When you look into buying a hybrid car, at the forefront of your mind is likely its fuel economy. After all, certain small hybrids can manage over 50 mpg, at a time when its conventional gasoline-powered counterparts don’t come anywhere near that, even with recent advancements. It’s no surprise, then, that the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid improves on fuel economy, but is it more efficient than the Toyota RAV4 or Ford Escape Hybrid.
Short answer: no. But, there is another side to Honda’s strategy with its contender.
The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid manages 40 mpg in the city, as well as 35 mpg on the highway and 38 mpg combined. That does put it behind the Toyota RAV4 (41 City / 38 Highway / 40 Combined mpg) and the all-wheel drive Ford Escape Hybrid (43 City / 37 Highway / 41 Combined mpg). The front-wheel drive Escape Hybrid is more efficient still. For its part, the Honda CR-V Hybrid manages 212 horsepower, putting it between its two main rivals. The Honda Sensing driver assistance suite also comes standard across the CR-V range for this model year.
When it comes to price, though, the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid handily wins against its competitors. The base LX model starts at $28,870 including destination. Compare that to the Escape SE Sport Hybrid ($29,350) and RAV4 ($29,470) and the CR-V Hybrid comes out on top. All-wheel drive CR-V Hybrid models add $1,500 to the price. Like the standard model, there are LX, EX, EX-L and top-end Touring trims.
The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid hits dealerships on March 1, so if you’re in the market you’ll be able to test one out very soon. We’ll also have more coverage on the Hybrid coming soon, but check out what’s new with the 2020 Honda CR-V below: