Honda HR-V: common problems, best years and what to check
Practical small SUV with Magic Seats; hybrid-only from 2022. Covers 2015–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Honda HR-V a good used buy?
Best buy
Mk3 e:HEV
Avoid
none notable
Who it suits: Families wanting a reliable, practical small SUV.
What's good
- Magic Seats
- Reliable
- Frugal hybrid
- Roomy
What's not
- Pricey
- Dull to drive
- CVT drone
- Small infotainment
By the numbers
- #133 most common model on UK roads, with about 52k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2023: 8.4k cars still licensed.
- 2015 cars survive 7% better than comparable cars of that year.
Honda HR-V common problems by generation and engine
Honda HR-V Mk2 (2015–2021) · small SUV
How to spot it: 15 plate to 21 plate. Coupé-like with hidden rear handles.
1.5 i-VTEC / 1.6 i-DTEC (L15 / N16, petrol / diesel, 2015–2021)
Reliable
Honda HR-V Mk3 (2022–) · small SUV; e:HEV
How to spot it: 22 plate onwards. Smooth, flat nose with body-coloured grille.
1.5 e:HEV (LEC, hybrid, 2022–)
Frugal
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Honda HR-V years
How many Honda HR-Vs from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Honda HR-V MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2015+ cars)
Honda HR-Vs pass their MOT first time 7 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (88% vs 81%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 82% | 72% | 69k miles |
| 2016 | 82% | 75% | 60k miles |
| 2017 | 86% | 78% | 52k miles |
| 2018 | 89% | 81% | 43k miles |
| 2019 | 91% | 84% | 34k miles |
| 2020 | 91% | 86% | 29k miles |
| 2022 | 95% | 89% | 20k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.54 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.13 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.63 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.32 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn0.92 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak0.92 per 100
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid0.9 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low0.68 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear15.27 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.79 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6.42 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak4.23 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened3.93 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3.04 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn2.78 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Honda HR-V have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
Honda HR-V running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Honda HR-V ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Honda HR-V vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda HR-V | 52k | 16–21 | 448 l | Mk3 e:HEV |
| Nissan Juke | 379k | 11–20 | 422 l | 2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual |
| Toyota C-HR | 129k | 14–25 | 377 l | 2019+ 1.8 or 2.0 Hybrid |
| Kia Niro | 121k | 13–33 | 451 l | 2019–2022 e-Niro 64kWh or HEV |
| Skoda Kamiq | 44k | 9–17 | 400 l | 1.0 TSI 110 manual |
| Mazda CX-30 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Honda HR-V
- Check Magic Seats
Honda HR-V FAQ
›Is the Honda HR-V reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: Mk3 e:HEV. Avoid: none notable.
›What is the Honda HR-V MOT pass rate?
88% of Honda HR-Vs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (33,078 tests), better than the 81% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively.
›What are the most common Honda HR-V problems?
The costliest known faults are . Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Honda HR-V have a timing belt or chain?
All: chain.
›What is the best year Honda HR-V to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2015, 2016, 2017 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Honda HR-V cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.5 i-VTEC 40–46 mpg; e:HEV 48–55 mpg. Insurance groups 16–21. A minor service is about £150–£210 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Honda HR-V?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Honda HR-V ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.