2021 Land Rover Range Rover vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, part of Honda's fifth-generation compact crossover lineup, had a design that was both familiar and enjoyable. Its exterior styling, with curvy and car-like lines, bore a family resemblance to Honda's sedan lineup, giving it a station wagon-like appearance rather than a traditional SUV look. This design approach made the CR-V a modern family transportation staple. 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 lower-quality plastics, reminding drivers that even the pricier CR-V models were upgrades of a commodity car rather than true luxury vehicles.

In contrast, the 2021 Land Rover Range Rover had evolved from its rugged origins into a symbol of luxury. With a starting price of $92,000, the Range Rover offered a wide range of powertrains and personalization options, allowing it to reach prices upwards of $250,000. The HSE Westminster special edition, priced at $106,715, featured a mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-six engine and standard luxury features. Despite its age, the Range Rover's design remained timeless, with hallmark cues like blacked-out windshield and roof pillars. Inside, the Range Rover exuded luxury with its high-contrast Ivory-color interior and mid-century modern ambiance, although its infotainment system was less intuitive than newer models.

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 responsive driving experience, especially in Sport mode, and the CR-V's car-like demeanor translated into excellent road manners. With a curb weight of just 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model, the CR-V was among the lightest in its class, contributing to its impressive fuel economy. FWD models achieved 30 mpg combined, while AWD models managed 29 mpg, making the CR-V a top performer in its class.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover offered a range of powertrains, including a mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-six engine with 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain delivered smooth and rapid acceleration. The Range Rover's 4WD system, with a two-speed transfer case and Terrain Response 2 traction control, ensured off-road capability. Despite its weight and tall center of gravity, the Range Rover provided a comfortable ride with its adaptive air suspension. However, its steering was relatively slow, and side-to-side wallow was noticeable on uneven roads. The EPA rated the Range Rover at 20 mpg combined, with our test vehicle averaging 18.5 mpg.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and practicality. Its cabin was roomy, offering excellent head- and legroom for both front and rear passengers. Clever storage solutions, like the deep center console and two-position load floor, added to its practicality. The CR-V provided 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, matching the class-leading Volkswagen Tiguan. Even the door pockets were spacious, making it easy to live with the CR-V.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover featured an air suspension with a kneel mode for easier entry and exit. The front seats were decadently comfortable, wrapped in quality leather upholstery. However, the second row lacked comfort, with limited thigh support and a slouched seating position. Storage space was limited, with dual glove compartments compensating for the small center-console bin. The Range Rover offered 25 cubic feet of luggage space, expanding to 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. A button in the cargo area activated the suspension kneel function for easier loading.

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, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were only available with the larger screen. However, the CR-V offered plenty of USB ports, 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 featured a fully digital instrumentation and infotainment system with three displays. While the InControl Touch Pro Duo system was not entirely intuitive, it offered numerous features and functions. The system's two 10-inch touchscreens could be distracting while driving, but the Range Rover included a comprehensive head-up display. The waterproof Activity Key wristband allowed owners to leave the key fob inside the vehicle during activities. Land Rover's iGuide smartphone app served as a digital owner's manual.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came standard with the "Honda Sensing" system, which included forward-collision warning, 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 NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with the Touring trim's LED headlights improving nighttime visibility.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance as standard. Optional packages added features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree surround-view camera. The HSE Westminster Edition included the Drive Pro and Park packages, although the adaptive cruise control was slow to respond in certain situations.