Honda Cr-V Reliability by Year
20,358 NHTSA complaints (1997–2026). Complaint rate: 76.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Honda Cr-V reliability varies significantly by model year. Based on 20,358 NHTSA complaints (1997–2026), the most problematic years are 2018, 2017, 2019, with high complaint volumes linked to airbag malfunctions. Better choices include 2022, 2021, 2020, which show significantly fewer reported problems.
Why these years are worse
The most common issues driving the complaint spikes:
- airbag malfunctions — 2,263 complaints (13.3% involved a crash)
- electrical faults — 2,224 complaints (1.9% involved a crash)
- engine problems — 2,138 complaints (2.4% involved a crash)
- unknown or other — 1,583 complaints (3.5% involved a crash)
- steering defects — 1,453 complaints (3.1% involved a crash)
Honda Cr-V Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 1997–2001 | 734 | 77 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 2002–2006 | 2,963 | 255 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 2007–2011 | 4,048 | 246 | Show years | |||
| Gen 4 | 2012–2016 | 3,287 | 262 | Show years | |||
| Gen 5 | 2017–2022 | 7,831 | 253 | Hide years | |||
| 2017 | 2,546 | 73 | View 2017View→ | ||||
| 2018 | 2,817 | 66 | View 2018View→ | ||||
| 2019 | 1,446 | 53 | View 2019View→ | ||||
| 2020 | 399 | 34 | View 2020View→ | ||||
| 2021 | 383 | 18 | View 2021View→ | ||||
| 2022 | 240 | 9 | View 2022View→ | ||||
| Gen 6 | 2023–present | 1,495 | 122 | Show years |
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2017–2019 Honda Cr-V (192 crash-related complaints). The 2022 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: AIR BAGS.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Honda Cr-V Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2,263 | 13.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2,224 | 1.9% |
| ENGINE | 2,138 | 2.4% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1,583 | 3.5% |
| STEERING | 1,453 | 3.1% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1,089 | 2.0% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 995 | 3.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 837 | 4.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 800 | 16.1% |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 505 | 0.6% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997GOOD | Gen 1 | 129 | 15 | 1 | View → |
| 1998GOOD | Gen 1 | 136 | 15 | 1 | View → |
| 1999GOOD | Gen 1 | 158 | 21 | — | View → |
| 2000GOOD | Gen 1 | 155 | 15 | 7 | View → |
| 2001GOOD | Gen 1 | 156 | 11 | 3 | View → |
| 2002 | Gen 2 | 660 | 64 | 21 | View → |
| 2003 | Gen 2 | 580 | 56 | 28 | View → |
| 2004 | Gen 2 | 601 | 45 | 42 | View → |
| 2005 | Gen 2 | 600 | 51 | 27 | View → |
| 2006 | Gen 2 | 522 | 39 | 21 | View → |
| 2007AVOID | Gen 3 | 1,158 | 47 | 4 | View → |
| 2008AVOID | Gen 3 | 1,219 | 66 | 3 | View → |
| 2009 | Gen 3 | 446 | 36 | 4 | View → |
| 2010 | Gen 3 | 583 | 56 | 3 | View → |
| 2011 | Gen 3 | 642 | 41 | 3 | View → |
| 2012 | Gen 4 | 502 | 47 | 6 | View → |
| 2013 | Gen 4 | 493 | 36 | — | View → |
| 2014 | Gen 4 | 788 | 59 | 12 | View → |
| 2015AVOID | Gen 4 | 962 | 58 | 6 | View → |
| 2016 | Gen 4 | 542 | 62 | 5 | View → |
| 2017AVOID | Gen 5 | 2,546 | 73 | 5 | View → |
| 2018AVOID | Gen 5 | 2,817 | 66 | 2 | View → |
| 2019AVOID | Gen 5 | 1,446 | 53 | 2 | View → |
| 2020 | Gen 5 | 399 | 34 | 2 | View → |
| 2021 | Gen 5 | 383 | 18 | 1 | View → |
| 2022GOOD | Gen 5 | 240 | 9 | — | View → |
| 2023 | Gen 6 | 618 | 33 | — | View → |
| 2024TOO NEW | Gen 6 | 504 | 43 | — | View → |
| 2025TOO NEW | Gen 6 | 285 | 36 | 2 | View → |
| 2026TOO NEW | Gen 6 | 88 | 10 | 4 | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Honda Cr-Vaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Honda Cr-V?
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