2021 Honda HR-V: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
63 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 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. 2021 specifically: a year the record favours — 63 complaints, score 85/100. 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 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 63 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 12.6
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I got in my vehicle to go to work, put the vehicle in drive and it would not move. The engine light came on, a large red flashing PARK on the dash and the tire light. I placed the car back in park. Checked to see if the parking break had accidentally been engaged. It had not. I placed the vehicle in drive again, unable to move. Attempted to reverse. Unable to move. Placed the vehicle back in park. Turned off the igni…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted several times. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
My cars had a clunking type noise coming from the front left of vehicle, sounds happens on both left and right turns, and sometimes the steering wheel STICKS. Making a knocking sound and sometimes feels difficult to turn the wheel. I had to have the steering gearbox assembly replaced at cost of over $3015 before taxes.
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 24V064000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger… |
| 23V046000 | Back Over Prevention:Display Function | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. |
| 26V332000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic… |
| 24V384000 | Back Over Prevention:Display Function | Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles that were previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 23V-046. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. |
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 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,200
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.
- Air Bags21 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Electrical System15 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other9 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Forward Collision Avoidance7 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Service Brakes5 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Power Train5 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Honda HR-V years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Honda HR-V?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (21 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Honda HR-V a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 85/100, computed from 63 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Honda HR-V's most common problem?
21 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Honda HR-V sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 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 2021 Honda HR-V cost to run per year?
About $3,809 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $19,045 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 2021 Honda HR-V have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Honda HR-V, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/02/2024. 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 2021 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.
Moderate evidence — 63 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 63 NHTSA complaints on record (12.6/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (22.5/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems