Research · Small Station Wagons

2019 Honda HR-VRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 241 owner complaints for the 2019 Honda HR-V. Most complaints involve electrical system (67) and fuel system, gasoline (35). The EPA rates it 28–30 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
28–30mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
7campaigns
Latest May 2026
Owner complaints
241
Top: electrical system
Fuel cost / yr
$2,150est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

7 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: front passenger

Free remedy

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.

Air bagsReported May 22, 2026NHTSA 26V332000

Back over prevention: display function

Free remedy

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."

Back over preventionReported May 31, 2024NHTSA 24V384000

Fuel system

Free remedy

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.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Dec 19, 2023NHTSA 23V858000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

241 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jan 2019 – Oct 2026
  1. Electrical system67
  2. Fuel system, gasoline35
  3. Forward collision avoidance33
  4. Fuel/propulsion system30
  5. Service brakes19
  6. Lane departure18
  7. Power train16
  8. Engine16
  9. Air bags14

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each HR-V model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2016243
2017124
2018160
2019241
202086
202164
202289
2023688
2024110
202548
202620
20276
Crashes reported
19
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
4
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Electrical system

67 reports2 crashes
“I was at my workplace’s parking garage today and was attempting to park my 2019 Honda HR-V. While I was slowly attempting to park, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without my intention, and the brakes became unresponsive. The vehicle continued to accelerate uncontrollably despite my attempt to stop it. The vehicle crashed through/into the metal barrier cable at the edge of the parking garage. The barrier cable ultimately prevented the vehicle from going over the edge of the garage. If the barrier had not stopped the vehicle, I could have fallen several levels from the parking garage and potentially died. The vehicle eventually came to a stop after making contact with a neighboring parked vehicle. That vehicle was damaged during the incident. I am extremely fortunate that no one else was injured. I also did not sustain any major injuries, although my left knee is currently aching because my seat slid completely forward during the sudden acceleration. The vehicle is currently at a towing facility. Immediately following the incident, I was extremely shaken and was not in a condition to take the vehicle to a Honda dealership or independent mechanic. As of the time…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2026Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11766226

Fuel system, gasoline

35 reports
“The contact owns a 2019 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000(Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown local dealer was contacted. 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 and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2025Fuel system, gasolineODI 11677079

Forward collision avoidance

33 reports1 crash
“Defective front-facing camera located above the rear view mirror, used by several car safety systems, fails intermittently causing the dashboard to emit persistent visual and audio warnings. This is a 2019 HRV-EX with approx. 60,000 miles. It happens most frequently when the car interior is hot. The cacophony is so overwhelming that it distracts from being able to safely operate the vehicle. Honda dealer from whom the car was purchased estimated over 2000 to fix the issue. This is a common issue with several Honda models and there is a class action suit filed in US District Court, Central District of CA. Honda should acknowledge there's a design defect in the camera system and offer to repair it at its own expense.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2026Forward collision avoidance, Lane departureODI 11762842
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Station Wagons
Engines
1.8L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (AV-S7) · Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
HR-V FWD
Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
283430$2,150292
HR-V FWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
283430$2,150292
HR-V AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · 4-Wheel Drive
273129$2,200311
HR-V AWD
Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.8 L · 4-Wheel Drive
263128$2,300314
  • HR-V FWD
    Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    28 city · 34 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • HR-V FWD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    28 city · 34 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • HR-V AWD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    27 city · 31 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • HR-V AWD
    Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    26 city · 31 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Honda HR-V SUV AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
13.5%
Overall
5 / 5
Honda HR-V SUV FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
15.3%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 13326Vehicle 13325
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2019 HR-V questions

How many recalls does the 2019 Honda HR-V have?

7 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2019 Honda HR-V problems?

Owners filed 241 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (67), fuel system, gasoline (35), forward collision avoidance (33). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2019 Honda HR-V get?

The EPA rates the 2019 Honda HR-V at 28–30 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

How safe is the 2019 Honda HR-V?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2019 Honda HR-V 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026