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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2020 Honda HR-V is associated with 83 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 14 reports (17% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.8l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 28 to 30 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 83 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 5 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Electrical System (14 / 17%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 8 crash / 2 fire / 1 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 28–30 MPG across 4 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2020 Honda HR-V?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
HR-V FWD 1.8L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 28 MPG 34 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
HR-V FWD 1.8L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S7) 28 MPG 34 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
HR-V AWD 1.8L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 27 MPG 31 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
HR-V AWD 1.8L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S7) 26 MPG 31 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2020 Honda HR-V?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 15.299999999999999%
SUV AWD 13.5%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2020 Honda HR-V models.
View complete 2020 Honda HR-V crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2020 Honda HR-V?

Summary of 83 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
83
Crash Reports
8
Fire Reports
2
Complaints w/ Injury
1
Total Injuries
2

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 14 complaints
Fuel System 12 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 9 complaints
Powertrain 9 complaints (1 crash)
Air Bags 5 complaints (2 crashes)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2020 Honda HR-V problems & component breakdown (28 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2020 Honda HR-V?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #26V332000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #24V384000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #24V064000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
View all 2020 Honda HR-V recalls & campaign history (5 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2020 Honda HR-V

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2020 Honda HR-V

How many safety recalls does the 2020 Honda HR-V have?

The 2020 Honda HR-V is associated with 5 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 5 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2020 Honda HR-V?

NHTSA records list 83 consumer defect complaints for the 2020 Honda HR-V. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Electrical System, appearing in 14 filings (17% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2020 Honda HR-V defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2020 Honda HR-V?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2020 Honda HR-V earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2020 Honda HR-V get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2020 Honda HR-V range from 28 to 30 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.