2020 Dodge Durango vs 2021 Honda CR-V

Dodge says it has three muscle cars in its lineup, but if you check out the website, you’ll see the Challenger and Charger. Where is the third? According to Dodge, it’s the Durango three-row SUV. Even though it is a seven-passenger family hauler, it has eye-catching muscle car styling cues. It is also available in a number of high-horsepower trims that deliver on the styling.

For that performance and style, you give up a bit of usability compared to leaders in the segment like the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, and Kia Telluride. The Durango also feels a bit dated compared to those vehicles. So, is this tradeoff worth it?

Even in a grim year, Honda is selling a staggering number of CR-Vs. The CR-V is the best-selling Honda in Canada, edging out the home-built Honda Civic. The CR-V is also the second best-selling compact SUV, just behind the Toyota RAV4. And it was the sixth best-selling vehicle in Canada in 2021.

So, it’s hard to argue against the CR-V formula. Honda’s been at this almost as long as crossovers have been a thing, launching the CR-V in 1997—a year after the RAV4 debuted.

The funny thing is, aside from sales volume, there’s only one thing the CR-V particularly excels at. Aesthetics are subjective, but it would be hard to argue the CR-V is the best-looking vehicle in its class. It’s not the cheapest. It’s not the best equipped, especially at the middle to lower trim levels. It’s not the fastest, nor is it the quietest, or the most fuel efficient. It’s not even the most reliable, showing up nowhere in J.D. Power's Most Reliable list.

So, what makes it so appealing to Canadian consumers? Let’s see if we can figure that out.