YearToAvoid

2021 Honda Insight Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2021 Honda Insight has a complaint index of 30, ranking 8th of 11 model years, and carries a Good verdict. It has 25 complaints, 3 recalls, and no fires or deaths, with the leading issue being false collision-avoidance alerts.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
30/100
#8 of 11 Insight years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
25
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Top issue
Collision Avoidance & Cameras
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
50
53 city / 47 hwy
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0

Top 2021 Honda Insight problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras8 (32%)
  2. Other6 (24%)
  3. Brakes4 (16%)
  4. Electrical System4 (16%)
  5. Structure & Body4 (16%)
  6. Airbags3 (12%)
  7. Engine2 (8%)
  8. Fuel System1 (4%)
  9. Lane Departure1 (4%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain1 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Forward collision warning slams on the brakes with no vehicle or obstacle ahead, sometimes repeatedly.
  • Adaptive cruise control brakes hard when the car ahead exits the highway, even when no longer in the lane.
  • A brake system warning message appeared on the dash and HondaLink app claiming low brake fluid with no pedal resistance.
  • The DC-DC power control unit malfunctioned, causing loss of power steering and brakes along with warning lights at 400 miles.
  • Blind-spot and lane-departure warnings triggered with no vehicles present, including near barriers and in rain.
  • A headlight failed and displayed a 'headlight system problem' warning message.
2021 Honda Insight complaints: complaints filed per month2Jan 2021Apr 2022Nov 2022Apr 2023Sep 2024Oct 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026
25 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Jun 2024 (2).

2021 Honda Insight recalls

3 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 20V798000Dec 17, 2020Electrical System27,838 vehicles

    Electrical system:propulsion system:charging:module:software

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2020-2021 Insight vehicles. The DC-DC converter may shut down and prevent the 12-volt battery from recharging, possibly resulting in a loss of drive power.

    Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the power converter unit (PCU) software, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners can contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is K9E.

2021 Honda Insight fuel economy and fuel cost

City
53 MPG
Highway
47 MPG
Combined
50 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,300
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 Insight years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020052006201020112012201320142019202020212022
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2019Avoid9098850
2020Avoid8031650
2021Good3025350
2022Caution7032350

All Honda Insight years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Honda Insight reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2021 Insight has a complaint index of 30, ranking 8th out of 11 model years, and earns a Good verdict relative to other Insight years.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Honda Insight?
Collision Avoidance & Cameras issues make up 32% of complaints, mostly false forward-collision or braking alerts, followed by Brakes and Electrical System issues each at 16%.
Does the 2021 Honda Insight have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2021 Insight, covering airbag seat weight sensors and a DC-DC power converter that could shut down and prevent the 12-volt battery from recharging.
How does the 2021 Insight compare to other Insight years?
The 2021 Insight's complaint index of 30 is lower than 2019 (90), 2020 (80), and 2010 (100), all rated Avoid, making 2021 one of the better years for the model.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Honda Insight?
EPA rates the 2021 Insight at 50 mpg combined (53 city/47 highway), with an annual fuel cost of $1,300.

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.