2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid: First Impressions From Behind the Wheel

[@edmundscars]

How much mpg do you want from a compact SUV? Read our review of the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid: edmu.in/3aizCcE

[@TeslaRules1856]

Funny you mention you like the seating as a smaller person. I like it as a tall big person - its why we bought the 2021 Hybrid CR-V over the Rav-4. The CRV feels spacious. Also you mention the 2.0L engine - from what I have read this proven engine is vastly more reliable and longer lasting that the troublesome 1.5 L Turbo in the regular model.

[@vudacris1]

Test drived both the RAV4 hybrid and the CRV-Hybrid... My wife is putting a deposit down for the CRV cause it's more comfortable for her. She is only 4'11 so it is more comfortable for her. Even though we love the looks of the Rav4, it alll ends there. No remote start on the RAV4 XSE and no way to lower second row from the back of the car. Honda has it both and it comes standard.

[@Zerth44]

She's an excellent reviewer!

[@SSB362]

Drove this and the Escape, bought the Escape. Its my first Ford and I'm happy with it. 40+ MPG on the first two tanks and less out the door price fully load AWD.

[@buddyshoemaker5290]

Excellent points. That said, as for overall cost of ownership and resale value I would always take the Honda over the Ford.

[@kuroneko4276]

This is a perfect review. Ms. Scherr showed me everything I had questions about regarding the 2020 hybrid CR-V, pointed out many interesting features, some of which I very much like, and cleared up a lot of concerns I had. I'm more than capable of looking up the detailed engineering specs on things like engine, powertrain, preferred fuel and tire size myself, and this would be my fourth hybrid, but things like seeing just how the back seats flip down and how much room you get for drive-in movies, how the cupholders are laid out, where your purse goes? That's exactly what I wanted to see in a video! A spec sheet is a spec sheet, I have that, I don't come to KZbin to get that, thanks. A video to show me where my Coke goes and whether I can use the same futon mattress when I take my kid on camp-outs or to eat popcorn and sit through some godawful live-action Disney thing to get to an actually good Pixar thing because parent life is weird like that and the drive-in is cheaper and nicer than the 20-Screen Sticky Floor Roach-a-Plex? EXACTLY what I came here to find out! Thank you!

[@johnfischer1708]

No mention of the fact the Hybrid loses the spare tire? Does it come with a can of fix-a-flat and a tire pump at least?

[@JJustinXu]

John Fischer No. I got the RAV4 hybrid because of that reason.

[@afcgeo882]

Yes, it comes with a kit, which is legally required without a spare.

[@kuroneko4276]

I was wondering about that, too. A friend of mine has a 2002 CR-V with a tow package, and since she has been known to blow two tires at once after muddin' or similar, what she did is weld some square-tube mild steel into a little J-shaped tow-hitch dealie, then welded the hub off a dead wheel from the parts yard onto that. She just sockets the bar end into her tow hitch, locks it in, then climbs up under her car and ta-da, there's a wheel hub hanging out underneath just like a cow's udder, right there, for her second spare. "One on the back, and one on the crotch," she says, "like spots on a hound dog." Apparently old, circa-1980 Ford F-150s used to keep a spare tire in the same spot, which is where she got the idea, and "so long as you oil up the bolts but good, and I mean really grease 'em, it's a good spot for a spare. Gotta take it off at the car wash, though, but it'll ride in the wayback inside the door and you can blast it clean at the coin-op bay." But if one were not quite so ...fond of a rural lifestyle and proficient in bluegrass music as my good friend, a person might just get a AAA membership. Me, I would consider it a bit of a desecration to add an aftermarket tow package and a J-bar spare tire hitch to a brand new car, but then, I would have to work myself up to even owning a brand new car. Hopefully my own Honda minivan takes a couple more years to die and I can just save the donut from that, plastic-form a little box for it with cupholder divots and Velcro to hold it to the sidewall of the vehicle when in motion and we'll use it as a little ottoman at the drive-in movies. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing I had to make myself and add to get an otherwise excellent Honda. My 1987 CR-X didn't even have cupholders. Or air conditioning. Or power steering, or air bags...God, I miss that little car... Though my Mom does get me AAA every year for Christmas ever since she saw the kind of friends I pal around with and the sorts of things we do to our vehicles. It's been rather great, actually. The AAA Plus covers 99 miles of towing for any vehicle you ride in.

[@DebbieG89]

Such a great review, it is really helpful to see what size purse will fit in the center console! This is very helpful for deciding which vehicles to test drive. As others have said, I can read the detailed specs for other things on the Honda website.

[@jspira92]

Does it have a spare tire? What was fuel economy? How was the stereo? Thanks

[@afcgeo882]

Jeremy Spira No spare. It has a kit. The battery is under the trunk.

[@quietguy1948]

I think Elana is just plum CUTE!!

[@kirkkronenberger877]

Yes indeed

[@SilverScarletSpider]

Love this! Honda did a great job with the CRV Hybrid

[@brianpetersen3429]

Excellent review!

[@ak2112]

Zero interest in a CRV but I watch because Elana is great.

[@djo9277]

how was road noise?

[@cornbread70s4]

Great review...thank you!!

[@slaapjynog2630]

Air cooled seats?

[@kirkkronenberger877]

Nope. Honda fail

[@JJustinXu]

#M2Au Nope. Toyota RAV4 has heated and ventilated seats. Honda has none to offer.

[@afcgeo882]

No... You’d move to Acura for luxury features anyway.

[@afcgeo882]

Justin Xu The Rav4 Hybrid Limited costs $3,009 more than the CRV Touring. Those cooled seats for $3k? No thanks.

[@aaronlamarr2370]

The 2020 cr-v hybrid sale like crazy where I'm from can't even find them on the dealerships lot

[@lordsrepairs7724]

Wow Where are you

[@musamusa2961]

Thank God I will buy one for myself

[@TechCulture]

Hyundai Ioniq Electric review?

[@lahavespecial7775]

Great review, I enjoyed all of the points discussed. It is nice to get a womans perspective for those of us with wives 🙂

[@boricua4052]

Lahave Special Ladies are better at almost anything, I have to admit. They are practical and smart.:)

[@JacobTJ1]

Very entertaining review 👌 thanks

[@modernsoccer1860]

we all know Edmunds love the crv, they used to be better than the rav4 but for once they must admit like most car reviewers have already that the current generation rav4 hybrid is better in looks, steering and even driving and better overall

[@afcgeo882]

Modern Soccer So we all have to agree on extremely subjective concepts? Did you even finish middle school?

[@modernsoccer1860]

@@afcgeo882 thats your problem

[@schlauchmeister234]

Looks are subjective, and the reviews I've seen so far for the CR-V hybrid say the steering & driving is better than the rav4 hybrid.

[@nealrothchild3470]

Averaging 32 mpg, combined (70% city), since purchasing the car in February 2022

[@allwheeldrive]

There was no time spent on how the complex drivetrain contributes to the overall experience. With "no transmission", as was just off-handedly mentioned, how does it feel in stop-and-go vs. on the highway, or going up a steep grade, etc.?

[@afcgeo882]

John W It feels like a CVT. The transitions are seamless.

[@benc4181]

Complaint about no volume knob is over rated. Volume control on the steering wheel is much better.

[@TheHelghast1138]

She is y'all's best Reviewer by far, some of the other fellows are not very good, she is great at her job. Nice little SUV. Not enough power for me personally, but still a nice little vehicle.

[@afcgeo882]

CurbsideUnderwood 0-60 in 7.0 seconds isn’t enough power? 😂

[@ininjau]

Nice review. Sadly, I was hoping the crv hybrid got better mpg than the rav4.

[@JJustinXu]

dzk Why?

[@LiohJuney]

The color shift from the cameras you use is a little jarring. Otherwise, good review.

[@ramseyhazemey795]

I like this review and this CRV

[@denisleblanc4506]

Nice to see your smiling face Elana, good job. Take care of yourself and yours.

[@18_rabbit]

u r great! thx!

[@SCraig-Handsome]

I feel the opposite about the entertainment system, have a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe which doesn’t work for Apple CarPlay... thought it was so easy to set up on my CR-V

[@jGRite]

6:22 I put my things in a small backpack. Big enough for my tablet and accessories.

[@eriknielen8439]

Wish it had a spare tire and not just a fix a flat kit.

[@afcgeo882]

I’d get this just to avoid the 1.5T and the CVT. Should be reliable!

[@ALD0LICI0US]

Honda calls this their E-CVT.... no avoiding their CVT.

[@schlauchmeister234]

@@ALD0LICI0US E-CVT's work differently than standard CVT's, it's not the same transmission as the CR-V with the 1.5T

[@schlauchmeister234]

Agreed, George. Aside from fuel savings, looks like the hybrid's engine is probably more sound. Shouldn't have the oil dilution issue; has port injection vs. the direct injection of the 1.5T.

[@philliphaynes6775]

A good review

[@jeffforbess6802]

Love the Battlestar Galactic jacket. “ So say we all!”

[@afcgeo882]

Jeff Forbess Frack! I missed that one!

[@SSS-mp8th]

When can we expect the review of the Rav4 -300hp hybrid?

[@afcgeo882]

SS S Never, as they don’t make one.

[@Goldendad1]

@@afcgeo882 They do now!

[@1ricky77333]

The Rav4 is terrible for a big person.

[@normt5463]

5. Honda CR-V • Most common complaint: Steering (69 complaints) • Total complaints 154 • 2019 sales (through Q3): 280,739 • Vehicle type: Compact SUV Of the over 150 reported complaints about the 2019 Honda CR-V, most can be traced back to a single issue. The vehicle issued a recall in May 2019, saying, “The metal core of the steering wheel may have burrs which can damage the harnesses routed within” - which could damage the air bag. This design may have otherwise affected the steering and air bags. There were 69 complaints regarding the steering and 65 complaints regarding the 2019 CR-V’s air bags. USAToday

[@afcgeo882]

Norm T That was fixed in the 2020 refresh.

[@josegeorge9512]

The review had a nice vibe to it and I was loving - especially trying to make a boring CRV really nice, till the time you really started trying to make the marketing execs at Honda feel happy. An objective feedback would be great please. Thank you

[@jaxxbrat2634]

Honda marketing is all over but the Rav4 is a better hybrid imo

[@afcgeo882]

Jaxx Brat How is it a better hybrid?

[@timf6916]

Nice, I like the way she does things. And she is cute

[@marklo4416]

Forget 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid. Got with the BEST 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Better Engine and Transmission.

[@afcgeo882]

Mark Lou Better engine and transmission? How are they better?

[@LuvvSURYA]

What actually is interesting is how many times you used “like” in the entire review 😂. Check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4Wnm4uobMiIpLs

[@belaynehademe2693]

❤👍🏆🏆🏅

[@stanleykania7184]

Can't tow anything..

[@javar888]

Honda Canada 🇨🇦 is a nightmare to deal with . Buy a Toyota or Mazda ; better cats anyway) and pass on the nightmare Honda Canada hassles if a problem arises.

[@MohamedHassan-gs8nr]

Ruined the car with that button shifter .. I owned one for 10 years and loved it.. looking for a new car but for sure not one with a BUTTON shifter !!!!

[@carsonredford735]

Oh please. You'll get used to it within 48 hours.

[@MohamedHassan-gs8nr]

Carson Redford not sure for that at all... can’t shift without looking... something I am very used too 🤪

[@MacTechG4]

CVT destroys all the fun anyway, CVT must be destroyed.

[@afcgeo882]

MacTechG4 It’s not a CVT, you idiot.

[@afcgeo882]

Mohamed Hassan You can easily shift this one blind. The reverse is a pull.

[@TheDavidandre610]

😄😄😄 I can se Novel lovers engaging to this romantic review! 😄🤩🌹💋❤️

[@foxy70]

3rd thumbs up.

[@chinaiscoming1017]

Toyota hybrid is much better than Honda

[@bextar6365]

guru...But it has a very noisy engine and strange styling

[@afcgeo882]

Better how?

[@gigi9467]

Cvt? Less mpg than the rav 4.. lol man am a honda guy and all but their is no vehicle right now i would Buy from them from their shitty problematic turbo engine to their crappy fun killing cvt. Honda use to be the fun one compared to toyota what happen??

[@harrytej]

2 things .. it doesn’t have CVT.. it doesn’t even have a transmission.. second it doesn’t have Turbo.. it’s directly driven by an electric motor

[@gigi9467]

harish reddy my bad i meant the normal crv, this i would never buy lol or any hybrid for that matter it is the stupidest band aid ever.

[@molskimauler]

It's called a satchel and it holds all my important man stuff. And it would be nice to have a cubby, I mean a manly place to put it in reach.

[@MacTechG4]

Fun-killing CVT? NO THANKS! CVT must be utterly exterminated! And 38 MPG? Meh, my 2012 VW Golf TDI gets that or better...

[@Fadic4]

It’s not a CVT, watch alex on autos review, he explains.

[@harrytej]

It’s not a CVT and there’s no car little or big which is not hybrid which gives you 38Mpg in city .. Honda does 40 they say in city

[@RTH-xo6gl]

VW golf not a SUV / all wheel drive.

[@JJ-cg3rn]

Nothing wrong with CVT’s. 15 years ago I’d agree with you, newer ones mimic traditional transmissions...

[@Phrancis5]

I drove stickshift all my life. The non-hybrid CRV's CVT feels fine. LOL, you're comparing this to a smoggy diesel FWD compact hatch...

[@sumithrahettiarachchi1565]

Pls learn to a review properly from carwow

[@ALMX5DP]

Sumithra Hettiarachchi like talk in a British accent and make up weird segments to woo juvenile subscribers?

[@quietguy1948]

And you need to learn proper and accurate use of grammar, bonehead.

[@danielhabte7847]

Excellent review!