside the cabin, the center console has been updated, and Honda says it improves on the CR-V's already stellar small-item storage capability.
The base price of the base CR-V LX has increased, but only by $600. That's not bad considering the upgrades the 2020 model offers.
Sadly, the higher-trim CR-V models remain stuck with the old 7-inch infotainment system (that's mostly tolerable because it supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay). We really wish Honda would have put its newer 8-inch system into the CR-V, but if wishes were horses, none of us would buy cars.
Why does it matter?
The CR-V is the strongest all-around competitor in the hottest vehicle class next to full-size pickup trucks. Everyone and their uncle wants a piece of the compact-SUV pie, so Honda needs to keep the CR-V fresh to stay competitive until the next generation is ready. More buyers are demanding active safety features and better fuel economy as well, so updating the base LX model will really expand the CR-V's appeal.
What does it compete with?
The new generation of Toyota RAV4 continues to dominate sales with its more rugged look and updated technology.
Toyota has already started rolling out driver aids as standard equipment across its range, and the new RAV4 comes standard with a pretty powerful engine. Honda is clearly responding to Toyota's success by making the base CR-V LX more competitive with the base RAV4 LE.
We think the CR-V is already a stronger all-around contender than the RAV4, but there's no arguing with sales. Now that Honda is closing the feature gap at the bottom of the lineup, we think the CR-V's position can only get stronger.
Edmunds says
With a better engine and suite of active safety features, the base 2020 Honda CR-V is finally a compelling choice. We just wish the folks at Honda had updated the CR-V's infotainment while they were at it.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Honda CR-V LX 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.94 per gallon for regular unleaded in Iowa.
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Honda CR-V from 2008-2022.
$358/yr
vs. $465/yr for Average Compact SUV
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).
0.81x/yr
vs. 1x/yr for Average Compact SUV
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).
8.3%
vs. 11.5% for Average Compact SUV
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
2nd CRV -- good vehicle but not as good as my 2018
4 out of 5 stars
surly jason, 08/06/2020
2020 Honda CR-V EX 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
I bought my first CRV in 2018. It was my favorite vehicle but I always wanted a Tacoma so eventually traded it for a 2020 TRD Off-Road which I disliked after a short period of time and got back into my 2020 CRV.
In short, my 2018 CRV was a better vehicle. The 2020 feels the same as the 2018 -- the inside looks the same, everything seems to operate the same way. The paint isn't as … good, there's a blemish on one of the body panels. Also, the infotainment screen occasionally turns pink and the display becomes "pixelated." I took pictures and drove it to the dealer to show them while it was doing it.
I've driven the car about 3,800 miles now and will be taking it in for an oil change; the dealer acknowledged the problem and said the repair likely has to do with ensuring a solid connection between the head unit and the electronic connectors inside the dashboard. I'm dubious but they claim this will fix it.
Also, within about 500 miles of purchasing the car: there was this weird knocking / clunking noise from the front end when I would steer around corners or, especially, go over bumps. Again, I took it back to the dealer and they said they loosened the engine and transmission, lubricated the mounts and "reset" the powertrain on the mounts. It worked and I've driven more than 3,000 miles without any more weird noises.
Overall, it's a good car but not as good as my 2018 was but it's still my second favorite vehicle of anything I've owned -- and only behind my last CRV. If I could do things over again, I would have kept the 2018 because the 2020 isn't much different except for problems I've experienced.
UPDATE, 2/2/21: I have about 7200 miles on my car now, had my first oil change. Dealer had my vehicle for 3 days, eventually said they couldn't fix the infotainment screen, it is my phone, not the car. I got a new phone and it still turns pink. Neither my old phone, the new one or anyone else's phone causes the screen in my other car to turn pink so I call BS and am disappointed.
The AWD has been great in the winter -- just like my 2018. The vehicle is averaging 29.5 mpg with a high of 33.9 and a low of 23.8.
I have considered a Prius to get better mileage but it feels so tiny inside and sits so low to the ground. I also considered a Ridgeline but they seem so thirsty and large. So I guess I'll just keep my CRV with the faulty infotainment screen since it's the perfect do-everything, compromise vehicle -- sits high to avoid curbs and bumps, goes off-pavement well, carries loads of stuff, isn't too thirsty.
Some miscellany: I added LED headlights and LED reverse lights -- both of which make a remarkable difference in terms of visibility and safety. And that clunk in the front end? It's gone and hasn't returned.
UPDATE, 2/8/22: about a year ago, I traded my CRV against a new Prius. Yeah, I loved the height, space, and AWD of the CRV. I guess if I could do it over again, I'd keep the CRV and buy the Prius, too, but I didn't trust my 2020 CRV. That weird thing with the infotainment screen just flaked me out. The Prius sits low to the ground and scrapes on everything, doesn't have nearly the room of the CRV but I'm enjoying the 55mpg I'm getting and also appreciate the 550 miles of range I get on a tank of gas; when it's time to top up, it's only an 11 gallon tank anyway so fill-ups are cheap. I imagine my ideal vehicle is probably a hybrid RAV4 and I'll probably get one someday but the Prius is a keeper for sure.
Great little SUV!
4 out of 5 stars
stevo043, 06/22/2020
2020 Honda CR-V EX 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
So we've had this CR-V for about month now - just got our first thousand miles a couple days ago and we are pretty happy with it. We went from a Sienna to this CR-V as we didn't need the extra room (and higher gas consumption). It took a little while to get used to a smaller vehicle, but there is still plenty of room for our family. It's fits 4 of us perfectly; 5 is a little bit of a … squish.
Pros:
Great gas mileage (much better than the Sienna)
Rides great even in long distances.
Nice storage areas
Android Auto/Apple Play is a great feature - I like seeing the map from my phone on
It has plenty of USB ports to charge our devices.
I like all the standard safety features - lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, auto stop for collisions.
Heated seats are great - especially since I have a bad back.
The remote start is definitely handy on a hot day.
I also like the touch features to lock and unlock doors.
Cons:
It's definitely not as quiet as the van we had, but not terrible.
The eco mode definitely limits acceleration and makes the a/c not blow as strong. It's fine for every day driving, but turn it off to get the maximum acceleration.
The auto start is annoying a jerky. There is a button to turn it off, but I don't like that I have to disable it every time I turn the vehicle on.
When it is on, the auto start is jerky and makes the whole vehicle move. I get the point of it for emission purposes and I don't mind it necessarily unless it's hot and we need the a/c going.
When it's sunny, the radio screen can be hard to see.
Overall, I think its a great vehicle. Especially for a family that needs room and wants something that will ride well and is quality built.
This is my wife’s 3rd CRV (‘05 EX, ‘12 EX-L Nav, ‘20 Touring). The ‘12 EX-L went to our daughter with only 74,000 miles on it!
Toughest decision for her was color - what poor choices unless you like white, black, silver or a few shades of gray! Why not a sandstone or light green? She picked the Sonic Gray - which is more of a light blue; but had to take a black interior (why not … gray?)
Other than that, she LOVES the car. It’s clearly larger than the ‘12 CRV because the same rear seat dog “hammock” doesn’t fit in the ‘20 model.
This car is significantly quieter than the ‘12 CRV
Gas mileage is great; avg is 31; got 36 on a 200-mile trip up the coast last weekend!
I was ready to dislike the Lane Keep Assist and other “Smart” features... but they’re actually good!
We expect to have this CRV for 10+ years; we know from experience they will easily do this.
NOTE: Compared Touring models with 1.5 Turbo & Hybrid powertrains. Liked both - but the math for the Hybrid doesn’t work.
Right now, Hybrids are selling at Sticker (if you can find one), but I got an aggressive price on the 1.5 Turbo; difference was a bit over $3,500.
Using EPA numbers, in 10,000 miles of driving, you save 82 gallons of gas with the Hybrid. Even if gas goes back to $3.50 a gallon, you’ll have to save 1,000 gallons to break even - which is 122,000 miles. But at that point, the high-voltage batteries would have been replaced, at a cost of $3,000 - $3,500... So the math never works out. (With gas at $2.50, the break-even is 1,400 gallons or 171,000 miles - and at that point, you’re looking at your second battery replacement!)
Bottom Line: Don’t spend Thousands to save Hundreds!
Almost Great
4 out of 5 stars
Jim, 05/04/2020
2020 Honda CR-V LX 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
I purchased our 2020 EX a couple of days ago. It replaced a 2018 Ford Escape that I never cared for. First impressions:
Ride and handling: Excellent. At speed the ride is VERY quiet and relaxing. Steering is crisp and the car has a nice turning radius. Takes bumps very well, no jolting at all.
Climate control: Good, but the blower is not nearly as powerful as I'd perfer in Texas … heat. There is no "max AC" setting, and when it is set to what would be max fan + AC + recirculate, it takes some time to cool off a hot cabin. Confusing control panel for AC.
Main control screen: Could be much better. I like the position of the screen and how it is flush with the dash, not like a flat screen TV poking up and off the dashboard. However, I am very disappointed with the navigation piece. With the EX trim, in order to have navigation, one must literally plug your phone into a USB port with a cable. On the other hand, the EX-L trim level has navigation integrated into the system. No need for your phone. No cable wire hanging all over the place. Not good.
Sound system: Mixed bag. The most important thing, the sound quality, is EXCELLENT. The EX has a strong 160W 4 speaker setup. But the control screen could be better, especially preset stations. You can only save 12! In previous vehicles I've owned there were three sets of preset choices (ie: XM1, XM2, XM3), each storing 10-12 stations. Only 12 now.
Storage: Great, and the rear hatch (manual) is also excellent. One little tug and it rises up by itself just fine. Lowering it is also easy, not like you're on a lats weight machine at the gym.
I recommend the Honda CR-V, but you get what you pay for, so I suggest the EX-L trim level or touring if you can afford it.
The Best SUVs for 2020 & 2021 — The Top-Rated Small, Midsize, Large, Luxury SUVs and Crossovers
SUVs are the most popular vehicles on the road today, and they come in all shapes and sizes. In this video, Carlos Lago breaks down the best SUVs for 2020 and 2021. With so many models to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming trying to find the perfect SUV for you and your lifestyle.
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