2020 Honda CR-V vs 2019 Honda Passport

The 2019 Honda Passport was essentially a reincarnated and somewhat stubbier version of the larger Honda Pilot. With a wheelbase identical to the Pilot, most of the Passport’s exterior—from its doors, windshield, and hood to its silhouette—remained unchanged. Its 6-inch shorter length was offset by a boxier, more aggressive design. The Passport featured an enlarged blacked-out grille, a restyled front bumper with new fog-lamp cutouts, gloss-black mirrors and window trim, and standard black 20-inch wheels. The absence of the Pilot’s inner taillights combined with an extended roof spoiler gave the Passport an instantly recognizable, yet more rugged stance. Its extra inch-and-a-half height, along with its nearly 1-inch lift in ride height over the Pilot, made it look more robust and ready for adventure, even if its off-road capabilities were largely an illusion.

Inside the 2019 Passport, you felt as if you were in a Pilot, thanks to a similar upright dash, digital instrument panel, glossy black touchscreen, and a collection of switches. The fit and finish were impressive, often surpassing those in entry-level luxury crossovers like the Lexus UX. Supportive leather seats with flip-down armrests heightened the comfort level. Despite these modern touches, aspects like the large cutouts for mirror switches and an awkwardly positioned blind-spot housing made certain parts feel dated. The dashboard, reminiscent of a comic book with its high-visibility temperature and fuel gauges, added a quirky charm. The rear door panels, however, felt notably harder than the padded ones up front, hinting at the vehicle's non-luxury roots. Despite the dated elements, Honda’s practicality shined through in the Passport's design.

The 2020 Honda CR-V, a fifth-generation model, had a more familiar and fun design. Honda’s designers leaned towards curvy, car-like lines, resulting in a vehicle that exuded station wagon vibes more than a traditional SUV look. This family resemblance to Honda’s sedans was evident in the CR-V’s front and rear fascias, defining its role as a staple of modern family transportation.

Inside the CR-V, however, the story took a different turn. The interior was an eclectic mix of textures and materials. Higher trims featured appealing wood-look trim and leather upholstery, which unfortunately clashed with lower-quality plastics. Despite these contrasts, the CR-V maintained a coherent, if not entirely premium, feel.

The 2019 Honda Passport boasted a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivered a robust 280 horsepower and 262-pound feet of torque. This powertrain, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission, offered confident and exhilarating performance. Though the light steering and soft suspension rendered the Passport less enthusiastic about sporty driving, it still held significant cornering grip, courtesy of its mechanical torque vectoring system. The vehicle’s towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds (3,500 pounds for FWD models) set it apart from many competitors in the crossover segment. However, this capability came with a downside: fuel economy. The Passport’s AWD models managed EPA ratings of 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined, while FWD models fared slightly better at 20/25/22. Over an extended journey, it averaged around 21 mpg.

Upon entering the 2020 Honda CR-V, a notable change was visible under the hood. Honda replaced the previous base engine with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine across all trims. This engine produced 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, coupled with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Though CVTs often garner mixed reviews, Honda’s execution in the CR-V was commendable, offering a responsive and smooth driving experience. The CR-V excelled in road manners, feeling more like a small sedan than an SUV. Its nimble handling, combined with a firm yet comfortable chassis, minimized body roll and enhanced driving pleasure. Weighing just 3,337 pounds in its base FWD LX trim, the CR-V’s lightweight nature contributed to impressive fuel efficiency. FWD models achieved a combined 30 mpg, while AWD variants offered 29 mpg, putting it at the forefront of its class. A new hybrid version introduced in 2020 further bolstered the CR-V’s appeal for those prioritizing fuel economy.

The 2019 Honda Passport excelled in offering ample space. With 41.2 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats and 77.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, it provided impressive cargo-carrying capability. An additional storage bin under the cargo floor, where the spare tire sat, further enhanced its practicality. The tall windows and high seating position made for an airy interior, and three-zone climate control ensured comfort for all passengers. Heated outboard seats, additional USB ports, a household outlet, and manual window shades enhanced the rear passenger experience in higher trims. Logical placement of controls and a deep center console bin further added to the Passport’s practicality, although the infotainment screen's smudge-prone surface and lack of shortcut buttons were minor drawbacks.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda CR-V demonstrated Honda’s packaging mastery. Its cabin was as roomy as the Volkswagen Tiguan’s, offering excellent head- and legroom for both driver and passengers. The CR-V’s seating position and low cowl combined for excellent front visibility. With 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 75.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, it matched the Tiguan’s cargo volume. The CR-V featured clever storage solutions, such as a deep center console with a sliding cover and a two-position load floor in the rear, accommodating various cargo configurations. Oversized door pockets added extra storage options, making the CR-V easy to live with.

The 2019 Honda Passport’s technology package had its strengths and weaknesses. Honda Sensing driver assists came standard, but Honda restricted its best tech to the top trims, which limited accessibility. CarGurus recommended the EX-L trim, one step above the base, for its superior tech features, including an 8-inch high-res touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and 4G WiFi. The Garmin navigation system impressed with its fast, accurate, voice-controlled interface and excellent live traffic data. However, HondaLink’s full suite of connected services was reserved for the Touring and Elite trims, leaving lower trims with just basic alerts.

The 2020 Honda CR-V’s infotainment system lagged behind the competition. The base LX trim’s 5-inch screen was underwhelming, offering little more than Bluetooth connectivity and Pandora compatibility. Even higher trims’ 7-inch touchscreen seemed outdated compared to competitors’ larger, more advanced screens. The system’s lack of hard buttons, apart from a solitary power and volume knob, made it cumbersome to operate. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available on models with the 7-inch screen, but their integration felt clunky. However, the CR-V did offer plenty of USB ports, with up to four available in higher trims. A wireless phone charger was a welcome addition to the Touring trim for 2020.

The 2019 Honda Passport came equipped with Honda Sensing driver assists, including forward emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot monitoring was standard on EX-L and higher trims. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did not rate the Passport overall due to a lack of rollover resistance verification. The Passport scored 4 out of 5 stars in front crash tests and 5 out of 5 in all side impact tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the mechanically identical 2018 Pilot a Top Safety Pick rating, but the Passport had room for improvement, particularly in terms of knee airbags.

The 2020 Honda CR-V featured the “Honda Sensing” system as standard, regardless of trim level. This system included forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. Automatic high beams were also standard, while EX trims and above added blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic monitoring. In crash testing, the 2020 CR-V earned five stars from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS. However, trims below Touring scored only Marginal for headlight performance. One safety recall was issued for the 2020 CR-V for a rear subframe failure, affecting a small number of vehicles.