The Best and Worst Honda CR-V Years, By the Numbers

Short answer: the 2020–2022 Honda CR-V has the cleanest record of any CR-V that has been on the road long enough to judge. The 2016 and the 2012–2013 are the best budget picks. The years with the most problems are 2017–2018, followed by 2007–2008.

The CR-V is one of the most popular used SUVs in the country, and most years have held up well. But two stretches stand out, and one of them is surprisingly recent. We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for 2005–2024 CR-Vs, then divided by how many CR-Vs were sold each year, so a year that sold more doesn't look worse just for being popular.

The data: complaints per 10,000 sold

Model year	Complaints filed	Per 10,000 sold
2005	378	25.2
2006	359	21.1
2007	833	38.1
2008	920	46.6
2009	380	19.9
2010	479	23.5
2011	552	25.3
2012	403	14.3
2013	381	12.5
2014	586	17.5
2015	670	19.4
2016	392	11.0
2017	1,761	46.6
2018	2,132	56.3
2019	1,090	28.4
2020	352	10.6
2021	327	9.1
2022	255	10.4
2023	517	14.3
2024	387	10.6*

*2023–2024 look good, but they are too new to judge. Cars that have only been on the road a year or two haven't had time to develop problems.

Which engine and transmission each year has

Years	Generation	Engine	Transmission
2005–2006	2nd	2.4L 4-cylinder	5-speed automatic
2007–2011	3rd	2.4L 4-cylinder	5-speed automatic
2012–2014	4th	2.4L 4-cylinder	5-speed automatic
2015–2016	4th (refresh)	2.4L direct-injection	CVT
2017–2019	5th	1.5L turbo (EX and up) or 2.4L (LX only)	CVT
2020–2022	5th	1.5L turbo, or 2.0L hybrid	CVT / hybrid drive
2023–2024	6th	1.5L turbo, or 2.0L hybrid	CVT / hybrid drive

If you want to avoid a CVT entirely, the last CR-V with a conventional automatic is the 2014.

The trim that matters most: 2017–2019 LX vs. everything else

For 2017–2019, the trim you buy decides which engine you get, and that matters more than the model year. The base LX kept the older 2.4-liter engine. The EX, EX-L and Touring got the new 1.5-liter turbo, the engine behind the oil-dilution problem.

We split the 2017–2019 complaints by engine using the vehicle identification number (VIN) on each complaint:

2017–2019 CR-V	Complaints	Mention oil or fuel problems	Filed under "engine"
1.5L turbo (EX, EX-L, Touring)	4,491	17%	25%
2.4L (LX)	348	4%	9%

The turbo models are over four times as likely to involve an oil or fuel complaint and nearly three times as likely to involve the engine at all. Honda doesn't publish sales by trim, so we can't give an exact rate for each engine, but the LX accounts for only about 7% of all 2017–2019 complaints.

Among the turbos, all-wheel-drive models show more oil-dilution complaints than front-wheel-drive ones (20% vs. 12%). That fits the cold-weather pattern: AWD CR-Vs are more common in snowy states, where short trips and cold starts make dilution worse.

Bottom line: a 2017–2019 LX is a very different buy from a turbo model of the same year. Most people shopping these years are looking at an EX or higher, so that is where the warnings below apply.

Best years to buy

2020–2022: best overall

The last years of the 5th generation, after Honda had fixed the engine problem that hit the 2017–2018 models (below). All three sit around 10 complaints per 10,000 sold, the lowest of any CR-V with real miles on it. They come with Honda's driver-assist safety suite as standard. As with any CR-V of this era, keep up with CVT fluid changes on Honda's schedule.

2016: best of the older generation

The final year of the 4th generation, and the cleanest CR-V before 2020. It keeps the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine rather than the later turbo. The 2015 had a well-known shaking-at-idle complaint when this engine and a new CVT arrived, and by 2016 the rate had nearly halved.

2012–2013: the budget picks

The 4th generation launched in 2012 without the usual first-year trouble. Both years are well below the CR-V average, with a simpler conventional 5-speed automatic instead of a CVT.

Years to be careful with

2017–2018: the oil-dilution years

The worst stretch in the data, and the 2018 is the single worst CR-V year on record. These were the first years of the 1.5-liter turbo engine, and the most-reported problem was fuel getting into the engine oil ("oil dilution"), especially in cold climates and on short trips. Owners reported rising oil levels, a gasoline smell, and in some cases engine damage. The base LX kept the older 2.4-liter engine and largely avoided the problem; see the engine breakdown above.

Honda issued a software update and extended coverage on related engine parts to 6 years from purchase with no mileage limit. For most 2017–2018 CR-Vs, that coverage has now run out or is about to.

If you are looking at a turbo (EX or higher): ask whether the oil-dilution software update was done (a Honda dealer can check by VIN), pull the dipstick and smell it for gasoline, and check whether the oil level reads above the full mark.

2019: better, but not clean

Honda updated the engine before the 2019 went on sale, and the complaint rate halved. It is still above average, and its most-reported problem was the automatic emergency braking system activating when there was nothing there. Federal regulators opened an investigation into unexpected braking that included 2017–2019 CR-Vs.

2007–2008: air bags, locks and AC

The first two years of the 3rd generation. Their top complaints were air bags, electrical problems and door locks. These years are covered by the Takata air bag inflator recalls, which replaced inflators that could rupture. Failed AC compressors are also a common complaint for the 2007–2011 CR-V, and a replacement typically runs $770–$1,550.

One more for Midwest buyers: a 2023 recall covers 2007–2011 CR-Vs sold or ever registered in 22 salt-belt states (including Missouri, Illinois and Iowa) because road salt can corrode the rear frame where a rear suspension arm attaches. Dealers inspect and install a brace or repair the frame for free.

If you are looking at one: run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm the air bag and frame recalls were done, run the AC on max, and test every door lock.

The pattern: first years of a new design

Honda redesigned the CR-V for 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2023. Two of those launches, 2007 and 2017, produced the worst years in the data. The 2012 launch was clean, and it is too early to judge the 2023. As with most cars, the later years of a generation are the safer bet.

Before you buy any used CR-V

• Check recalls. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It is free and takes a minute.
• Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic. It typically costs $100–$200 and is the best money you will spend.
• Ask for maintenance records, especially oil changes on a 2017–2019 turbo and CVT fluid changes on any 2015 or newer.

Why no prices? Used-car prices depend on mileage, trim and region, and they change month to month. Repair costs don't, so those are what we list.

How we calculated this

Complaint counts come from NHTSA's public owner-complaint database. Each complaint is counted once, even when the owner lists several affected components. Sales figures are published US calendar-year sales, which track model-year sales closely but not exactly. Complaints are reported by owners and not independently verified. These numbers show patterns across hundreds of thousands of vehicles. They can't tell you about the specific vehicle in front of you. More on how Milemark's numbers work.

See also: The best and worst Honda Civic years.