2020 Honda CR-V vs 2020 Lincoln Navigator

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator stood out with its luxurious design, featuring chrome and brightwork that differentiated it from the Ford Expedition, on which it was based. The Navigator's unique front and rear styling, along with the Lincoln Embrace lighting system, added a touch of elegance. The lattice-type grille with an illuminated Lincoln star, fender vents, and full-width taillights were distinctive design elements. The Navigator Reserve Monochromatic Package, available in White, Ceramic Pearl, and Infinite Black, further enhanced its custom look with body-color grille and side mirror enhancements, and 22-inch black-painted wheels.

Inside, the Navigator's Dark Slate leather interior, part of the Luxury Package, included 30-way Perfect Position front seats with heating, ventilation, and massaging functions. The dashboard featured mid-century modern styling cues, digital instrumentation, a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, and piano-key transmission controls. A panoramic glass roof and high-quality materials added to the luxurious feel. The test vehicle, a standard-length Navigator Reserve with 4WD, was priced at $92,385, including destination charges.

The 2020 Honda CR-V, in its fifth generation, maintained a familiar and fun design with curvy, car-like lines. Its front and rear fascias bore a family resemblance to Honda's sedan lineup, giving it a station wagon-like appearance. Inside, the CR-V's interior was a mix of textures and materials, with wood-look trim and leather upholstery in higher trims clashing with low-quality plastics. The base CR-V LX started at $26,270, with four trim levels available: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. AWD was a $1,500 option across all trims.

The CR-V's interior featured a deep center console with a sliding cover, influenced by the Honda Odyssey minivan. The rear had a two-position load floor, allowing for 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. The door pockets were spacious, and the overall design made the CR-V easy to live with, accommodating various storage needs.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, surpassing the Ford Expedition's most powerful version. A 10-speed automatic transmission transferred power to the rear wheels, with an optional 4WD upgrade. Lincoln Drive Modes tailored the powertrain to different driving conditions, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, Deep Conditions, and Slow Climb with the towing package. The Navigator's towing capacity was 8,700 pounds with RWD and 8,300 pounds with 4WD, aided by Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

Acceleration from the twin-turbo V6 was strong, with a subtle yet aggressive engine note. The Navigator averaged 16.4 mpg on the testing loop, with an EPA rating of 18 mpg combined. The SUV's 22-inch wheels and adaptive damping suspension provided excellent body motion control, though impact harshness was noticeable on imperfect roads. The Navigator's size made it feel huge around town, but features like a tight turning radius, parking assist system, and numerous camera views improved maneuverability.

The 2020 Honda CR-V featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, producing 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The turbo four-cylinder 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 nimble handling and a firm yet comfortable chassis. Its low curb weight of 3,337 pounds for the FWD LX model contributed to its agility and fuel efficiency.

FWD CR-V models were rated at 30 mpg combined by the EPA, while AWD models achieved 29 mpg, making the CR-V one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles in its class. The CR-V Hybrid, introduced for 2020, offered even higher fuel economy, competing with hybrid versions of the RAV4 and Escape.

Entering the 2020 Lincoln Navigator required climbing up into the SUV, with available power running boards providing some assistance. Inside, the Navigator offered ample room for passengers to stretch out in comfort. The test vehicle's 30-way Perfect Position front seats, part of the Luxury Package, were exceptionally comfortable, though finding the right settings took time. The second row could be configured with a three-person bench or two captain's chairs, with an optional center console between the captain's chairs. Triple-zone climate control and heated rear seat cushions ensured comfort across all three rows.

The Navigator's third-row seat provided excellent legroom and thigh support, unmatched by competitors. Cargo volumes were class-leading, with the standard-length model offering 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103.3 cubic feet maximum. The longer Navigator L increased these measurements to 34.3, 73.3, and 120.2 cubic feet, respectively.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in packaging, offering a roomy cabin comparable to the Volkswagen Tiguan. Head- and legroom were ample in both the driver's and passenger seats, thanks to the CR-V's excellent seating position and low cowl. The cargo compartment matched the Tiguan in volume, despite the CR-V being three inches shorter. The center console featured a deep well with a sliding cover, influenced by the Honda Odyssey minivan, providing convenient storage for small items.

The rear had a two-position load floor, allowing for 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. The door pockets were spacious, and the overall design made the CR-V easy to live with, accommodating various storage needs.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator's Sync 3 infotainment system was its least impressive feature, taking time to load content. However, it offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and wireless device charging. "Phone As A Key" technology allowed the smartphone to function as the vehicle key. The voice recognition system worked reasonably well but required specific command pathways.

The Reserve's Luxury Package included a 20-speaker Revel Ultima audio system with three listening profiles: Stereo, Audience, and On Stage. Additional technologies included a surround-view camera system and a head-up display. The test vehicle did not have the optional Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system, which featured dual 10-inch displays, wireless headphones, Slingbox access, Roku media streaming, and Apple and Android compatibility.

The 2020 Honda CR-V's infotainment system showed its age, with a 5-inch screen standard in LX trim, offering limited features like Bluetooth connectivity and Pandora compatibility. Higher trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, which felt small compared to competitors. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available with the larger screen, providing better navigation than Honda's system, which was only available in the Touring trim.

The CR-V EX trim and above featured two front USB ports and two high-powered rear USB ports. The Touring trim added a wireless phone charger for 2020, accommodating multiple devices.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator came with the standard Lincoln Co-Pilot360 collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning with trailer coverage, rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Reserve trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability.

The Navigator's adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance operated with refinement and subtlety. The SUV earned a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though the RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not tested the 2020 model.

The 2020 Honda CR-V included the Honda Sensing system as standard, with forward-collision warning, 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 added blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic monitoring.

The CR-V earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test. The IIHS awarded the CR-V a Top Safety Pick designation, with the Touring trim's LED headlights improving nighttime visibility. NHTSA issued one safety recall for the 2020 CR-V for a possible rear subframe failure, affecting 358 vehicles.