Family SUV · 1996–2021 cars

Honda CR-V reliability

The Honda CR-V fails 25.6% of first MOT tests, 22% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 669,446 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.

Better than averageReliability score 70/100#22 of 59 family suvs

Checking a Honda CR-V before you buy?

first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%): 25.6%; first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
fails than cars of the same age and mileage: 22% fewer; fails than cars of the same age and mileage
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024: 669,446; MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
typical miles a year, from MOT readings: 8,400; typical miles a year, from MOT readings

What this means for buyers

The Honda CR-V has a first-time MOT fail rate of 25.6%, against 28.4% for all cars. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage, it has 22% fewer MOT fails, and it ranks 22 of 59 family SUV models. Cars from 2019 perform best, with 45% fewer MOT fails than cars of the same age and mileage. The weakest year is 1998, with 22% more MOT fails than cars of the same age and mileage, so check older examples closely.

Even a model with fewer fails needs checking. Before you buy, look at the four most common MOT failures. Test the position lamp and stop lamp, which are not working in 2.35% and 2.24% of tests. Check the tyre tread is not below 1.6mm, a failure in 2.06% of tests. Make sure the wiper blade clears the windscreen, a failure in 2.04% of tests.

MOT fail rate by age

How the Honda CR-V ages

Each point is the share of Honda CR-Vs of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.

Honda CR-VAll cars

Honda CR-V first-time MOT fail rate by age
Age at MOT (years)	Honda CR-V	All cars
3	7.5%	12.3%
4	8.9%	14.1%
5	10.5%	16.4%
6	12%	19.1%
7	13.3%	22.1%
8	15%	25.5%
9	17.1%	28.8%
10	19.9%	31.8%
11	23%	34.6%
12	26.1%	37.3%
13	28.9%	39.5%
14	33.3%	41.1%
15	37.6%	42.3%
16	41.3%	42.9%
17	44.6%	43.4%
18	47.1%	43.5%
19	49%	43.4%
20	49.3%	42.8%
21	49.1%	41.4%
22	47%	40.6%
23	44.9%	38.9%
24	47.3%	37.1%
25	48.8%	35.8%

By year

The best and worst Honda CR-V years

2019 cars come out best and 1998 cars worst, once age and mileage are taken into account.

Honda CR-V MOT results by year of first registration
First registered	Tests	Fail rate	Against same-age cars	Typical mileage
2021 CR-V	2,426	6.5%	43% fewer fails	24,777
2020 CR-V	11,979	6.9%	43% fewer fails	26,546
2019 CR-V	23,324	7.2%	45% fewer fails	29,831
2018 CR-V	33,827	10.5%	30% fewer fails	36,423
2017 CR-V	42,449	11.6%	35% fewer fails	45,976
2016 CR-V	50,263	12.3%	41% fewer fails	54,943
2015 CR-V	49,474	13.9%	43% fewer fails	63,681
2014 CR-V	50,088	16.1%	42% fewer fails	72,416
2013 CR-V	47,074	17.6%	43% fewer fails	79,374
2012 CR-V	40,997	22.6%	33% fewer fails	84,278
2011 CR-V	32,482	25.3%	32% fewer fails	96,782
2010 CR-V	33,504	26.6%	33% fewer fails	102,824
2009 CR-V	32,981	30.7%	28% fewer fails	119,186
2008 CR-V	37,268	34.9%	21% fewer fails	126,143
2007 CR-V	51,756	40.2%	10% fewer fails	129,642
2006 CR-V	33,911	44.3%	2% fewer fails	131,345
2005 CR-V	31,532	45.5%	0% fewer fails	133,554
2004 CR-V	21,712	48.9%	7% more fails	130,454
2003 CR-V	17,893	50.5%	11% more fails	132,820
2002 CR-V	12,070	48.8%	8% more fails	135,264
2001 CR-V	4,931	45.3%	6% more fails	119,654
2000 CR-V	3,019	46.6%	12% more fails	119,546
1999 CR-V	2,559	47.6%	18% more fails	128,336
1998 CR-V	1,650	47.2%	22% more fails	123,500
1997	270	45.2%	17% more fails	128,809

Common problems

What fails most on a Honda CR-V

Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.

Fail rate by area

Lights and electrics11.6%18% below avg
Suspension8.8%24% below avg
Brakes5.2%39% below avg
Tyres4.8%31% below avg
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors4.4%17% below avg
Exhaust, emissions and leaks2.8%33% below avg
Body, chassis and structure2.5%48% below avg
Steering2.3%12% below avg
Seat belts and airbags1%30% below avg

Average for cars of the same age and mileage

Top MOT failures

1
Position lamp not working 2.35% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
Stop lamp not working 2.24% of tests
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
3
Tyre tread below 1.6mm 2.06% of tests
Tread below 1.6mm is illegal and reduces grip in wet conditions, so the tyre must be replaced.
4
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen 2.04% of tests
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
5
Brake pads worn below 1.5mm 1.86% of tests
Pads worn below 1.5mm lose stopping power and can damage discs, so replacement is needed before the car is driven.
6
Headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect 1.64% of tests
A wrongly shaped beam can dazzle other drivers and reduce your own view of the road, so the lamps need correcting.
7
Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint worn 1.43% of tests
A worn linkage ball joint can rattle, affect handling and eventually fail, so it should be replaced.
8
Engine warning light inoperative or lit 1.19% of tests
An engine warning light that is lit or not working can hide faults, so diagnosis is needed before buying.

Most common advisories

Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Honda CR-V's MOT certificate most often.

Tyre worn close to legal limit14.58%
Brake pads wearing thin7.02%
Tyre slightly damaged or cracking5.72%
Suspension arm pin/bush showing wear5.56%
Brake disc pitted or scored5.1%
Linkage ball joint slight play3.88%

Before you buy

What to check on a used Honda CR-V

1
Position lamp not working
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
Stop lamp not working
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
3
Tyre tread below 1.6mm
Tread below 1.6mm is illegal and reduces grip in wet conditions, so the tyre must be replaced.
4
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
6
The mileage record
A typical Honda CR-V covers about 8,400 miles a year. A big gap or a drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.

Fuel types tested

Diesel49.6%
Petrol47.2%
Hybrid3.2%
LPG0%
Electric0%
Other0%

Most common colours

Silver, Black, Grey, Blue, Red

Average engine size: 2.0 litres.

Compare

How the Honda CR-V compares with its rivals

Honda CR-V against similar models
Model	Fail rate	Against same-age cars
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque	15.2%	33% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Volkswagen Tiguan	17.4%	24% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Honda CR-V	25.6%	22% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Land Rover Freelander	33.4%	17% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Ford Kuga	20.2%	12% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Kia Sportage	22.8%	about average for its age
Peugeot 3008	28.6%	21% more MOT fails than the average car its age

Every family suv ranked in the family suv reliability index, or all Honda models.

Questions

Honda CR-V questions, answered

Is the Honda CR-V reliable?

On MOT results, the Honda CR-V is better than average: it fails 25.6% of first MOT tests, 22% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 22 of 59 family suv models in our index.

What fails most on a Honda CR-V MOT?

The most common MOT failures on the Honda CR-V are position lamp not working (2.35% of tests), stop lamp not working (2.24% of tests), tyre tread below 1.6mm (2.06% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 11.6% of its tests.

Which Honda CR-V year is the most reliable?

Among years with 1,000+ tests, 2019 cars do best (45% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age) and 1998 cars do worst (22% more MOT fails than the average car its age).

How many miles does a Honda CR-V do a year?

A typical Honda CR-V covers about 8,400 miles a year, from the mileage recorded at its MOTs. Check the car you're looking at against that with a free mileage check.

How do I check a Honda CR-V before I buy it?

Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.

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