2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, positioned between the Navigator and the compact MKC (and its replacement, the Lincoln Corsair), showcased Lincoln's return to real vehicle names, moving away from the old alphabet-soup naming convention. This shift was a positive sign, indicating Lincoln's unique identity rather than mimicking imports. The Aviator featured a unified design across Lincoln's lineup, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its tapering roofline and low, wide beltline gave it an elongated, almost boat-like appearance. Inside, the Aviator boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The front seats were incredibly comfortable, using plush leather throughout, even in areas where it wasn't necessary, showcasing Lincoln's commitment to luxury. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, emphasizing Lincoln's holistic approach to luxury.

The 2020 Honda CR-V, in its fifth generation since the 2017 model year, had a familiar and fun design. Honda's designers took a soft approach, giving the CR-V curvy, car-like lines with a family resemblance to Honda's sedans. The overall look leaned more towards a station wagon than an SUV, defining modern family transportation. Inside, the CR-V's interior was a mix of textures and materials. While some elements like wood-look trim and leather upholstery in pricier models were nice, they clashed with low-quality plastics, reminding drivers that even the expensive CR-V was an upgraded commodity car rather than a truly premium product. The base CR-V started at an MSRP of $26,270, with four trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Each trim came with Honda's standard three-year or 36,000-mile warranty, and AWD was a $1,500 option on all trims. The CR-V featured standard 17-inch alloy wheels, with 18-inch wheels on EX trims and optional 19-inchers on the Touring. Fabric seating adorned the lower trims, with real leather available in the top two. A retractable moonroof was standard on all but the LX trim, and roof rails were only on the Touring model.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This engine was part of the same family found in the Explorer, Expedition, and Ford F-150. The Grand Touring trim took it a step further by combining the 3.0-liter turbo V6 with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering RWD or AWD, while the PHEV was AWD only. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds. The Grand Touring's hybrid setup provided smooth, confident acceleration and improved fuel efficiency, with a combined 23 mpg, a 21-mile electric-only range, and a 56 MPGe rating. The conventionally powered Aviator with RWD had a fuel economy of 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined, while the AWD version had 17 mpg city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. The Aviator's driving experience was characterized by light steering and cushioned brake feedback, aiming for soft refinement in driving dynamics.

The 2020 Honda CR-V simplified its lineup by replacing the previous base engine with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, making 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. This powertrain was well-matched to the CR-V, providing quick acceleration, especially in Sport mode. The CR-V's car-like demeanor extended to its road manners, with excellent handling, firm yet comfortable chassis, and minimal body roll. Its low curb weight of 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model contributed to its nimble handling and fuel efficiency. FWD CR-V models were rated at 30 mpg combined, while AWD models managed 29 mpg, a 2-mpg improvement over the previous 2.4-liter engine. These figures placed the AWD CR-V at the top of its class, matching the Subaru Forester and outperforming the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4. For those seeking even higher fuel economy, Honda introduced a hybrid version for 2020, competing with hybrid versions of the RAV4 and Escape.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain's chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6. However, the Aviator had some confusing controls, such as the seats and door handles. The 30-way seats with a massage function required navigating a seat-control menu on the center touchscreen. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button on the back of the handle, which could be confusing for passengers. A manual door release was available but only for the driver's door, raising concerns about accessibility in emergencies.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in packaging, offering a roomy cabin comparable to the Volkswagen Tiguan without feeling oversized. Head- and legroom were ample in both the driver's and passenger seats, thanks to the excellent seating position and low cowl, providing excellent front visibility. The cargo compartment matched the Tiguan in volume, despite the CR-V being three inches shorter. Clever storage solutions abounded, such as the deep center console with a sliding cover, influenced by the Honda Odyssey minivan. This design allowed for secure storage of items while still providing space for cell phones and wallets. The rear featured a two-position load floor, offering 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the 60-40 split rear seats folded. The raised floor position provided additional storage above the spare tire compartment, ideal for dirty or wet gear. The door pockets were also spacious, extending behind the lower door panel for extra room, making the CR-V easy to live with due to its excellent storage capabilities.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system, operated via a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Unlike the Ford Explorer's portrait layout, the Aviator's screen used a conventional landscape layout, providing a better interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display in the test car offered a minimalist yet informative readout, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2020 Honda CR-V, in its fourth year, showed its age in terms of infotainment. The base LX trim featured a 5-inch screen with limited features like Bluetooth connectivity and Pandora compatibility. Higher trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, which seemed small compared to competitors. The CR-V's infotainment system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, often requiring multiple taps to switch functions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available only with the larger screen, providing better navigation than Honda's system, which was exclusive to the Touring trim. 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 also included a wireless phone charger for 2020.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Honda CR-V included the "Honda Sensing" system as standard, offering forward-collision warning with 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 had blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic monitoring. The CR-V earned five stars in NHTSA crash testing and a Top Safety Pick designation from IIHS, with the Touring trim's LED headlights improving nighttime visibility. NHTSA issued one safety recall for a possible rear subframe failure, affecting 358 vehicles.