Honda Cr-V Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 12,518 NHTSA complaints, the Honda Cr-V years to avoid are 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024 — the worst logged up to 6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated July 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of July 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 884 | 133 | 12 | CAUTION |
| 2008 | 960 | 203 | 11 | CAUTION |
| 2009 | 386 | 80 | 12 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 480 | 139 | 15 | SOLID |
| 2011 | 551 | 102 | 13 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 399 | 202 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 381 | 221 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 585 | 301 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 668 | 435 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 388 | 230 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 1,729 | 1,024 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 2,082 | 1,441 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 1,060 | 612 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 330 | 155 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2021 | 307 | 189 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2022 | 234 | 164 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2023 | 504 | 396 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2024 | 362 | 189 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2025 | 228 | 121 | 1 | CAUTION |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Honda Cr-V. Full methodology.
Common Honda Cr-V problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Honda Cr-V are engine, steering, fuel. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Sudden loss of engine power and acceleration limitation
· Honda Cr-V 2015–2017Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 874 engine complaints across 2015–2017, typically 92,876–169,893 miles.
Sudden loss of engine power and acceleration limitation
· Honda Cr-V 2015–2017Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 874 engine complaints across 2015–2017, typically 92,876–169,893 miles.
Steering gearbox sticking and catching
· Honda Cr-V 2018–2021Corroborated by 15 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 588 steering complaints across 2018–2021, typically 34,400–126,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $5,000.
Steering gearbox sticking and catching
· Honda Cr-V 2018–2021Corroborated by 15 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 588 steering complaints across 2018–2021, typically 34,400–126,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $5,000.
High-pressure fuel pump failure
· Honda Cr-V 2015–2020Corroborated by 10 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 524 fuel complaints across 2015–2020, typically 32,170–150,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,200–$2,800.
High-pressure fuel pump failure
· Honda Cr-V 2015–2020Corroborated by 10 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 524 fuel complaints across 2015–2020, typically 32,170–150,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,200–$2,800.
Why these years stand out
2015 Honda Cr-V: 668 owner complaints on federal record, 435 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
2017 Honda Cr-V: 1,729 owner complaints on federal record, 1,024 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
2018 Honda Cr-V: 2,082 owner complaints on federal record, 1,441 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
2019 Honda Cr-V: 1,060 owner complaints on federal record, 612 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
2021 Honda Cr-V: 307 owner complaints on federal record, 189 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
2023 Honda Cr-V: 504 owner complaints on federal record, 396 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
2024 Honda Cr-V: 362 owner complaints on federal record, 189 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Cr-V.
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FAQ
What years of the Honda Cr-V should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Honda Cr-V years to avoid are 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Honda Cr-V?
No single Honda Cr-V year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Honda Cr-V verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Honda Cr-V's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Honda Cr-V before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Honda Cr-V reliable?
The Honda Cr-V's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 12,518 NHTSA owner complaints, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Honda Cr-V?
The most-reported problem area for the Honda Cr-V is engine, followed by steering and fuel. Confirmed failures include sudden loss of engine power and acceleration limitation, sudden loss of engine power and acceleration limitation, steering gearbox sticking and catching. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Honda Cr-V across every model year on record. Retrieved July 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Honda Cr-V, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.