YearToAvoid

2021 Honda HR-V Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

0/100

#10 most-complained of 10 HR-V years

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

The 2021 Honda HR-V ranks as the Best year among 10 model years, with a complaint index of 0 and 63 complaints. It has 4 recalls, none marked do-not-drive, with airbags and electrical systems as the top reported concerns.

Complaints
63
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
5 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
29.5
27.5 city / 32.5 hwy

Top 2021 Honda HR-V problems

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

  1. Airbags21 (33%)
  2. Electrical System15 (24%)
  3. Other9 (14%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras7 (11%)
  5. Engine6 (10%)
  6. Brakes5 (8%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain5 (8%)
  8. Steering3 (5%)
  9. Lane Departure2 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts2 (3%)

What owners report

  • Airbag warning lights illuminate unexpectedly along with false forward-collision braking activations.
  • Automatic emergency braking triggers hard stops with no vehicle or obstacle present, sometimes accompanied by a grinding noise.
  • Steering wheel becomes stiff and pulls in the opposite direction of input while driving.
  • Vehicle hesitates or fails to accelerate when the pedal is pressed, sometimes with no warning lights, occurring at low speeds or from a stop.
  • Ignition key fails to insert or the vehicle will not turn off, with dealers unable to duplicate the fault.
  • Transmission shows a delay shifting from reverse to drive in cold weather and occasionally slips when braking abruptly.
2021 Honda HR-V complaints: complaints filed per month6Apr 2021Feb 2022Oct 2023Jun 2024Dec 2024Jul 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026
78 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2021 to Aug 2026; peak Mar 2024 (6).

2021 Honda HR-V recalls

4 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 24V384000May 31, 2024Collision Avoidance & Cameras114,686 vehicles

    Back over prevention:software

    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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are TIQ and DIR. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-046 will need to have the new remedy completed.

  3. 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.

See all 4 recalls for the 2021 Honda HR-V →

2021 Honda HR-V fuel economy and fuel cost

City
27.5 MPG
Highway
32.5 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.

2021 compared with other HR-V years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2019Avoid78235729.5
2020Best2283529.5
2021Best063429.5
2022Caution5688329.5
2023Avoid100686327.5

All Honda HR-V years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Honda HR-V reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2021 HR-V is rated Best among HR-V model years, with a complaint index of 0 and 63 total complaints, the lowest relative complaint volume in the lineup.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Honda HR-V?
Airbags account for 33% of complaints (21 complaints), followed by the electrical system at 24% (15 complaints), and collision avoidance/camera issues at 11% (7 complaints).
Does the 2021 Honda HR-V have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2021 HR-V, covering airbag seat weight sensors and rearview camera display software, none of them do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2021 HR-V compare to other years?
Among 10 model years, the 2021 HR-V ranks 10th worst (best overall) with a complaint index of 0, while years like 2023 (index 100) and 2019 (index 78) are rated Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Honda HR-V?
EPA rates the 2021 HR-V at 29.5 mpg combined (27.5 city / 32.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,200.

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.