Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 122 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Honda HR-V, and it carries no 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 | 20 | 16% |
| Unknown or other | 17 | 14% |
| Electrical system | 17 | 14% |
| Structure | 9 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 2% |
| Steering | 3 | 2% |
| Air bags | 3 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
In 2020/2021 Honda did a * Honda Service Bulletin 21-046 Honda Service Bulletin 21-047. They knew the CVT on models 2016/2021 had early CVT failure. They had us come in to add a program that was supposed to give us warn
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Aug. 27,2026..There has been several episodes of water getting into the interior of my car when it rains. This time the water came rushing down the driver’s side interior windshield & soaked the floor.In July 2026, rain
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
SAFETY HAZARD NOTIFICATION: INTERMITTENT IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE & STRAND RISK I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a known manufacturing defect in the ignition start/stop switch of my 2017 Honda HR-V. This co
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
THE CVT TRANSMISSION BELT IS BREAKING APART WHICH SUDDENLY SLOWED THE CAR WHILES DRIVING ON A FREEWAY, AMERICAN HONDA QUIETLY SENT NEW BULLETIN TO DEALERS WITHOUT INFORMING ME AS A OWNER OF THIS CAR FROM 02/2019. AMERICA
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The car suddenly was unable to move forward or back even though engine was still running. I was able to roll to a stop in the parking lot at work, but moments before had been on the highway. Tow truck driver noted cap to
NHTSA complaint: Power train
cVT transmission failure Honda Eatontown diagnosed and gave 8400 estimate to replace/repair it
NHTSA complaint: Power train
While driving, starting from a stop sign / or traffic light, the vehicle will stall out upon light acceleration. Going through the recall information, it appears that many 2017 Honda HRV and 2018 Honda HRV have a safety
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
BCM module failure. Car controls flash on and off. Vehicle won’t start. Alarm goes off randomly.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
| Reliability raw | 78 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 81 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 96 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 74 | good |
| Performance | 53 | average |
| Efficiency | 51 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 122 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 20 of them (16%). No recalls are on record for it.
AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) 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 81/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2017 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 78/100. 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.