The Honda CR-V is the brand’s best-selling model and for good reason; it’s spacious, comfortable, and reliable. However, can the word “luxurious” also be added to the list of adjectives? Maybe not when describing the base LX trim level, however, if you opt for the top Touring trim level you do get a few more upscale amenities that take your Honda CR-V a new level. But is paying the extra money for the Touring trim really worth it?

What do you get with the CR-V Touring?

The 2020 Honda CR-V currently comes in four different trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. The base trim level comes with cloth seats, the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assist features, and a lot of the basic power amenities and stepping up to the EX trim will net you a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a larger 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a better sound system, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, and Blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert. For the EX-L, the “L” stands for leather, so that’s the main highlight, but you also get a power tailgate, dual-power seats, and an auto-dimming mirror.

But if you want to shell out the extra money for the Touring trim level, then you will be rewarded with more luxurious features including a hands-free power tailgate, automatic LED headlights, a heated steering wheel, 19-inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, a 330-watt sound system, and lastly, a wireless phone charger. All trim levels are powered by the same turbocharged 1.5-liter engine that produces 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels, although an all-wheel drivetrain is available.  

Are the extra features worth the added cost?

The base Honda CR-V LX has a starting price of $25,150 and opting for the higher EX trim costs an extra $2,500. If you want leather, then add another $2,490 for the EX-L and yet another $3,200 for the Touring trim. That being said, are all of the aforementioned top-level features worth an extra $3,200? To some, maybe not, especially since the EX trim level already comes with everything that most consumers would need on a day-to-day basis.

However, for those looking for an almost Acura-like experience, power-tailgate, and all, we would actually suggest going all-out and getting the Touring trim level. In order to actually step up to a 2020 Acura RDX, you have to pay around $39,000 just for the base trim and it goes up from there to get the same type of features. Technically, the CR-V Touring is almost a bargain.

How does it compare to its competitors?

The Honda CR-V’s biggest rival is the Toyota RAV4, which comes with the same type of features and is actually value packaged in a similar fashion with its trim level split. As such, the top-level RAV4 Limited is priced at $34,480 in comparison to the CR-V Touring’s starting price of $33,350, so both cars are pretty similar in terms of pricing as well.

If it were up to us – since we like the finer things in life even when it comes to affordable commuter cars – we would suggest getting the Touring trim since the extra features are nice to have even if you don’t use them. Also, when it comes time to resell the car, the residual value could be better as well.