Honda HR-V Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2016 draws 3.46 complaints per run and the 2020 1.5, a 2.3-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age, so 42.8% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Unknown Or Other, with 411 complaints, typically at 2.1 years.

Honda HR-V years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Honda HR-V — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2026	1	12	12	too new
2025	1.44	46	32	too new
2024	2.08	106	51	too new
2023	9.94	676	68	too new
2022	2.05	88	43	too new
2021	1.54	63	41	too new
2020	1.5	84	56	yes
2019	2.33	235	101	yes
2018	2.23	154	69	yes
2017	1.83	117	64	yes
2016	3.46	235	68	yes

ROWS 11·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2016 HR-V asks a median $12,000, against $11,800 for a 2017, the next model year: about the same, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 5 Honda HR-V years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2016, 2019, 2018; the three worth hunting are 2020, 2017, 2018.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Honda HR-V — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	562	32%	covered
1 year	334	51.1%	covered
2 years	108	57.2%	covered
3 years	131	64.7%	you pay
4 years	154	73.5%	you pay
5 years	154	82.3%	you pay
6 years	98	87.9%	you pay
7 years	119	94.6%	you pay
8 years	56	97.8%	you pay
9 years	29	99.5%	you pay
10 years	9	100%	you pay

ROWS 11·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 57.2% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 42.8% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 16% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Honda HR-V, the early trouble is Unknown Or Other and Visibility/wiper — reported at around 2.1 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Power Train at 5.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Honda HR-V — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Unknown Or Other	411	2.1 yrs	5	1
Visibility/wiper	353	0.5 yrs	—	—
Electrical System	310	3.8 yrs	7	1
Power Train	175	5.3 yrs	6	—
Steering	175	1.1 yrs	15	—
Service Brakes	120	2.6 yrs	35	1
Engine	107	3.6 yrs	3	3
Structure	102	3 yrs	7	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the HR-V's vehicle class. Per production run, the Kia Soul draws 11.34, the Subaru Impreza 1.61 and the Honda Fit 3.24, against 3.01 for the HR-V.

FIG.05·Honda HR-V — rivals in the same class
Same class as the HR-V	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Kia Soul	5,584	39	2010–2026
Subaru Impreza	2,763	183	1993–2026
Honda Fit	2,196	94	2007–2020
Buick Envista	90	5	2024–2026
Kia Niro	111	29	2017–2026
Infiniti QX50	281	23	2014–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Honda HR-V

Recalls37 campaigns Fuel economy31 mpg best Common problems1,836 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space24 cu ft Used prices1,554 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2016–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Honda HR-V reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 3.01 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which HR-V years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2016, 2019, 2018. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2020, 2017, 2018. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do HR-V problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age. The most reported system is Unknown Or Other, typically at 2.1 years, followed by Visibility/wiper.

Will the warranty cover HR-V problems?

Mostly yes: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and 57.2% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 16% of the complaints here.

Is the HR-V more reliable than the Kia Soul?

Yes: 3.01 complaints per production run for the HR-V against 11.34 for the Kia Soul.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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