Honda CR-V years to avoid— and the best years
8 CR-V model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
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Every CR-V model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 #1 | C | 5 | 5 · 1/yr | 435 · 87/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2019 #2 | D | 7 | 8 · 1.1/yr | 1,101 · 157/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2020 #3 | D | 6 | 9 · 1.5/yr | 435 · 72/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2022 #4 | D | 4 | 6 · 1.5/yr | 337 · 84/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2023 #5 | D | 3 | 7 · 2.3/yr | 631 · 210/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2016 #6 | C | 10 | 3 · 0.3/yr | 393 · 39/yr | ★★★★★ | 1 critical |
| 2018 #7 | D | 8 | 5 · 0.6/yr | 2,148 · 268/yr | ★★★★★ | 1 critical |
| 2017 #8 | F | 9 | 7 · 0.8/yr | 1,771 · 197/yr | ★★★★★ | 2 critical |
The CR-V years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2017 Honda CR-V
The 2017 CR-V: 7 recalls in 9 years on the road (0.8 a year, 2 critical: steering, fuel/propulsion system) — also equipment ×2, air bags; 1,771 owner complaints to NHTSA, 197 a year (most often engine (541) and electrical (401)); owners reported 42 crashes, 4 fires, 36 injured; NHTSA investigation EA24002 (open, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA investigation PE22003 (closed, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2018 Honda CR-V
The 2018 CR-V: 5 recalls in 8 years on the road (0.6 a year, 1 critical: steering) — also fuel/propulsion system ×2, air bags, seat belts; 2,148 owner complaints to NHTSA, 268 a year (most often fuel system (603) and engine (543)); owners reported 46 crashes, 2 fires, 47 injured; NHTSA investigation EA24002 (open, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA investigation PE22011 (closed, power train); NHTSA investigation PE22003 (closed, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
The CR-V years the record favours
first 2 of 82021 Honda CR-V
The 2021 CR-V: 5 recalls in 5 years on the road (1 a year) — air bags ×2, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system; 435 owner complaints to NHTSA, 87 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (138) and steering (112)); owners reported 19 crashes, 1 fire, 18 injured; NHTSA investigation PE25016 (open, engine); NHTSA investigation EA24002 (open, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2019 Honda CR-V
The 2019 CR-V: 8 recalls in 7 years on the road (1.1 a year) — fuel/propulsion system ×3, air bags, seat belts; 1,101 owner complaints to NHTSA, 157 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (348) and fuel system (261)); owners reported 31 crashes, 2 fires, 35 injured; NHTSA investigation EA24002 (open, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA investigation PE22011 (closed, power train); NHTSA investigation PE22003 (closed, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about CR-V years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Honda CR-V years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2017, 2018 rank lowest of the 8 CR-V model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2017 — 7 recalls in 9 years (0.8 a year), 2 critical, 1,771 complaints (197 a year); the 2018 — 5 recalls in 8 years (0.6 a year), 1 critical, 2,148 complaints (268 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Honda CR-V year to buy used?
The 2021 Honda CR-V has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal C, 1 recall a year on the road and 87 complaints a year. The 2021 CR-V: 5 recalls in 5 years on the road (1 a year) — air bags ×2, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system; 435 owner complaints to NHTSA, 87 a year (most often automatic emergency braking (138) and steering (112)); owners reported 19 crashes, 1 fire, 18 injured; NHTSA investigation PE25016 (open, engine); NHTSA investigation EA24002 (open, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2017 Honda CR-V reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2017 CR-V: 7 recalls in 9 years on the road (0.8 a year, 2 critical: steering, fuel/propulsion system) — also equipment ×2, air bags; 1,771 owner complaints to NHTSA, 197 a year (most often engine (541) and electrical (401)); owners reported 42 crashes, 4 fires, 36 injured; NHTSA investigation EA24002 (open, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA investigation PE22003 (closed, forward collision avoidance); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Honda CR-V have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 50 recall campaigns against the Honda CR-V, and owners filed 7,251 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2027) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.