YearToAvoid

2020 Honda CR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

60/100

#9 most-complained of 21 CR-V years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2020 Honda CR-V has 353 owner complaints and 7 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 60 out of 100 — #9 highest of 21 CR-V model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is collision avoidance & cameras (73 complaints, 21% of the total). Complaints report 21 crashes, 2 fires, and 17 injuries.

Complaints
353
Recalls
7
Crashes / fires
21 / 2
Injuries / deaths
17 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
29.5
27.5 city / 33 hwy

Top 2020 Honda CR-V problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras73 (21%)
  2. Electrical System50 (14%)
  3. Engine49 (14%)
  4. Fuel System48 (14%)
  5. Airbags47 (13%)
  6. Steering41 (12%)
  7. Other36 (10%)
  8. Brakes30 (8%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain20 (6%)
  10. Structure & Body11 (3%)
2020 Honda CR-V complaints: complaints filed per quarter402020 Q12021 Q12022 Q12023 Q12024 Q12025 Q12026 Q1
443 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2020 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2026 Q2 (40).

2020 Honda CR-V recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles

    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 hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

    Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 24V064000Feb 1, 2024Airbags750,114 vehicles

    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 seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

    Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

  3. NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles

    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 vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

See all 7 recalls for the 2020 Honda CR-V →

2020 Honda CR-V fuel economy and fuel cost

City
27.5 MPG
Highway
33 MPG
Combined
29.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,200
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2020 compared with other CR-V years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2018Avoid1002,141528.5
2019Avoid851,099828.5
2020Caution60353729.5
2021Good45330429.5
2022Best15259329.5

All Honda CR-V years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Honda CR-V a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2020 Honda CR-V ranks #9 of 21 among CR-V model years (Complaint Index 60/100, verdict: Caution). It has 353 complaints and 7 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Honda CR-V?
The most reported problem areas are collision avoidance & cameras (73 complaints), electrical system (50 complaints), and engine (49 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 16,000 miles.
Does the 2020 Honda CR-V have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2020 Honda CR-V, most recently reported 2026, covering airbags, fuel system, other, and seat belts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Honda CR-V?
EPA rates the 2020 Honda CR-V at 29.5 MPG combined (27.5 city / 33 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,200. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.