Most common 2020 Honda HR-V problems
Share of the 85 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda HR-V complaints by model year
Best HR-V years: 2020. Years to avoid: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2019, 2022. Compare all years →
2020 Honda HR-V recalls (5)
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…
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
Back over prevention › Display function
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. 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.
Remedy: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2020 Honda HR-V:
Rear Differential Seizure
On November 29, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE 22-011 after reviewing field reports alleging rear differential seizure in 2018-2022MY Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles equipped with all wheel drive. To date, ODI has not received any consumer complaints. Some of the field reports received alleged the vehicle's wheels locked up with no warning while the vehicle was in motion.
What 2020 Honda HR-V owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 26 →
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that after parking and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle was not able to be restarted. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer and was informed that parts were not yet available to repair the vehicle. The failure mileage was 25,325. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle failed to start. Additionally, occasionally while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 30,000. The VIN was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.
Electrical system all 20 →
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact stated that several features of the vehicle intermittently failed to operate as needed. Most recently, the contact stated that the panic alarm turned on independently, activated during the day and at night. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the right side of the instrument panel was glitching or went blank. Over time, the entire right side of the instrument panel went blank and failed to operate as needed. Due to the failure, the contact was unable to view the mileage, oil level, or fuel level. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH with the cruise control engaged, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the driver's side front-end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was shuddering and occasionally hesitating while driving. The contact stated that the noise and the shuddering were intermittent but were more frequent. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer twice to be repaired; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the noise gradually became louder, with the failure occurring at various speeds. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and metal fragments were found in the transmission fluid. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. …
- The transmission had several problems that failed, leading to the car being unable to drive. The car starts, but does not drive in Drive or Reverse. The exact Honda vehicle codes affected are: P0171 and P0793. -My safety was put at risk because the car had previously stalled several times, leading to needing to pull over on the side of the road immediately, even on what is nearly a highway. -The exact problem was not confirmed by a dealer, but by an independent mechanic. Previous problems, such as the stalling, were confirmed by Caliber Collision in Cinnaminson, NJ. -The vehicle was last inspected by a mechanic in Massachusetts. -There were several of the dash cam lights and error sounds, off and on, since [redacted], upon an accident. …
2020 Honda HR-V engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 28 / 34 / 30 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | CVT | 4WD | 27 / 31 / 29 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Honda HR-V a good car?
Based on 85 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 HR-V rates average: 29% fewer complaints than a typical year of the HR-V at the same age. It is one of the best HR-V years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Honda HR-V?
The fuel & propulsion system — 26 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (20) and transmission & drivetrain (14).
How many recalls does the 2020 Honda HR-V have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2020 Honda HR-V, the most recent from May 21, 2026 (front passenger). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda HR-V?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2019 and 2022. See the full Honda HR-V years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Honda HR-V problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 37,000 miles; 71% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.