It has the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid in its sights.
We were introduced to the new Honda CR-V Hybrid back in September, along with the refreshed model for 2020. Pricing for the standard SUV has been out for a while now, but today Honda revealed pricing for the all-important hybrid. To no real surprise, it matches very close to hybrid versions of the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape – Honda’s only competition in this segment.
And what is that price? The entry-level CR-V Hybrid LX starts at $27,750, which is a $2,700 bump compared to the standard CR-V. However, Honda’s hybrid undercuts entry-level hybrids from Toyota and Ford by roughly $500. Buyers can opt for the hybrid on all four CR-V trim levels, with the most expensive model being the CR-V Hybrid Touring at $35,950.
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Toyota also offers a hybrid powertrain on all four RAV4 trim levels, but Ford only offers the Escape Hybrid in SE Sport trim. The chart below offers a quick comparison of starting MSRP for different trim levels, power, and mileage. Prices do not include delivery or destination charges.
| Model | MSRP | Horsepower | Mileage (City/Hwy/Comb) |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid LX | $27,750 | 212 | 40/35/38 |
| Toyota RAV4 LE Hybrid | $28,350 | 219 | 41/38/40 |
| Ford Escape SE Sport Hybrid | $28,255 (FWD) | 198 | 44/37/41 |
| Ford Escape SE SPort Hybrid | $29,755 (AWD) | 198 | 43/37/40 |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid EX | $30,260 | 212 | 40/35/38 |
| Toyota RAV4 XLE Hybrid | $29,645 | 219 | 41/38/40 |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid EX-L | $32,750 | 212 | 40/35/38 |
| Toyota RAV4 XSE Hybrid | $34,300 | 219 | 41/38/40 |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring | $35,950 | 212 | 40/35/38 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited Hybrid | $36,880 | 219 |
41/38/40 |
Even though Ford offers the Escape with a hybrid powertrain, it seems clear that Honda is gunning for Toyota. Both the CR-V and RAV4 offer all-wheel drive throughout their hybrid lineup, and all four trim levels are competitively priced throughout. Power is comparable as well, but both Ford and Toyota offer a better overall fuel economy according to the EPA.
Hybrid War Heating Up:
There's certainly some heated competition between Honda and Toyota in this segment. The RAV4 was the fourth-best-selling vehicle of 2019 at 448,071 units, and the CR-V was in the fifth spot at 384,168. Whether the new CR-V Hybrid can boost Honda past Toyota for 2020 remains to be seen, especially since Toyota now has a hot plug-in hybrid version of the RAV4 with 302 horsepower. It won't go on sale until summer, however, and its price point will likely be quite a bit higher than what we see here.
As for the CR-V Hybrid, it will hit U.S. dealerships starting March 1.
2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid Arriving at Dealerships as the Most Powerful, Refined and Fuel-Efficient CR-V Yet
- America’s best-selling CUV over the past 22 years gets Honda’s innovative two-motor hybrid technology
- Standard Honda Sensing® and Real-Time AWD
- Improved battery performance expands range of electric-only (EV mode) operation
The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid begins arriving at dealerships on March 1 as the most powerful and fuel-efficient CR-V yet, with a 40 mpg EPA city fuel economy rating, better off-the-line acceleration and the refinement of Honda’s latest generation of two-motor hybrid technology with improved all-electric operating range. The new CR-V Hybrid comes standard with Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System™, and a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price starting at $27,750 (excluding destination and handling charges).
The Real Time All-Wheel Drive with Intelligent Control System gives buyers additional inclement-weather driving confidence. Like its gasoline-only counterpart,
CR-V Hybrid also comes standard with the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver assistive technologies, automatic climate control, and automatic high beams. The CR-V Hybrid also comes with additional standard features that include LED headlights, Smart Entry and Pushbutton Start, and a cargo cover.
The 2020 CR-V Hybrid is distinguished from the rest of the CR-V lineup by unique front and rear styling cues that include Hybrid badging on the grille, front fenders, and tailgate; hybrid-exclusive 5-lamp LED fog lights; and a unique rear bumper design. Like the rest of the 2020 CR-V lineup, the 2020 CR-V Hybrid benefits from new headlight designs, new alloy wheel designs for EX and EX-L trims, and new 19-inch wheels on Touring trims.
Inside, the CR-V Hybrid offers the same spacious and tech-savvy cabin as the non-hybrid, including its full-flat folding and 60/40-split second-row seat. Unique to CR-V Hybrid versus its non-hybrid counterpart are three buttons to the right of the push-button gear selector that let the driver select between Sport, EV and ECON modes to help maximize power or fuel efficiency. CR-V Hybrid’s digital gauge cluster also offers functions distinct from the non-hybrid, such as a power-flow meter.
2020 CR-V Hybrid Pricing & EPA Data
|
Model / Trim |
MSRP1 |
MSRP1 Including $1,120 Destination Charge |
EPA Mileage Rating |
|
CR-V Hybrid LX |
$27,750 |
$28,870 |
40 / 35 / 38 |
|
CR-V Hybrid EX |
$30,260 |
$31,380 |
40 / 35 / 38 |
|
CR-V Hybrid EX-L |
$32,750 |
$33,870 |
40 / 35 / 38 |
|
CR-V Hybrid Touring |
$35,950 |
$37,070 |
40 / 35 / 38 |
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE HYBRID POWERTRAIN
The two-motor hybrid system under the hood of the 2020 CR-V Hybrid is similar to the one used in the Honda Accord Hybrid with additional advancements to the hybrid battery’s operating range, enabling more time in EV mode than previous Honda hybrids. Operating without the need for a conventional automatic transmission, the two-motor hybrid-electric powertrain combines a high-efficiency 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC® Atkinson-cycle engine with an electric propulsion motor that produces 232 lb.-ft. of torque, for a total system output of 212 horsepower4.
The two-motor hybrid system uses a propulsion motor and a generator/starter motor built with a patented Honda design that doesn’t use magnets with heavy rare-earth metals, reducing magnet cost and weight. The system manages the power delivery between each component and seamlessly shifts CR-V Hybrid through three distinct drive modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive – automatically selecting the best mode for the conditions with no input from the driver.
Like the AWD system used in the non-hybrid, the 2020 CR-V Hybrid’s Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System™ uses special software to determine traction conditions and when torque is best sent to the rear wheels in low traction conditions, when AWD is most useful. When the system isn’t needed, an electronically controlled clutch deactivates power delivery to the rear wheels to improve fuel efficiency.
ADVANCED SAFETY AND DRIVER-ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
The CR-V Hybrid comes standard with the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies. Honda Sensing includes Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and pedestrian sensing capability, Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with low-speed follow and Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS). Additional driver-assistive technologies include the available blind spot information, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor and Auto High Beam headlights.
The 2020 CR-V Hybrid also incorporates the latest generation of Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure and targets the highest collision-safety ratings, including a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)3 and a TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including a SUPERIOR rating for frontal crash prevention with Honda Sensing.