2019 GMC Acadia vs 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid

The 2019 GMC Acadia was a handsome SUV with a shorter wheelbase that provided an athletic stance and an upscale appearance, thanks to its upright grille. Despite not being marketed as an upscale SUV, it was as nice as, if not nicer than, the more expensive Buick Envision. The Acadia had broader appeal than other GM vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox and Buick Envision. Although considered a midsize SUV, it felt closer in size to compact competitors like the Nissan Rogue.

The Acadia came in several trims: SL, SLE-1, SLE-2, SLT-1, SLT-2, and Denali. The base SL trim featured 17-inch wheels, 7-passenger seating, remote keyless entry, 3-zone climate control, and heated power side mirrors. Higher trims added features like LED headlights, power liftgate, fog lights, premium stereo systems, and more. The SLT-1 AWD trim, with the Black Edition appearance package, added 20-inch wheels with black accents, giving the Acadia a more menacing look.

The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid enjoyed a mid-cycle refresh, introducing its first-ever hybrid model. Visually and dimensionally, it was identical to the gasoline-powered CR-V, with the same length, width, and height. The interior also mirrored the gasoline model, featuring the same dash, multi-function center console, 7-inch infotainment screen, and steering-wheel-mounted functions.

Exterior differences were subtle, with blue-outlined Honda emblems and “Hybrid” designations on the A-pillars and tailgate. The hybrid also featured a hidden exhaust and LED fog lights on EX models and above. Inside, the gear shifter was replaced with a push-button selector, and paddle shifters adjusted brake regeneration. The instrument panel displayed driving modes: Normal, EV, Econ, and Sport.

The 2019 GMC Acadia offered two engines: a 193-horsepower inline 4-cylinder and a 310-horsepower 3.6-liter V6. The V6 was not available in the base SL or SLE-1 trims but was optional in the SLE-2 and SLE-1 with FWD. The SLT-1 AWD, SLT-2, and Denali trims came standard with the V6. Power was sent through a 6-speed automatic transmission to either the front wheels or available AWD. The AWD system featured GMC’s Active Twin Clutch system, allowing drivers to switch between FWD, AWD, Sport mode, and All-Terrain mode. The V6 Acadia could tow up to 4,000 pounds when properly equipped. Fuel economy for the base SL with the 4-cylinder engine and FWD was 21 mpg city, 26 highway, and 23 combined. The SLT-1 AWD with the V6 returned 17/25/20, and in a week of combined driving, it achieved 19.8 mpg.

The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid featured a two-motor hybrid system powertrain with AWD. It combined a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric generator/starter motor and a propulsion motor, producing a total of 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid was EPA-rated at 40 mpg city, 35 highway, and 38 combined. In comparison, a comparable AWD gas model offered 27/32/29 mpg. The CR-V Hybrid ranked third in fuel economy among its competitors, with the Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offering better figures. During a 65-mile city drive, the CR-V Hybrid achieved nearly 41 mpg. The hybrid drivetrain’s on-demand torque made it more fun to drive than the gasoline model, although the EV mode was limited to short distances.

The 2019 GMC Acadia provided ample space for the driver and front passenger, with deep trays for small items and functional in-door bins. The SL, SLE-1, and SLE-2 trims featured 7-passenger seating with a middle bench seat, while the SLT-1 AWD had captain’s chairs, reducing seating capacity to 6. The second-row seats were comfortable and provided decent head- and legroom, but the third-row seats were suitable only for kids. The Acadia offered 12.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 41.7 cubic feet with the third row folded and up to 79 cubic feet with both rows folded. This was small for the midsize SUV class, barely more than the largest compact crossovers.

The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid had to compromise on cargo capacity to accommodate the battery pack beneath the cargo floor. It offered 33.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and up to 68.7 cubic feet when they were folded flat. Although less than the non-hybrid’s 39.2 and 75.8 cubic feet, it still offered more volume than the Ford Escape Hybrid. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid had slightly more cargo space. The CR-V Hybrid featured a low cargo floor for easy loading and unloading and offered class-competitive 8.2 inches of ground clearance. It also provided more overall passenger space than its direct competitors, with better front headroom and rear legroom. The configurable center console bin could hold larger items, although the armrest’s adjustability was too loose.

The 2019 GMC Acadia’s base SL trim came with a 7-inch touchscreen running GMC’s IntelliLink infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, five USB ports, and a WiFi hotspot. The SLT-1 trim upgraded to an 8-inch screen, and the Denali added standard navigation. Higher trims also included a 4.2-inch color information display within the gauge cluster, with the Denali featuring an 8-inch display. The Acadia was available with a color head-up display showing vehicle speed, engine rpm, radio station, and safety alerts.

The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid came standard with Bluetooth connectivity, Pandora compatibility, and a single 1.0-amp USB connector. Higher trims added keyless entry, push-button start, and automatic headlights. The EX trim introduced a 7-inch touchscreen display, Honda Link, smartphone integration, SiriusXM and HD radio, a 180-watt stereo, and additional USB ports. The Touring trim offered navigation, wireless device charging, and a 330-watt premium audio system. However, the infotainment system lacked haptic feedback, and turning off the automatic beep sound required navigating through multiple menus. The instrument panel also required flipping through various menus to access information.

The 2019 GMC Acadia came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, and traction control. The Driver Alert Package 1, standard on the SLT-1 and optional on the SLE-2, added a blind-spot warning system, lane-change alert, and rear park assist. The SLT-2 trim included the Driver Alert Package 2, which added low-speed forward automatic braking, lane-departure warning, pedestrian detection, forward-collision alert, adaptive headlights and high beams, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors. However, many of these features were standard on the base trims of competitors like the Toyota RAV4.

The 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and a 5-Star Safety Rating from NHTSA. It came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of safety and driver-assistance technologies, including automatic braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, automatic high beams, and a multi-angle rearview camera. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting with the EX trim.