2019 GMC Acadia vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2019 GMC Acadia was a striking SUV with a shorter wheelbase that gave it an athletic stance, complemented by an upright grille that added an upscale touch. Despite not being marketed as a luxury SUV, it rivaled the more expensive Buick Envision in terms of aesthetics. The Acadia was often seen as a step up for Chevrolet Equinox owners, but it had a broader appeal, feeling more compact like a Nissan Rogue. The Acadia offered various trims, from the base SL to the luxurious Denali, each adding more features and options, such as LED headlights, premium stereo systems, and driver-assistance features. The SLT-1 AWD with the Black Edition appearance package was particularly recommended for its balance of features and style.

The 2020 Honda CR-V, in its fifth generation, maintained a familiar and fun design with soft, curvy lines reminiscent of Honda's sedan lineup. Its exterior leaned more towards a station wagon look, defining modern family transportation. Inside, the CR-V's interior was a mix of textures and materials, with upscale touches like wood-look trim and leather clashing with lower-quality plastics. The CR-V offered four trims, starting with the base LX and moving up to the Touring, each with a standard three-year or 36,000-mile warranty. The CR-V's design was practical, with a retractable moonroof on all but the LX trim and roof rails only on the Touring model.

The 2019 GMC Acadia offered two engine options: a 193-horsepower inline 4-cylinder and a more powerful 310-horsepower 3.6-liter V6. The V6 was available on higher trims and provided excellent acceleration, with a 6-speed automatic transmission sending power to either the front wheels or available AWD. The AWD system featured GMC's Active Twin Clutch system, allowing drivers to switch between different modes for varied driving conditions. The V6 Acadia could tow up to 4,000 pounds and offered a balanced driving experience, with fuel economy figures of 21 mpg city, 26 highway for the 4-cylinder, and 17/25/20 for the V6 AWD.

The 2020 Honda CR-V simplified its lineup by replacing the previous base engine with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a CVT, which provided a smooth driving experience, especially in Sport mode. The CR-V's road manners were excellent, with nimble handling and a firm yet comfortable chassis. Its low curb weight of 3,337 pounds contributed to its agility and fuel efficiency, with FWD models achieving 30 mpg combined and AWD models 29 mpg. The CR-V also introduced a hybrid version for 2020, offering even better fuel economy.

The 2019 GMC Acadia provided ample space for the driver and front passenger, with deep trays and bins for storage. It offered 7-passenger seating in lower trims, while the SLT-1 AWD featured captain's chairs, reducing capacity to 6. The second-row seats were comfortable and provided access to the third row, which was best suited for children. Cargo space was limited, with 12.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 79 cubic feet with all seats folded. Despite its smaller cargo capacity, the Acadia was practical for outdoor activities with rubberized floor mats.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space, matching the Volkswagen Tiguan in volume despite being shorter. It offered excellent head- and legroom, with a smart seating position for visibility. The CR-V featured clever storage solutions, such as a deep center console and a two-position load floor in the rear, providing up to 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space. The door pockets were spacious, and the CR-V was designed to accommodate various items easily, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2019 GMC Acadia came with a 7-inch touchscreen running GMC's IntelliLink infotainment system, which included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a WiFi hotspot. Higher trims upgraded to an 8-inch screen and added navigation. The SLT-1 and SLT-2 trims featured a 4.2-inch color information display in the gauge cluster, with the Denali offering a semi-digital instrument panel. A color head-up display was also available, providing essential information to the driver.

The 2020 Honda CR-V's infotainment system showed its age, with a 5-inch screen on the base LX trim offering limited features. Higher trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, but it lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available on the larger screen, but the integration was not seamless. The CR-V included multiple USB ports, with the Touring trim adding a wireless phone charger. However, the system lagged behind competitors in terms of user-friendliness and features.

The 2019 GMC Acadia included standard safety features like airbags, a reversing camera, and traction control. The Driver Alert Package 1, standard on the SLT-1 and optional on the SLE-2, added blind-spot warning, lane-change alert, and rear park assist. The SLT-2 trim offered the Driver Alert Package 2, which included advanced features like low-speed forward automatic braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive headlights. However, many of these features were standard on base trims of competitors like the Toyota RAV4.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came with the "Honda Sensing" system as standard, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control. Automatic high beams were also standard, with blind-spot monitoring available on EX trims and above. The CR-V earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with the Touring trim's LED headlights improving nighttime visibility. A safety recall affected a small number of CR-Vs for a rear subframe issue.