USED: What We Love about the 2020 Honda CR-V Midsize SUV
Scotty Reiss
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If you run a lot of errands, you’ll appreciate Honda’s thinking.
You see them around town, park next to them and probably even know someone who drives one: The Honda CR-V. It’s one of the most popular small SUVs on the road, and for good reason. The Honda CR-V is everything you need for a busy life without cramping your style or your posture.
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My family heads out for a ride in the 2020 Honda CR-V. Photo: Scotty Reiss
New Features Make the CR-V Even Better in 2020
Honda updated the CR-V for the 2020 model year with subtle changes to the exterior and more features on the inside. Even fans may not notice the changes on the outside. The front end is a bit more sculpted, and the headlights and grille are new. However, it is still distinctly a CR-V.
On the inside, there are more upgraded details including driver assist and safety features that are now standard equipment. Honda calls this suite of technology Honda Sensing. It includes forward collision warning and crash mitigation, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and Honda Lane Watch (on all but the base model). We love lane watch! When you hit your right turn signal, it activates a camera for a view of the right side of the car. You can see traffic in your blind spot, especially bikes or cars trying to squeeze by as you make a turn.
Also updated for 2020 is a more powerful turbo charged engine that actually gets better fuel economy. Horsepower is now rated at 190 (up from 184) with 29 MPG combined in the AWD model (front wheel drive is estimated to get 30 MPG combined). We averaged 27MPG in city driving during our test drive and found the turbo engine to have ample power. Plus, it was easy to drive. And that is the point of the CR-V: Easy.
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A view of the front seat in the 2020 Honda CR-V. Photo: Scotty Reiss
What Does CR-V Stand For?
Yes, it has a meaning. It’s not just a random group of letters. CR-V stands for Comfortable Runabout Vehicle.
And think about it: one of the things we love about SUVs is the ability to slide right into the driver’s seat without having to squat and fold the way we might in a small sedan or sports car. SUVs are all about accommodating our lives, from lots of cargo space to flexible seating, there’s room for everyone. Yes, even a place to put your handbag so it won’t spill when you turn a corner, and you can reach it when you need it. For me, my handbag went nicely in the footwell behind the passenger seat or on the rear passenger seat. If I could possibly get away with a smaller bag, I would fit it in the center console.
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Adjustable cargo floor in the 2020 Honda CR-V. You can adjust the floor to keep groceries from falling out or to make loading things easier. Photo: Scotty Reiss
An Adjustable Cargo Floor For Even More Flexible Cargo Space
In the 2020 CR-V you’ll also find a great feature that makes running errands easy: an adjustable cargo floor. The floor cover, which conceals the spare tire, can be left in its low position. This leaves a lip at the liftgate opening. This is great for things like groceries or sports equipment that may roll out of the car when you open the liftgate; the lip prevents that.
However, when you want to put the rear seats down and slide something into the back, like a table or a bike, then you can adjust the cargo floor to a higher position, flush with the lift gate opening to create a flat floor. I love this.
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The cargo area is a great place for a photo. Photo: Kristin Shaw
What We Love
So many great new features are standard or available on lower-priced trims. Also, in the Touring edition we tested, there are even more things to love (these features are noted with an *).
- Leather seats*
- Capless fuel tank
- Smart key system
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Wireless phone charge pad*
- Two USB ports right up front and easy to reach; two additional ports in the rear seat* and a 120 V cigarette-lighter stye power port in the arm rest
- A deep, multi-function center console with sliding compartments, so you can configure it to fit your needs
- The adjustable cargo floor for a fully flat cargo space
- A really good rear-view camera with multiple angles
- Standard Honda Sensing driver assist and safety features
- The motion-activated liftgate*
- Three new colors for 2020: Radiant Red, Aegean Blue Pearl and Sonic Gray Pearl, the color of our test model
The infotainment screen is nicely designed and easy to see. Photo: Scotty Reiss
What This Car Costs
- LX base model, with Honda Sensing, multi-angle rearview camera and the new turbo engine is $25,050
- EX model, which adds Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, HD radio, power moonroof, power heated seats, 7” display system and smart key, is $27,560
- EX-L, which adds leather seats, a power liftgate and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, is $30,050
- Touring model, which includes heated leather seats, premium audio with HD radio, 19” wheels, wireless charge pad, satellite navigation system, roof rails, rain sensing wipers and a motion-activated lift gate is $33,250
- AWD adds $1,500
- Delivery charge $1,095
- Price of the model we test drove, about $35,845
The CR-V’s rearview camera is crisp and clear. Photo: Scotty Reiss
What You Need to Know
- 4-cylinder turbo engine with 190HP
- Fuel economy estimated at 27 MPG city/32MPG highway
- Regular fuel is recommended
- I could not get my handbag in the center console, but a smaller bag would probably fit
- Rear seats are comfortable and roomy but best for 4 passengers (though it seats 5)
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto available on EX and above
- Leather seats on EX- L and above
- Features are available by trim level rather than packages
- Honda Sensing is standard on all models
The previous generation Honda CR-V vs 2020 model. Photo: Scotty Reiss
Subtle Change is Good
Overall, there are not a lot of changes to the 2020 model. If it ain’t broke, right? But the improvements they made are good ones. I particularly liked the cargo floor and versatile center console. Both offer lots of storage solutions, which for someone running around town, makes your day even easier. And in the top-end Touring edition, the Honda CR-V does it with even elegance and comfort.
What We Listened to In the Honda CR-V Touring
Because tooling around all day or heading out on a long road trip demands a good playlist. This is what we listened to during our test drive.