The SUV market is a tough one, and there are many great competitors available to customers. Two of the best SUVs available, however, are the Hyundai Tucson and the Honda CR-V. Unfortunately for customers or car reviewers, though, they’re both so good that it’s tough to pick between the two.

What’s so great about the 2020 Honda CR-V?

It’s hard to know where to start with the Honda CR-V, it’s just that great. It’s won many awards, and one of its latest wins was Kelley Blue Book’s Best Buy of 2020 award. The CR-V just has so much to offer the average customer that it rarely disappoints anyone who buys one. 

For example, Kelley Blue Book said that the CR-V comes with Honda’s trademark reliability and durability. Honda and Toyota owners are both familiar with this, and the CR-V is a great example of it. Additionally, just like other Hondas or Toyotas, the CR-V comes with a lot of standard smart safety features. Furthermore, it also boasts some great safety scores when it comes to crash tests. The CR-V is simply one of the safest cars on the road.

There are other great things about the CR-V, too. For example, the CR-V has a hybrid option available, and it has some of the highest cargo capacity in its class. On top of that, with a starting price tag of $26,000, the CR-V is relatively affordable. And, if you want options, then Honda also offers plenty of options for the CR-V. That said, whatever you pay for your CR-V, you will keep much of it as the CR-V has a great resale value.

What’s so great about the Hyundai Tucson

While the Hyundai Tucson is smaller and has weaker engines than the Honda CR-V, both SUVs are adequately powered in any case. Plus, the Tucson offers about as much cargo capacity as the CR-V does all the meanwhile having roughly the same amount of standard smart safety features. On top of that, the Tucson did well in its crash tests, and it’s also as safe as the CR-V is.

Furthermore, while the Tucson doesn’t have a hybrid engine option, its engines are pretty fuel-efficient. The Tucson gets about 25 mpg combined, while the CR-V gets about 30 mpg combined. And, while the Tucson’s engine options aren’t very powerful, Kelley Blue Book said that the Tucson’s smaller size makes it very fun to drive as it handles really well. 

Additionally, the Tucson’s lower starting price of about $24,500 makes it slightly more affordable than the CR-V is, though they don’t share the exact same standard features, according to Kelley Blue Book. That said, Kelley Blue Book also really liked the Hyundai Tucson’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, which Kelley Blue Book called “unbeatable.” 

They both have some flaws, though

While Kelley Blue Book ultimately concluded that both SUVs are great, it also said that both SUVs have their flaws. For example, Kelley Blue Book said that the Honda CR-V just wasn’t very fun to drive, which is something that some customers look for in an SUV. And, some customers are looking for SUVs that can tow stuff, but that’s not the CR-V as it has a “limited towing capacity,” according to Kelley Blue Book.

The Hyundai Tucson’s power is even more questionable. For example, Kelley Blue Book said that despite offering two engine options – a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder – neither engine is as powerful as the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s standard on the CR-V. In regards to engines, unlike previous model years, the CR-V has no options anymore. It’s either the standard 1.5-liter or the hybrid trim.