Used car safety, rank #106 of 181
Honda HR-V 4WD Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Honda HR-V 4WD, a small SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Honda HR-V 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 31 per million registered vehicle years against a small SUVs average of 42.6, which is 27% below the class average. That places it #106 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 46.3/100.
What the Honda HR-V death rate means
At 31 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Honda HR-V 4WD beats the small SUVs average of 42.6 by 27%. The 95% confidence interval is 14 to 48, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 19 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Honda HR-V. It is no higher than the Honda HR-V's own driver death rate. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest small SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Honda HR-V 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota C-HR at a death rate of 2.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota C-HR | 2018-20 | 2 (0 to 7) | 79.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda CR-V 4WD | 2020 | 14 (0 to 36) | 66.1 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD | 2019-20 | 17 (0 to 39) | 63.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD | 2019-20 | 19 (0 to 37) | 62.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota RAV4 hybrid 4WD | 2019-20 | 20 (0 to 40) | 61.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Jeep Compass 2WD | 2017-20 | 27 (6 to 48) | 52.1 | n/a | n/a |
| Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4WD | 2017-20 | 28 (3 to 53) | 50.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Equinox 4WD | 2020 | 30 (0 to 62) | 48.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda HR-V 4WD (this page) | 2017-20 | 31 (14 to 48) | 46.3 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small SUVs: 42.6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Honda HR-V
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Honda HR-V we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Honda HR V | No award | 89.2 |
| 2026 | Honda HR V | TSP+ | 89.2 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 46.3 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Honda HR-V 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
5 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering air bags, back over prevention, fuel system, gasoline.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
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Back over prevention: display function
Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024.
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Back over prevention: display function
Risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Honda HR-V 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Honda HR-V 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 31 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Honda HR-V 4WD, 27% below the class average (42.6 for small SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 46.3 out of 100 and rank #106 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Honda HR-V 4WD driver death rate?
31 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 14 to 48. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Honda HR-V died at a rate of 19 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Honda HR-V 4WD compare with other small SUVs?
The small SUVs class averages 42.6 driver deaths per million; the Honda HR-V 4WD sits at 31. Among the 9 small SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota C-HR with a death rate of 2.