2018 Honda HR-V: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
156 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2023 and 2024 HR-V, which score 37 and 47; the 2023 has 685 complaints at 228.3 per year on the road, the highest rate in the nameplate's record, with Visibility/Wiper at 319 and Steering at 77. Buy a 2017 (92 on 121 complaints), a 2020 or 2021 (81 and 85), or a 2016 or 2018 at 79 each. Read the full note on the model page. 2018 specifically: a year the record favours — 156 complaints, score 79/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Honda Civic, Fit and HR-V: what the record says year by year, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 156 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 19.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The white paint on this vehicle is peeling off. It may come off in a large amount driving down the highway which could cause a safety issue for any vehicle nearby. Honda is aware of this defective paint and should be made to repaint this vehicle no matter when the grace period ranout.
Far right gauge in cluster, namely fuel level, mileage, warning icons etc only is visible when the vehicle is extremely warmed up. Otherwise, this gauge is totally black. Has been this way since 2019.
SRS / airbag light permanently remain on which indicates a fault with the system. Technician said it’s most likely due to a faulty sensor in the passenger seat.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V777000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Acura MDX, 2017-2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda HR-V and Honda Odyssey, and 2016 Honda HR-V vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance. |
| 23V858000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX… |
| 20V314000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System47 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel System27 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Gasoline27 complaints · typical job: Fuel delivery and emissions repair (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,360
- Unknown Or Other22 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train15 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Service Brakes15 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Honda HR-V years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Honda HR-V?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (47 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Honda HR-V a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 79/100, computed from 156 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Honda HR-V's most common problem?
47 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Honda HR-V sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Honda HR-V cost to run per year?
About $4,260 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,302 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Honda HR-V have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Honda HR-V, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/11/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Honda HR-V really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 156 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 156 NHTSA complaints on record (19.5/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (22.5/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems