2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, in its fifth generation, 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 vibe rather than a traditional SUV look. Inside, the CR-V’s interior was a mix of textures and materials. While pricier models boasted wood-look trim and leather upholstery, these upscale touches clashed with some low-quality plastics, reminding drivers that even the expensive versions were upgrades of a commodity car.

In contrast, the 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, which launched in 2005 and was in its second generation, received an interior and exterior refresh in 2018 that carried over into 2021. This refresh introduced the dual-screen center console, a defining feature of recent Land Rover interiors. The Range Rover Sport offered a variety of trims, each with increasing levels of luxury and performance, from the base SE with leather upholstery and dual-zone climate control to the high-end SVR Carbon Edition with carbon fiber accents and 22-inch alloy wheels.

The 2020 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, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), provided a responsive and fuel-efficient driving experience. The CR-V’s car-like road manners, nimble handling, and low curb weight of 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model contributed to its excellent performance. The FWD CR-V achieved an EPA rating of 30 miles per gallon combined, while the AWD version managed 29 mpg.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of powertrain options. The base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The HST model featured a more potent P400 powertrain with 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Silver Edition offered plug-in hybrid and diesel options, with the P400e plug-in hybrid delivering 398 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims boasted a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, while the SVR and SVR Carbon Edition had an even more powerful version of this engine, making 575 hp and 516 lb-ft. All models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive, with impressive off-road capabilities and a towing capacity of up to 7,716 pounds.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and clever storage solutions. Its cabin was roomy, with excellent head- and legroom for both the driver and passengers. The cargo compartment offered 75.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded, matching the Volkswagen Tiguan despite being three inches shorter. The CR-V featured a deep center console bin, a two-position load floor in the rear, and large door pockets, making it highly practical for everyday use.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity from five to seven, though it offered only 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row in use. Both the first and second rows provided ample headroom and legroom, while the optional third row was best suited for children.

The 2020 Honda CR-V showed its age in terms of infotainment. The base LX trim came with a 5-inch screen, offering limited features like Bluetooth connectivity and Pandora compatibility. Higher trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, which still felt small compared to competitors. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, and even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration felt tacked on. However, the CR-V did offer 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 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a dual-screen center console, with the lower screen handling climate controls and vehicle settings, and the upper screen managing the infotainment system. While the system had a learning curve and earlier models had bugs, the pair of dials on the lower screen provided versatile control. The upper touchscreen had reasonably sized icons for easy navigation between menus and smartphone integration. Despite some usability issues, the system included a real volume button and offered a range of advanced features.

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 a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with the Touring trim’s LED headlights improving nighttime visibility.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard driver assistance features such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. However, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were optional. Additional available features included a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and park assist. A head-up display was also available.