Honda CR-V vs Honda HR-V: problems, recalls & years to avoid
NHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Honda CR-V and the Honda HR-V, with the 11 model years both have (2016–2026) set side by side. Each model is measured against its own typical year, not against the other model.
Years to avoid and years with the fewest complaints
Honda CR-V
The typical Honda CR-V year has 403 complaints on file, across 17 model years (2010–2026).
A year is one to avoid when it drew at least 2 times the complaints of its model's typical year (the median across the model's years on this site) and at least 200 complaints, or when its complaints include 5 or more reports of a death. The years with the fewest complaints have no such flag and are from 2023 or earlier: newer years have not been on the road long enough to compare. Each model is measured only against its own years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints, as of October 26, 2026.
The 11 model years both have, side by side
Complaints by model year
Honda CR-V
5.3× its typical year in 2018, its worst year
2,138 complaints against a typical year of 403.
Years to avoid: 2017, 2018, 2019. Fewest complaints: 2020, 2021, 2022.
Honda HR-V
6.4× its typical year in 2023, its worst year
686 complaints against a typical year of 108.
Years to avoid: 2016, 2019, 2023. Fewest complaints: 2018, 2020, 2021.
typical yearavoid zonesolid bar = a year to avoid
| Model year | Honda CR-V | Honda HR-V | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints | Times its typical year | Recalls | Our read | Complaints | Times its typical year | Recalls | Our read | |
| 2026 | 135 | 0.3× | 0 | Few red flags | 14 | 0.1× | 0 | Few red flags |
| 2025 | 247 | 0.6× | 1 | Some concerns to check | 43 | 0.4× | 1 | Few red flags |
| 2024 | 388 | 1.0× | 2 | Some concerns to check | 108 | 1.0× | 4 | Few red flags |
| 2023 | 514 | 1.3× | 3 | Some concerns to check | 686 | 6.4× | 3 | Approach with caution |
| 2022 | 255 | 0.6× | 3 | Few red flags | 86 | 0.8× | 3 | Some concerns to check |
| 2021 | 329 | 0.8× | 4 | Few red flags | 63 | 0.6× | 4 | Few red flags |
| 2020 | 352 | 0.9× | 7 | Few red flags | 83 | 0.8× | 5 | Few red flags |
| 2019 | 1,098 | 2.7× | 8 | Approach with caution | 234 | 2.2× | 7 | Approach with caution |
| 2018 | 2,138 | 5.3× | 5 | Approach with caution | 156 | 1.4× | 3 | Few red flags |
| 2017 | 1,766 | 4.4× | 7 | Approach with caution | 122 | 1.1× | 0 | Some concerns to check |
| 2016 | 392 | 1.0× | 3 | Some concerns to check | 239 | 2.2× | 2 | Approach with caution |
Complaints link to each model year's report. "Times its typical year" sets a year against the same model's typical year. The two models' counts can't be compared directly: they are not adjusted for how many of each were sold.
Most reported problem, by model year
| Model year | Honda CR-V | Honda HR-V |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wipers and visibility | Electrical system |
| 2025 | Steering | Steering |
| 2024 | Steering | Steering |
| 2023 | Steering | Wipers and visibility |
| 2022 | Steering | Electrical system |
| 2021 | Steering | Airbags |
| 2020 | Forward collision avoidance system | Fuel system |
| 2019 | Forward collision avoidance system | Electrical system |
| 2018 | False automatic emergency braking | Electrical system |
| 2017 | Gasoline diluting the engine oil | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2016 | Engine | Transmission and drivetrain |
Top problems of each model
The areas of the car NHTSA owner complaints name most, all model years together. A complaint can name more than one area.
Honda CR-V
- Engine: 2,212 complaints name it, most in 2018, 2017 and 2015.
- Fuel system: 1,584 complaints name it, most in 2018, 2017 and 2019.
- Steering: 1,524 complaints name it, most in 2023, 2018 and 2019.
- Electrical system: 1,461 complaints name it, most in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
- Forward collision avoidance system: 1,333 complaints name it, most in 2018, 2019 and 2017.
Biggest named problems, in the model years whose complaints we have read and grouped: False automatic emergency braking (2018, roughly 413 complaints); Fuel diluting the engine oil (2018, roughly 371 complaints); Gasoline diluting the engine oil (2017, roughly 318 complaints).
Honda HR-V
- Wipers and visibility: 440 complaints name it, most in 2023, 2024 and 2018.
- Electrical system: 309 complaints name it, most in 2019, 2016 and 2018.
- Transmission and drivetrain: 177 complaints name it, most in 2016, 2017 and 2022.
- Steering: 175 complaints name it, most in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Fuel system: 161 complaints name it, most in 2019, 2018 and 2020.
Recalls
- Honda CR-V: 39 recalls across its 17 model years (2010–2026), 20 of them covering the model years both have (2016–2026). Every Honda CR-V recall is on its model page.
- Honda HR-V: 13 recalls across its 11 model years (2016–2026), 13 of them covering the model years both have (2016–2026). Every Honda HR-V recall is on its model page.
NHTSA recall campaigns. A campaign that covers several model years is counted once.
More on these two models
- Honda CR-V: every model year, years to avoid and recalls
- Honda HR-V: every model year, years to avoid and recalls
- Compare the 2026 Honda CR-V and the 2026 Honda HR-V side by side
- The $15 report on both cars adds when each problem tends to start, by age and mileage, what the fix usually was and how often it didn't hold, and which engine the problems cluster on.
What the data can't show
- Complaints are unverified reports that owners filed with NHTSA. They are not a reliability rating.
- Counts are not adjusted for how many of each model were sold, so the two models' counts can't be compared directly. Each model's years are measured only against its own typical year.
- Newer model years have had less time on the road to draw complaints, so their counts can still rise.