2022 Honda CR-V
The 2022 Honda CR-V is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the CR-V Hybrid AWD, is EPA-rated at 38 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 348 complaints, most often about the steering. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

| Trim | Powertrain | Drive | MSRP | HP | Torque | MPG comb | Seats | Cargo (2nd row) | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LX | Gas | FWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 17 in |
| LX | Gas | AWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Special Edition | Gas | FWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 17 in |
| Special Edition | Gas | AWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 17 in |
| EX | Gas | FWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
| EX | Gas | AWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
| EX-L | Gas | FWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
| EX-L | Gas | AWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 39.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
| Touring | Gas | AWD | — | 190 hp | 179 lb-ft | 29 mpg | 5 | 37.6 cu-ft | 19 in |
| Hybrid EX | Hybrid | AWD | — | 143 hp | 129 lb-ft | 38 mpg | 5 | 33.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
| Hybrid EX-L | Hybrid | AWD | — | 143 hp | 129 lb-ft | 38 mpg | 5 | 33.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
| Hybrid Touring | Hybrid | AWD | — | 143 hp | 129 lb-ft | 38 mpg | 5 | 33.2 cu-ft | 19 in |
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR-V Hybrid AWD | Hybrid | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl + 266V Li-Ion | 40 | 35 | 38 | $1,750 |
| CR-V FWD | Gas | FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | 28 | 34 | 30 | $2,250 |
| CR-V AWD | Gas | AWD | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | 27 | 32 | 29 | $2,300 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 44435, 44432, 44434.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR-V Hybrid AWD | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay |
| CR-V AWD, CR-V FWD | 6 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV50 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2022 Honda CR-V is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (6)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseFuel System, Gasoline
KGC, KGDElectrical System
FGBEquipment
CF7Power Train
BBY, NBW, OBXSeat Belts
ABS, BBT, NBQ, RBRThese are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine — Loss of Motive Power open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 48 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and some Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports alleging intermittent loss of motive power in Model Year (MY) 2020–2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles. These incidents are alleged to occur without warning at highway speeds and are accompanied by a flashing check engine light immediately before the loss of motive power occurs. Motive power can be restored by turning the ignition off and back on. However, this action also clears the check engine light and any fault codes that were set. The fault’s intermittent nature, combined with the lack of fault codes, often results in many visits to re
Opened Oct 28, 2025 · action PE25016 · the investigation’s page →
Forward Collision Avoidance:Software — Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking open
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that they were aware of a total of X,XXX reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and alleges that some customers possibly had an inadequat
Opened Apr 15, 2024 · action EA24002 · the investigation’s page →
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →
Power Train — Rear Differential Seizure closed
On November 29, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE 22-011 after reviewing field reports alleging rear differential seizure in 2018-2022MY Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles equipped with all wheel drive. To date, ODI has not received any consumer complaints. Some of the field reports received alleged the vehicle’s wheels locked up with no warning while the vehicle was in motion. These vehicles were towed to a dealership. Examination of these vehicles showed the driveshaft had broken and the differential unit was completely damaged. The field reports cited a lack of oil due to damaged oil seals as the cause. Honda provided data including consumer complaints, field reports, an
Opened Nov 28, 2022 · closed Jul 22, 2024 · action PE22011 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific CR-V
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2022 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Honda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2022 Honda CR-V, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2022 Honda CR-V
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this CR-V →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database12 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 9 injuries · 0 deaths reported
13 per 10,000 built · Honda reported 269,737 CR-V built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2021: 1 · 2022: 32 · 2023: 38 · 2024: 91 · 2025: 76 · 2026: 110
Most-cited components
In depth: steering problems → · automatic emergency braking problems →
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
I got car accident on 12/22/23 due to brake failure. I was at Stop Sign - zero mph (at Parking Lot near shopping mall in Concord, CA), suddenly my car unexpectedly revved and lurched forward. It then jumped the parking curb. I had to control on steering wheel to the left because the right side was Chinese Restaurant.
Overnight on August 14 - 15th, 2023, it rained heavily in my area (at least 1/2"- 1" of rain fell overnight). I went out to my car at 11:30 AM on August 15,2023, to find all 4 windows AND the moonroof opened. The inside of my CRV Hybrid touring vehicle was saturated deep with water.
I was driving in slow-moving traffic (about 10 or 15 mph) as there were several police officers walking in the shoulder to the right of traffic. The brakes suddenly and strongly engaged for no reason. There was no steel plate in the road, no slowed or stopped vehicle or pedestrian in my path.
UNKNOWN issue with steering. When steering along long curves on the highway and then trying to straighten the steering wheel, the steering wheel will feel stuck and take a bit more force to overcome the position it gets stuck at before being able to be straightened out.
Power system problem light started coming on soon after we bought the car new. It has been towed to Barber Honda in Bakersfield many times- it dies, won’t start. It is on the 3rd battery within 1st year.
When I put my child’s car set in the middle, or anyone sitting in my back middle seat the person sitting on the left hand side can not buckle there seat belt because the way that the buckles are put in it has to cross over the buckle for the middle seat.
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Honda itself: 75 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 97 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 28 per 100,000 built. Every CR-V model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 38 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 10,000 and 55,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Across 2018–2022 model years the Honda CR-V ranks 20 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 0.61× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 14,800 miles against a fleet 23,512).
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin A26-018Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire.
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin A26-016Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire.
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin AEBM08262026901Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through…
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin A23-040Due to a new North America regulation that introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak.
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin ONL6A506122023Owner Notification Letter - Due to a new North America regulation that introduced a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak.
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Honda bulletin ABOM05192023901Dealer Message - Due to supplier process concerns, the A/C compressor may not have been manufactured to specifications.
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Engine, Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper, Fuel/Propulsion System, Steering.
- A26-018 Service bulletin2026-09-25 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).
- A26-016 Service bulletin2026-09-25 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).
- AEBM08262026901 Other2026-08-26 · Engine
- Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through P0304 stored.
- A26-018 Service bulletin2026-08-26 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
- A26-016 Service bulletin2026-08-26 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
- A25-077 Service bulletin2025-07-29 · Engine
- Service Bulletin - Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on inspection cover.
- ATI&11132024906 Other2024-11-13 · Engine
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2022 Accord FHEVs & 2020-2022 CR-V FHEVs with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) stored. Customer may also experience engine running rough condition. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific part
- ATI&10302024903 Other2024-10-30 · Engine
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2022 Accord FHEVs & 2020-2022 CR-V FHEVs with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) stored. Customer may also experience engine running rough condition. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific part
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0172 P0172 on Honda → | The engine is running rich on bank 1: too much fuel for the air going in. | Fuel/Propulsion System · Oxygen sensor → | 6 bulletins |
| P0300 P0300 on Honda → | Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder. | Engine · Ignition coils → | 6 bulletins |
| P0304 P0304 on Honda → | Cylinder 4 is misfiring. | Engine · Ignition coils → | 6 bulletins |
| P0087 P0087 on Honda → | Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded. | Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump → | 3 bulletins |
| P0441 P0441 on Honda → | The evaporative purge is not flowing the way it should. | Engine · EVAP purge valve → | 2 bulletins |
| P04F1 P04F1 on Honda → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Engine | 2 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2022 Honda CR-V failed the emissions check on 0.71% of first inspections — lower than the 1.7% for every 2022 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.94% (every 2022 vehicle: 1.4%).
failed emissions
13,951 initial inspections of 13,692 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2022 CR-V | Every 2022 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 0.71% | 1.7% | 13,924 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 0.94% | 1.4% | 13,951 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.16% | 0.18% | 13,951 |
| Miles driven a year | 10,175 | 10,455 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 43,448 | 44,815 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2022 vehicle” is every 2022 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
CR-V by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2022 CR-V
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2022 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2022 Honda CR-V. The most serious on file is 26V332000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2022 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA gave the 2022 Honda CR-V 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (69/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2022 Honda CR-V?
Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2022 Honda CR-V, the best EPA combined figure is 38 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2022 Honda CR-V?
Owners have filed 348 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Honda CR-V, most often about steering, forward collision avoidance, unspecified. Of those, 12 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 9 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2022 Honda CR-V?
The EPA smog rating for the 2022 Honda CR-V runs 6 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV50, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2022 Honda CR-V?
The manufacturer has filed 87 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2022 Honda CR-V, most often covering engine, electrical system, visibility/wiper. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2022 Honda CR-V do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2022 Honda CR-V failed the emissions check on 0.71% of first inspections — lower than the 1.7% for every 2022 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.94% (every 2022 vehicle: 1.4%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 3 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 3 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 6 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 348 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 3 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 87 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 4 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | none | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | 12 trims | Manufacturer press kit | Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.