Auto & Bike Blog: 2020 Honda CR-V: What’s New & What’s Changed

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

2020 Honda CR-V: What’s New & What’s Changed

All-wheel drive is available on every model.
LX trim adds 1.5L turbo engine and Honda Sensing.
Electrified CR-V Hybrid to join the lineup early next year.

The 2020 Honda CR-V cruises into dealerships with a host of updates for the new model year. Among them, a refreshed exterior, upgraded safety tech, and a new turbo engine for the LX trim. The CR-V is a winner for Honda, with cumulative U.S. sales now topping five million units over the last 22 years. Here is a look at what to expect when shopping for a 2020 Honda CR-V.

How Much Does The 2020 Honda CR-V Cost?

The 2020 CR-V starts at $26,145 for the front-wheel drive LX. The entry-level LX receives the Honda Sensing suite of safety features and a more powerful and efficient turbo engine. This table goes through the rest of the lineup, including EPA ratings.

Model & Drivetrain	MSRP w/ Destination ($1,095)	EPA Ratings (City/Hwy/Combined)
CR-V LX (2WD)	$26,145	28 / 34 / 30
CR-V LX (AWD)	$27,645	27 / 32 / 29
CR-V EX (2WD)	$28,655	28 / 34 / 30
CR-V EX (AWD)	$30,155	27 / 32 / 29
CR-V EX-L (2WD)	$31,145	28 / 34 / 30
CR-V EX-L (AWD)	$32,645	27 / 32 / 29
CR-V Touring (2WD)	$34,345	28 / 34 / 30
CR-V Touring (AWD)	$35,845	27 / 32 / 29

2020 Honda CR-V Touring. Photo: Honda North America.

How Has The Honda CR-V Changed For 2020?

All 2020 CR-Vs receive a redesigned front bumper, headlights, and grille. EX and EX-L have new 18-inch wheels with a dark gray finish, while Touring grades get new 19-inch wheels and tires. Three new exterior colors join the lineup for 2020: Radiant Red Metallic, Sonic Gray Pearl, and Aegean Blue Pearl.

Related: Is your Honda warranty coverage enough?

On the inside, the redesigned center console adds more flexible storage and more conveniently-located USB ports. CR-V Touring adds a heated steering wheel and wireless smartphone charging, both of which are nice features. Additional in-vehicle technologies include a color TFT driver information interface; an available seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; and an available satellite-linked navigation system.

2020 Honda CR-V Touring interior layout. Photo: Honda North America.

New Features By Trim Level For 2020

CRV-EX: LED fog lamps, HD radio.
CRV-LX: Honda Sensing, auto high/low beams,1.5-liter engine.
Touring: 19-inch alloy wheels, heated steering wheel, wireless charging.
All CR-V Trims: Standard with the Honda Sensing suite of safety technology.

What Engine Does The 2020 Honda CR-V Have?

Mechanically, the biggest change to the 2020 CR-V is the 1.5-liter turbo engine across the range. For the LX trim specifically, the new engine replaces the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated plant of the 2019 models. Complete with direct injection, the turbo bumps the new CR-V’s horsepower to 190 and torque to 179 lb-ft. Front-wheel drive is standard, although all-wheel drive is available on every model. In either case, power is sent to the ground via a continuously variable transmission with Honda’s G-Shift control logic.

2020 Honda CR-V Touring chassis. — The 2020 Honda CR-V features a MacPherson front strut and multi-link rear suspension with low-friction dampers. Tubular front and solid rear stabilizer bars promote better handling as does the dual-pinion, variable-ratio electric power steering. Photo: Honda North America.

Availability: Gasoline & Hybrid Models

The conventional CR-V is available now at Honda dealerships across the country. More information on the CR-V Hybrid’s two-motor hybrid-electric powertrain will be available early next year. Production of the CR-V Hybrid for the U.S. market will take place at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana plant alongside the CR-V and Insight hybrid sedan.

The Automoblog staff covers automotive industry news, trends, and technology along with new vehicle releases. Automoblog is owned and operated by Gearhead Media LLC., based in Detroit, Michigan and Berlin, Germany.