2021 INFINITI QX50 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 sedan lineup, 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 combination reminded drivers that even the pricier CR-V models were upgrades of a commodity car rather than true premium products.

In contrast, the 2021 INFINITI QX50 stood out in the luxury compact crossover segment with its distinctive design and engineering. The QX50 featured a large honeycomb grille and a curved hood with athletic bulges, giving it a sporty appearance. The rear design included a unique chrome strip reminiscent of a lightning bolt, adding character to the vehicle. Inside, the QX50 boasted an attractive cabin with soft-touch materials, aluminum trim accents, and a leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel. The front seats offered heating and cooling, enhancing comfort in various weather conditions. However, thick B-pillars and a short rear window opening slightly hindered outward visibility.

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 well-matched driving experience, with the CVT offering a credible imitation of a conventional automatic transmission. The CR-V’s road manners were excellent, with a car-like demeanor, 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, with FWD models achieving 30 miles per gallon combined and AWD models managing 29 mpg.

The 2021 INFINITI QX50, on the other hand, came with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, mated to a CVT with paddle shifters and downshift rev-matching. The QX50’s VC-Turbo engine constantly adjusted the compression ratio to balance power and efficiency. The CVT, while not perfect, had been fine-tuned to provide a more familiar driving experience with simulated shift points. The QX50 offered a drive mode selector with Standard, Sport, Eco, and Personal modes, allowing drivers to adjust engine torque output, transmission shift points, and steering effort. Sport mode provided brisk acceleration and increased steering effort, while Eco mode prioritized fuel efficiency.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and clever storage solutions. Its cabin was roomy, with good head- and legroom for both front and rear passengers. The cargo compartment matched the Volkswagen Tiguan in volume, offering 75.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded. The CR-V featured a deep center console bin, a two-position load floor, and large door pockets, making it easy to store and organize items.

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 also offered a spacious interior, with ample hip and shoulder room in both the front and rear seats. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed 38.7 inches of legroom, and the sliding second-row seats allowed for flexible cargo space. The cargo area provided 31.1 cubic feet of space behind the second-row seats, expanding to 64.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. The QX50 came with the optional Cargo package, which included a reversible cargo area protector, cargo blocks, and nets for added convenience.

The 2020 Honda CR-V’s infotainment system showed its age, with a standard 5-inch screen in the LX trim and a 7-inch touchscreen in higher trims. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were only available with the larger screen. However, the CR-V offered 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.

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 featured the InTouch infotainment system with dual display screens—an 8-inch upper LCD/VGA and a 7-inch lower color unit. The system included voice recognition, Infiniti InTouch Services, and a 16-speaker Bose Performance Series premium audio system. Pairing a smartphone via Bluetooth was easy, and Apple CarPlay integration worked seamlessly. The QX50 also came with ProPilot Assist on all but the base Pure trim level, providing advanced driving assistance with adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance.

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. EX trims and above added 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 Touring trim’s LED headlights improving nighttime visibility.

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including blind-spot warning, predictive forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. Lane-departure prevention and blind-spot intervention were standard on all but the base Pure trim level. The QX50 received four out of five stars for rollover resistance from NHTSA and Good ratings from the IIHS for moderate overlap front and side crash protection.