Honda CR-Z: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Honda CR-Z: 6 model years scored from 67 NHTSA owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns. Worst year 2011, best year 2011.
Honda CR-Z: which years to avoid
Across 6 scored model years the Honda CR-Z ranges from 47/100 in 2011 to 94/100 in 2016 — a 47-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy a CR-Z at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Air Bags (16 of them).
Avoid: 2011 — scored below 45 on the complaint and recall record.
Safest years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 94 | BUY | $3,544 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | 86 | BUY | $3,688 | 5 | 2 |
| 2014 | 90 | BUY | $3,876 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013 | 81 | BUY | $3,976 | 11 | 2 |
| 2012 | 86 | BUY | $4,110 | 7 | 2 |
| 2011 | 47 | AVOID | $4,288 | 38 | 3 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the CR-Z, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Honda CR-Z
Across every CR-Z model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Air Bags36 complaints across all CR-Z years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
- Structure8 complaints across all CR-Z years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
- Electrical System8 complaints across all CR-Z years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other7 complaints across all CR-Z years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Power Train6 complaints across all CR-Z years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Steering4 complaints across all CR-Z years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
Which Honda CR-Z years should I avoid?
On the NHTSA record the years to avoid are 2011 — each scores below 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. The 2011 is the weakest at 47/100, with its complaints concentrated in Air Bags.
What are the best Honda CR-Z years to buy?
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2016 at 94/100, on 2 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Honda CR-Z problem?
36 of the complaints filed against the CR-Z across all its model years sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component.
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04