2021 Buick Envision vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, part of Honda’s fifth generation of compact crossovers, had a design that was both familiar and enjoyable. Its exterior featured curvy, car-like lines with a family resemblance to Honda’s sedans, giving it a station wagon look rather than a traditional SUV appearance. 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 some low-quality plastics. This reminded drivers that even the pricier CR-V models were upgrades of a commodity car rather than true premium products.

In contrast, the 2021 Buick Envision underwent a significant redesign, resulting in a lower and wider stance that gave it a more planted appearance. The Envision’s new look was more sculpted compared to its cousin, the Cadillac XT4, but not as sleek as the Acura RDX. The Envision offered three trim levels—Preferred, Essence, and Avenir—with the Avenir trim featuring premium exterior elements and a unique interior trim pattern. The Envision’s cabin had a driver-centric design, with the center stack angled toward the driver, and an abundance of piano black plastic that attracted dust.

For the 2020 model year, the Honda CR-V simplified its lineup by replacing the previous base engine with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which provided a responsive and fuel-efficient driving experience. The CR-V’s car-like demeanor extended to its road manners, with nimble handling and a firm yet comfortable chassis. The CR-V’s low curb weight of 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model contributed to its excellent fuel economy, with FWD models achieving 30 mpg combined and AWD models 29 mpg combined.

The 2021 Buick Envision, on the other hand, featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. However, the engine’s power was reduced to 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, compared to the previous model’s 252 hp and 295 lb-ft. Despite a weight reduction of 200 to 300 pounds, the Envision’s performance was less impressive. The Envision’s fuel economy improved, with FWD models achieving 26 mpg combined and AWD models 25 mpg combined. However, the Envision’s acceleration and deceleration were noisy, and its drivability was more comfortable than sporty.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and functionality, with a roomy cabin that matched the Volkswagen Tiguan in volume. The CR-V’s excellent seating position and low cowl provided good visibility, while clever storage solutions, such as a deep center console and a two-position load floor, made it easy to stow items. The CR-V offered 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and even the door pockets were spacious.

In contrast, the 2021 Buick Envision’s redesign resulted in less headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the front row, and rear-seat passengers lost two inches of legroom and nearly six inches of hip room. The Envision’s cargo capacity was also reduced, with 25.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat and 53.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The driver-centric cockpit made it difficult for the front seat passenger to access the climate controls and infotainment screen. However, the Envision’s rear cargo space was still adequate for daily activities, and it featured handy grocery bag holders and carve-outs around the wheel wells.

The 2020 Honda CR-V’s infotainment system showed its age, with a standard 5-inch screen in the LX trim that lacked features. Higher trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, but it was still small compared to competitors. The system’s lack of hard buttons made it challenging to operate, and even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto felt tacked on. However, the CR-V did offer plenty of USB ports in the EX trim and above, and the Touring trim included a wireless phone charger.

The 2021 Buick Envision, on the other hand, featured a standard 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen that was responsive and displayed necessary functionalities clearly. The Envision also offered an 8.0-inch driver information display, with a 4.2-inch screen standard. Standard features included USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, rearview camera, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. Available features included navigation, driver massage, HD Radio, surround-view camera, HUD, and wireless device charging.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came standard with the “Honda Sensing” system, which included forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. The CR-V also featured automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and cross-traffic monitoring in EX trims and above. The CR-V earned five stars in NHTSA crash tests and a Top Safety Pick designation from IIHS, with the Touring trim’s LED headlights improving nighttime visibility.

The 2021 Buick Envision had not yet been rated by NHTSA or IIHS. However, it included standard safety features such as forward-collision alert, front and rear park assist, lane change alert with blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic emergency braking. The Envision also featured a Buckle to Drive system and available adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic park assist on Avenir models.