What are the most common problems with a Honda HR-V?

What Car? reports relatively few big issues and no common failure points, and it scored 100% in its reliability survey (joint first of 20 small SUVs). At MOT, anti-roll bar link joints and headlights are flagged more often than on other cars the same age.

What should I ask the seller before buying a used Honda HR-V?

Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 5.1× as often on the Honda HR-V as on other cars the same age.) Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Honda HR-V as on other cars the same age.) Any recent work on the exhaust emissions (catalyst)? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the Honda HR-V as on other cars the same age.) Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Used car guide · 1999–2026

Honda HR-V common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Honda HR-V, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 103,050 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

103,050MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model

63,613on the UK register

2015best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

What usually goes wrong with a Honda HR-V?

What Car? reports relatively few big issues and no common failure points, and it scored 100% in its reliability survey (joint first of 20 small SUVs).

Source: What Car?: used Honda HR-V (2015-2022) reliability

Common Honda HR-V MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Diesel

Shock absorbers
up to 2.8× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Honda HR-V MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2015 Honda HR-V did best (84% passed first time, 10 points above all 2015 cars) and the 2022 did worst (95%, 6 points above all 2022 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	MOT tests
2023	96%	92% +4	365 (small sample)
2022	95%	89% +6	6,656
2021	95%	87% +8	891
2020	93%	87% +6	11,026
2019	92%	85% +7	14,445
2018	90%	83% +7	17,965
2017	87%	80% +7	17,343
2016	85%	77% +8	20,416
2015	84%	74% +10	8,220
2005	58%	57% +1	499 (small sample)
2004	56%	57% -1	741
2003	57%	57% +0	650
2002	61%	58% +3	1,253
2001	59%	60% -1	1,146
2000	56%	61% -5	946
1999	62%	63% -1	488 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Honda HR-V

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 5.1× as often on the Honda HR-V as on other cars the same age.)
Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Honda HR-V as on other cars the same age.)
Any recent work on the exhaust emissions (catalyst)? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the Honda HR-V as on other cars the same age.)
Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Honda HR-V?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score