Home · 2020 · Honda

2020 Honda HR-V

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

79 owner complaints · 5 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

5 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical) — confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life — a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.

Fuel system problems dominate (32% of complaints, typically reported near 17k miles).

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)90
Severity (30%)77
Recall load (20%)64
Trend (10%)35

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20202026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2020 Honda HR-V, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miFuel system~17k mi · 25 reportsElectrical system~20k mi · 18 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~53k mi · 12 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (10) · Airbags (6) · Driver assistance (5)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Fuel system

32%

25 complaints · typically near 17k mi · 19 in the last 2 years

I have had a recall for 2 years and they haven't fixed it.

Electrical system

23%

18 complaints · typically near 20k mi · 12 in the last 2 years

Multi purpose camera warnings. All radar lights on and won’t go off

Transmission & drivetrain

15%

12 complaints · typically near 53k mi · 8 in the last 2 years

•What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The transmission failed and yes it’s available upon request. •How w…

Engine

13%

10 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years

The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH or faster, and while driving uphill, the vehicle suddenly stalled. Durin…

Recalls (5)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Air Bags · 26V332000

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.

Fix: 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.

Back Over Prevention · 24V384000

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.

Fix: 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.

Air Bags · 24V064000

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.

Fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. 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.

Fuel System, Gasoline · 23V858000

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.

Fix: 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.

Back Over Prevention · 23V046000

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. 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.

Fix: 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. Honda's number for this recall is 6DW. This recall has been superseded by NHTSA recall number 24V-384. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-046 will need to have the new remedy completed under recall 24V-384.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2020 Honda HR-V beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2020? See how every HR-V model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2020 Honda HR-V against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2020 Honda HR-V as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.