Most common 2021 Honda HR-V problems
Share of the 63 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 →
2021 Honda HR-V recalls (4)
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.
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 2021 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 2021 Honda HR-V owners say
Air bags all 21 →
This air bag and seatbelt both malfunctioned clearly the air bag malfunctioned while I was about to cross over a bridge on an interstate .. Ciasing a projectile to shoot me in my eye knocking me unconcouiss and I wasn't sure wht happened until hind sight and clearly the foremsic evidence supports this .. I woke up hitting.my head on window roof I was in a ditch barreling down a hill twords the bridges legs it stands on and I was already blind I couldn't see shit nor was I even able to regain control of the vehicle due to the blunt force trauma to my eye and head it was enough to burst my eye ball give me a hematoma and a contusion in my aye and when I finally stopped at about 200 feet 250 maybe from where I left the road I dead stopped hit the concreate leg of the bridge my hands was brassed on steering wheel pushing bracing my self with everything I had so hard it broke my foot .. …
Lease Car: I waited for the light to turn green and proceed into the intersection going east. The other driver was going south and went through the red light hitting my L/D door, fender,bumper, air bag deployed hit me in the face causing swollen bruised eye. Car was towed as of now there is $15,709 damage with drivers side seat belt on National-Global back order. Due to this being a safety item no after market parts are allowed no seat belt to be found. Car is held up in the body shop they will not release. American Honda stated they have no release date on this seat belt called 13 times, called Insurance company will not total car, call dealership no help. 12 months left on lease I am paying for a car I can not drive with no ETA. I am afraid of this front end wher the strutts were bent, tire bent front end complete repair. …
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact that after a rainstorm, the power lock system would not allow her to open the doors, and that the theft alarm system would activate independently. The contact stated that she had also been trapped in the vehicle when the power locks failed to unlock the doors. Additionally, while driving at undisclosed speeds, the doors would lock and unlock independently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced; however, the failure recurred after inclement weather. The contact returned the vehicle to the same dealer who diagnosed and determined that an electrical junction box need to be replaced and a portion of the wiring located under the headliner needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that when the "Odometer/Trip" button was pressed, the lights on the instrument panel flickered. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Driver assistance
This air bag and seatbelt both malfunctioned clearly the air bag malfunctioned while I was about to cross over a bridge on an interstate .. Ciasing a projectile to shoot me in my eye knocking me unconcouiss and I wasn't sure wht happened until hind sight and clearly the foremsic evidence supports this .. I woke up hitting.my head on window roof I was in a ditch barreling down a hill twords the bridges legs it stands on and I was already blind I couldn't see shit nor was I even able to regain control of the vehicle due to the blunt force trauma to my eye and head it was enough to burst my eye ball give me a hematoma and a contusion in my aye and when I finally stopped at about 200 feet 250 maybe from where I left the road I dead stopped hit the concreate leg of the bridge my hands was brassed on steering wheel pushing bracing my self with everything I had so hard it broke my foot .. …
The contact owns a 2021 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that the SRS, Forward Collision Avoidance, Collision Mitigation Braking System, and the auto high beams warning lights and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
2021 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 | AWD | 27 / 31 / 29 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Honda HR-V a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 HR-V rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the HR-V at the same age. 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 2021 Honda HR-V?
The air bags — 21 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about srs malfunction warning lamp/light. Next are the electrical system (15) and driver assistance (7).
How many recalls does the 2021 Honda HR-V have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2021 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 2021 Honda HR-V problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 36,000 miles; 63% 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.