The 2025 Honda CR-V and Buick Envision are both practical, easy-mannered 5-passenger compact SUVs that appeal to a wide set of buyers.
The Honda CR-V is still fresh from a recent revamp and is our reigning Best Buy Award winner among compact SUVs. It is available with a turbo 4-cylinder or gas-electric hybrid engine, and this year marks the introduction of a specialized hydrogen fuel-cell variant available only in California. For this comparison, we’re focusing on the regular non-hybrid version of the CR-V.
The premium-leaning Buick Envision just got a reboot last year. The resulting makeover gave it seriously sharp styling inside and out. Like the CR-V, the Envision has a turbocharged 4-cylinder under its hood and two rows of seating.
Want to learn more about how these two SUVs compare? Let’s check out highlights of the latest Honda CR-V and the new Buick Envision.
2025 Honda CR-V
The 2025 Honda CR-V starts at $31,450, including destination fee. Three trims are available: LX, EX, and EX-L. Honda’s best-selling SUV is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, which sends 190 horsepower to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive (AWD) can be added to each trim for $1,500 extra.
During extensive road tests, we’ve found the Honda CR-V does just about everything right. Our editors love the CR-V’s refinement, easygoing manners, and strong standard suite of active driver-assistance features.
Honda CR-V Highlights
Honda Sensing: Since it’s meant to be a family-friendly means of getting from Points A to B, the Honda Sensing suite of driver aids ensures safety. This suite comes on every trim and includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlight, lane-keep assist, and more. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave this latest CR-V Top Safety Pick+ status.
Cargo volume: Don’t be afraid to pack heavy or go on intense shopping sprees in the Honda CR-V. Behind the split-folding second row is 39.3 cubic feet of storage. This eclipses nearly every other compact SUV on sale today.
Smartphone connectivity: For many people, connecting their phone to the infotainment system is more important than what’s in the engine bay. With this in mind, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the Honda CR-V. Move up to the EX-L trim, and you can ditch the cords thanks to its wireless connection.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the CR-V models for sale near you.
2025 Buick Envision
The latest Envision could get some SUV shoppers into a Buick showroom for the first time, thanks to its fresh, sporty design language, and massive screen that looks like something out of a movie theater. Pricing starts at $37,895 (including destination charge), and three available trims are available: Preferred, Sport Touring, and Avenir. Each comes with a 228-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard.
Buick is positioned as a near-luxury brand in the GM brand catalog; it occupies a space above Chevrolet and below Cadillac. This helps explain the premium it commands over the more mainstream Honda CR-V.
Buick Envision Highlights
Zen-like cabin: Sure, it looks racier, but the Envision sticks true to Buick’s ethos of creating whisper-quiet interiors to take the stress out of daily driving. Upper trims feature perforated leather upholstery, a head-up instrument display, massaging front seats, automatic parking assist, and a digital rearview camera.
Tons of tech: Buick has consistently provided user-friendly infotainment systems with clear menus that don’t distract you from driving, and the Envision carries that torch with features like a standard head-up display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but the real showstopper is the Envision’s standard 30-inch ultrawide screen that spans the dashboard.
All-wheel drive: This feature costs extra on the CR-V but is standard in the Envision. If you live in a cold weather state or routinely deal with slick roads, you’ll appreciate the extra traction this provides.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Envision models for sale near you.
Similarities
The Honda CR-V and Buick Envision are comfortable means of getting yourself with four passengers and plenty of cargo wherever you need to go. They both lean towards providing a more subdued driving experience than many of their direct rivals. They both also have impressive technology and come standard with driver aids like adaptive cruise control and plenty of active safety systems.
Conclusion
The Honda CR-V is a great compact SUV, period, and this latest generation is its best yet. It continues to offer near-class-leading levels of passenger space and cargo volume, not to mention excellent fuel economy for a vehicle this size. And let’s not forget its well-earned reputation for reliability, resale value, and safety.
We could stop and give the win to the Honda right now. Yet we think the Buick Envision could appeal to SUV shoppers who want something more premium but don’t want to throw wads of cash into the wind. This new Envision looks more like the part of a luxury vehicle, and its higher degree of standard features — and opulent extras like massaging seats — provide an intriguing plot twist to this comparison for buyers willing to spend more money and desiring a more premium SUV.
| 2025 Honda CR-V | 2025 Buick Envision | |
| Starting Price | $31,450 | $37,895 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | Turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder | Turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 190 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 228 hp @ 5,000 rpm |
| Torque | 179 lb-ft @ 1,700 – 5,000 rpm | 258 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm |
| Transmission | CVT | 9-speed automatic |
| Fuel economy MPG | 28 city/34 highway/30 combined | 22 city/29 highway/24 combined |
| Also Available | AWD; hybrid; hydrogen fuel cell | |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5-Star | NA |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 106.3 inches | 109.0 inches |
| Overall Length | 184.8 inches | 182.7 inches |
| Width | 73.5 inches | 74.1 inches |
| Height | 66.2 inches | 64.6 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 37.3 feet | 38.0 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 40.0 inches | 39.6 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 38.2 inches | 38.9 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.3 inches | 40.4 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 41.0 inches | 39.3 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 57.9 inches | 56.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 55.9 inches | 55.9 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 39.3 cubic feet | 25.2 cubic feet |