The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid will have EPA fuel-economy ratings of 40 mpg city, 35 highway, 38 combined when it arrives on dealer lots March 1, the automaker announced Thursday.
The first hybrid version of Honda’s best-selling model in the U.S. is a bit of disappointment. Three of the best-selling compact crossovers come as hybrids this year, and the CR-V trails the pack for efficiency. The 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid is rated at 44/37/41 mpg with front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive only costs 1 mpg city and combined. Like the CR-V Hybrid, the 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid comes standard with AWD and gets 41/38/40 mpg.
Even by Honda’s standard, the CR-V Hybrid falls a bit short. It shares its two-motor 212-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4 powertrain with the Honda Accord Hybrid, which gets 48/47/48 mpg, but the CR-V Hybrid adds AWD.
However, the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid’s advantages over its rivals are a lower starting price and a wider availability across trim levels. Starting at $ 28,870 (all prices include the $ 1,120 destination) for the base LX, the CR-V Hybrid is about $ 500 less than the competition. Like the RAV4 Hybrid, the CR-V Hybrid is offered in four trim levels; the Escape Hybrid is offered only in two trims.
In addition to standard AWD, the CR-V Hybrid comes standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control.
The $ 31,380 EX trim hits the sweet spot by upgrading from a 5.0-inch central display screen to a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, heated front seats, a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with 4-way lumbar support, one-touch power windows, dual-zone climate control, push button start, and blind-spot monitors. Wheels get swole, bro, from 17-inch alloys to 18-inch alloys, and it adds a moonroof. We’d recommend the EX.
The $ 33,870 EX-L trim adds more refinement with leather-trimmed seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a 4-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat, an 8-speaker sound system, and a power tailgate with programmable heights.
The $ 37,070 Touring trim completes the lineup with navigation, a premium sound system, wireless phone charging, ambient lighting, LED headlights, roof rails, and 19-inch alloy wheels.
