The 2020 Honda CR-V is a sporty little SUV that has the chance to compete against the RAV4, which just released an off-roading model. While the Rav4 TRD does have some off-roading capabilities, it can’t exactly go far. So, can the Honda CR-V go further down the country trails? 

Can The Honda CR-V Go Off-Roading? 

Honda CR-V Power 

While the CR-V has a hybrid model to compete against the Rav4 hybrid with a fuel economy of 40 mpg, we’re going to take a look at the base model. The lowest trim of the Honda CR-V is the LX. 

The Honda CR-V LX has a turbocharged 1.4-L four-cylinder engine that produces 190 hp and 179 lb-foot torque. This is enough power to get over obstacles on difficult terrains, but this SUV only comes in all-wheel drive instead of four-wheel drive. 

The fact that this car is AWD could increase its chances of getting stuck without the ability to send power to the correct tires. It may also hurt the fuel economy, even though the CR-V gets 25 mph in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. 

Based on this information, it seems like this Honda is better suited for staying on country roads instead of attempting to go down the beaten track. The Honda CR-V LX can also only tow 1,500, which is half of what the Rav4 TRD can pull. 

The highest CR-V trim level, the Touring edition, can also only tow up to 1,500 lb, making this SUV not the best option for pulling your camper. 

The Honda CR-V also only sits on 17” tires, where most off-roading capable vehicles have tires that are 18” or taller. 

Honda CR-V Features 

One thing that helps the Honda CR-V’s capabilities is the fact that you can completely fold the seats down flat for 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space. This provides room to store a lot of awkward items like mountain bikes. The seats also have a 60/40 split. 

The CR-V boasts having a spacious cabin that can comfortably seat up to five adults. While the base model as standard cloth seats, you can upgrade to luxurious leather seats with heated options. 

So at least if you take a trip to a campground with your family and friends, you will all be comfortable along the way. 

For off-roading, the Honda CR-V fails to incorporate tech features that other vehicles have aside from its Real-Time AWD Intelligent Control System. 

This electronic feature pro-actively adjusts to changing terrains and climates to send power to the back wheels to prevent traction loss. This will help prevent you from slipping on inclines and may provide more peace of mind in snowy conditions. 

The CR-V only has a rear back up camera instead of providing a 360 view to see exactly where your tires will land. However, the backup camera does include multiple angles. 

The Rav4 TRD has Active Curve Assistance to help drivers navigate winding roads and driving modes to adapt to changing terrains. 

The Honda CR-V is outfitted with standard safety features such as automatic braking, rear traffic crossing warnings, lane departure assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and more. 

At the end of the day, the Honda CR-V is more of a sporty model to zoom around town. It can go down some dirt or gravel roads, but shouldn’t be pushed to go down beginner trails.