Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 239 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Honda HR-V, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 62 | 26% |
| Unknown or other | 31 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 30 | 13% |
| Structure | 12 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 8 | 3% |
| Engine | 7 | 3% |
| Air bags | 5 | 2% |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 2% |
| Seats | 4 | 2% |
| Suspension | 4 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The factory white paint on my 2016 Honda HR-V is severely peeling, and delaminating from the vehicle body panels. The paint failure has exposed bare metal beneath, resulting in rapid corrosion and rust formation. Large f
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
CVT has gone into safety/limp mode. June 7 2026 First sign was the EPB not releasing. Became drivable after warm up period. Replaced EPB switch and vehicle drove normally. There was still a parking brake caution l
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owned a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 12 MPH, the vehicle experienced a brake failure, resulting in a frontal collision with a utility vehicle. The airbag deployed. There was no wa
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
My vehicle paint is peeling and it is the NH788P. ( Orchid Pearl White). I am the second owner of this car as of 2021. It started on the roof and has continued to doors etc. No recalls were shown on the CarFax at the
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Car went into limp mode far from home. Lots of lights on the dash lit up. I scanned the OBD and it came back with code P271E to replace the automatic transmission assembly. This was confirmed by a transmission repair sho
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle would not accelerate past approximately 35MPH while the accelerator
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Subject: Paint Failure – Known Defect (Honda White Paint Peeling) Vehicle Information: - Year: 2016 - Make: Honda - Model: [Fit or HR-V — fill in] - Color: Orchid White Pearl (NH-788P) - Purchase Date: August
NHTSA complaint: Structure
FULL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CVT BELT IN THE TRANSMISSION, A KNOWN ISSUE THAT HONDA HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR FOR UP TO 150K MILES AND OR 7 YEARS FROM PURCHASE (THAT LETTER WAS NEVER MAILED TO MY HOUSE, IT WAS FOU
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2016 Honda HR-V. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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
Risk: A reduction of braking performance increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners will be notified, and Honda or Acura dealers will bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's n
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 HR-V vehicles manufactured January 12, 2015, to May 20, 2015. The affected vehicles may be missing the required tire placard indicating "Tire and Loading Information." These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal
Risk: If the tire placard is missing the driver or owner may not know at what pressure to inflate the tires, resulting in over or under tire inflation which potentially increases the risk of a tire failure
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle, and apply a new label, free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-21
| Reliability raw | 64 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 96 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 74 | good |
| Performance | 53 | average |
| Efficiency | 51 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 239 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 62 of them (26%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 64/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.