2020 Ford Expedition vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Ford Expedition, last redesigned in 2018, was a full-size SUV with a clean, albeit somewhat boring, design. This simplicity in styling was expected to age well, making it a good long-term investment. The King Ranch variant stood out with its 22-inch aluminum wheels, mesh grille insert, LED headlights, and exclusive gray-painted lower exterior trim. The Star White metallic paint on the test model looked impressive, though some design elements like the taillights and the roof C-pillar could have been better. Inside, the King Ranch featured special Del Rio leather in Mesa over Ebony, with numerous King Ranch logos. However, the presence of hard plastic, especially in the lower-level XLT trim, was disappointing for a vehicle in this price range.

The 2020 Honda CR-V, in its fifth generation since 2017, had a familiar and fun design. Its curvy, car-like lines and resemblance to Honda’s sedan lineup made it a modern family vehicle. Inside, the CR-V’s interior was a mix of textures and materials, with upscale touches like wood-look trim and leather upholstery in higher trims clashing with low-quality plastics. The base CR-V started at an MSRP of $26,270, with four trim levels available. The CR-V’s design leaned more towards a station wagon than an SUV, offering a practical and stylish option for families.

The 2020 Ford Expedition was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 375 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 2,250 rpm. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, provided a pleasant driving experience with plenty of power. The Expedition had a towing capacity of up to 9,300 pounds with rear-drive and 9,200 pounds with 4WD. It offered 9.8 inches of ground clearance, except for the MAX 4WD, which had 9.7 inches. The adaptive damping suspension on the King Ranch trim did a good job of controlling ride motions, though the oversized wheels sometimes made the ride busy. The independent rear suspension design improved ride and handling, providing more room for passengers and cargo. Fuel economy averaged 17.7 mpg, slightly below the EPA rating of 19 mpg.

The 2020 Honda CR-V featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). This powertrain provided a quick and responsive driving experience, especially in Sport mode. The CR-V’s car-like demeanor was reflected in its excellent road manners, with nimble handling and minimal body roll. Its low curb weight of 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model contributed to its agility and fuel efficiency. The FWD CR-V models were rated at 30 mpg combined, while AWD models managed 29 mpg. The CR-V Hybrid, introduced in 2020, offered even higher fuel economy, competing with hybrid versions of the RAV4 and Escape.

The 2020 Ford Expedition excelled at towing, carrying cargo, and hauling people. The King Ranch’s power running boards made it easy to step into the SUV, and every seat was comfortable, especially the heated and ventilated front seats. The second-row captain’s chairs provided first-class accommodations, and the third-row seat was genuinely comfortable for adults. The standard-length Expedition offered 19.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seat, while the long-wheelbase Expedition MAX offered 34.3 cubic feet. With the third-row seat folded down, the Expedition provided 57.5 cubic feet of space (73.3 with the MAX), and with the second row folded, it offered 104.6 cubic feet (121.5 with the MAX).

The 2020 Honda CR-V’s cabin was roomy, with good head- and legroom in the driver’s seat and passenger seats. The excellent seating position and low cowl provided great front visibility. The cargo compartment matched the Volkswagen Tiguan in volume, despite the CR-V being three inches shorter. The center console between the front seats had a deep well with a sliding cover, influenced by the Honda Odyssey minivan. The rear featured a two-position load floor, allowing for 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the 60-40 split rear seats folded. The door pockets were also spacious, making the CR-V easy to live with and great at storing all your stuff.

The 2020 Ford Expedition featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync 3, which was easy to use but sometimes slow to respond. It included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, a navigation system, and an available premium sound system from Bang & Olufsen. The rear-seat entertainment system had dual screens embedded into the front head restraints. Pro Trailer Backup Assist was a helpful feature for those who frequently towed, providing a knob on the dashboard to control the trailer’s direction.

The 2020 Honda CR-V’s infotainment system showed its age, with a 5-inch screen in the base LX trim and a 7-inch touchscreen in higher trims. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available only with the larger screen, providing better navigation than Honda’s system. The CR-V had plenty of USB ports in the EX trim and above, with two in the front and two high-powered ports in the backseat. The Touring trim added a wireless phone charger for 2020, allowing for charging as many devices as there were occupants.

The 2020 Ford Expedition came with Ford Co-Pilot360, a collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) as standard equipment. These included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The Expedition earned 5-star ratings in every test conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), plus a 4-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not tested the Expedition.

The 2020 Honda CR-V included the “Honda Sensing” system as standard equipment, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. Automatic high beams were standard, while EX trims and above got blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic monitoring. The CR-V earned five stars in NHTSA crash tests and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with the caveat that only the Touring trim had LED headlights. NHTSA issued one safety recall for the 2020 CR-V for a possible rear subframe failure, affecting only 358 vehicles.