11 Honda CR-V Facts And Statistics You Should Know

The Honda CR-V is one of America’s most popular vehicles, selling hundreds of thousands of units each year.

Safe, fuel efficient, spacious and offering excellent driving dynamics, the CR-V is a great all round crossover.

If you’re in the market for a small SUV then researching the CR-V makes sense. We have compiled a short guide to give you the low-down on some of its must know facts and stats.

We will cover sales figures, production statistics, recall actions, resale values, and much more…

How Many Honda CR-V’s Have Been Sold Per Year in The US?

The Honda CR-V has staked its claim as the world’s most popular SUV, boasting impressive sales figures that have soared in the past decade.

Sales data from the international auto market have shown the Honda CR-V to outsell its competitors since its debut in 2012. On top of this, the CR-V has been Honda’s best selling model globally, and in 2020, 736,980 models were sold worldwide.

• CR-V sales hit an all time high in 2019 with 384,168 units sold in the US.
• Sales dropped off 13 percent in 2020 with 335,502 units sold.
• In the past 5 years there have been an average of 366,382 CR-Vs sold per year in the US alone.

Below is a table from Car Sales Base that contains annual sales figures in the U.S for the Honda CR-V from 1997 to 2020:

What Year Did Honda Start the CR-V Models?

Honda first started manufacturing the CR-V in 1995, but it wasn’t introduced to the U.S market until 1997.

Honda CR-V key production dates:

• 1995 – Sayama Japan and Swindon UK began production for the international market
• 1997 – First introduced to the North American market
• 2004 – Production began at Dongfeng Honda in Wuhan for the Asian market
• 2007 – Manufacturing site setup in East Liberty, Ohio, United States
• 2007 – Manufacturing site setup in El Salto, Jalisco, Mexixo (closed in 2017)
• 2012 – Manufacturing site setup in Alliston, Ontario, Canada 2020
• 2017 – Manufacturing site setup in Greensburg, Indiana, United

Through the generations of production, the CR-V has been continually upgraded and has been modernized from its original boxy shell. Honda has continually tried to improve on each previous version, with increased comfort, practicality, technology and various engine improvements.

There have been five main generations of CR-V since its inception. However, mid-cycle in 2019 Honda decided to upgrade the 5th Generation for the 2020 model year and also add a Hybrid version to the line-up.

The Hybrid CR-V is the third gas-electric Honda produced in the U.S and the first gas-electric Honda SUV in the line-up for the U.S.

Although Honda began selling its CR-V hybrid in Europe and China in 2018, the hybrid compact crossover is new to the United States for the 2020 model year.

The Generations with the relative years are listed below:

• 1995-2001 (1st Generation)
• 2001-2006 (2nd Generation)
• 2006-2011 (3rd Generation)
• 2011-2016 (4th Generation)
• 2016-2021 (5th Generation)
• 2022 – present (6th Generation)

How Is the Fuel Economy on a Honda CR-V?

The Honda CR-V has good fuel efficiency ratings, averaging around 30 mpg for its combined fuel economy for the gas only models. The most environmentally friendly option is the Hybrid which provides an estimated combined MPG of 38.

Depending on trim and drivetrain, the fuel economy will vary slightly – 2WD models are slightly more efficient than the AWD model as it requires less energy to power 2 wheels instead of 4.

There are currently 4 trim levels available on the CR-V 1.5T with choice of both 2WD and AWD drivetrains:

• LX
• EX
• EX-L
• Touring trim

The Hybrid has 3 trims to choose from:

• EX
• EX-L
• Touring

The fuel economy on the CR-V is on par with other vehicles in the segment according to data obtained from the U.S Department of Energy.

The Toyota Rav4 has an average combined MPG of 30, while the Ford Escape gives an average combined MPG of 28.

The table below shows the 3 current versions of CR-V and the fuel economy for each (Data from Honda USA).

How Quickly Do Honda CR-V’s Depreciate?

Purchasing a new vehicle is a big investment and it is important to know the rate at which it loses value, rates can vary tremendously depending on make and model.

Fortunately for prospective buyers, the Honda CR-V retains its value extremely well and within the small SUV segment the CR-V is right at the top with the lowest rates of depreciation.

According to data from Car Edge, a Honda CR-V will depreciate 41% after 5 years and have a 5 year resale value of 59% of its original price. This is based on an annual average mileage of 13,500 miles and a well maintained vehicle.

Furthermore, a study carried out by iSeeCars on one year depreciation rates across the auto industry placed the Honda CR-V in 4th position with a one year depreciation rate of 12.2%, this is almost half that of the average 30.2% rate.

With these stats in mind, we can safely say the CR-V is a low depreciating investment.

You may also be interested in our article: How Long Do Honda CR-V Hybrids Last?

Did Honda Recall any of the CR-V Models?

The Honda CR-V is widely known as a dependable and robust vehicle, however, as with all vehicle’s the CR-V hasn’t been completely problem free. In 23 model years Honda has recalled the CR-V 52 times.

• With 15 recalls in total, the 2002 model year saw the highest number of recalls.
• The year with the fewest recalls is 2014 with 0 recalls.

A recall is issued when a manufacturer or the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) deems that a vehicle or one or more of its components creates an unreasonable safety risk or does not meet minimum safety requirements – All safety recall repairs are FREE at authorized Honda dealers.

To find out if a Honda vehicle has been subject to a recall, you can use the Honda Recall Lookup on their website, by simply entering in the vehicles 17 character VIN code which can be found on a plate fastened to the top of the dashboard.

Here is a table from Honda Problems, showing by model year, those recall campaigns:

How Much Do the CR-V Models Pollute?

With an ever growing focus on climate change, car owners are becoming more conscious of their carbon footprint.

The Hybrid is the most environmentally friendly CR-V model, emitting 234 grams per mile at the tailpipe and is rated as 8/10 on the U.S Energy Department’s rating system.

The two standard versions are fairly average with their rates of pollution sitting at 6/10 on the same scale.

Here is a table displaying data from the Fuel Economy website for each of the 2021 Honda CR-V variants:

You may also be interested in our article: Honda CR-V Beeping Problems (7 Causes & Solutions)

How Much Can the CR-V Models Tow?

The Honda CR-V’s has a maximum towing capacity of 1,500 lbs and is capable of towing lightweight aluminum boats, pop-up campers, jet skis and small utility trailers.

It is important to note that the Honda CR-V is a compact SUV and not the most suitable option for heavy duty towing, for those looking to move some serious weight, the Honda Pilot might be a better option with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs.

Owners should not to attempt to tow anything above a vehicles towing limit as it can put enormous strain on the engine, brakes, tires and even warp the chassis.

How Reliable Is a Honda CR-V?

The Honda CR-V is an extremely dependable vehicle and scores high reliability ratings across various platforms, it is also relatively cheap to maintain.

• Repair Pal gave the CR-V an impressive reliability rating of 4.5/5 and ranked it 2nd out of 26 compact SUV’s.
• Cars US News have given the CR-V a 3.5 rating on their reliability scorecard.
• A study by iSeeCars found that the CR-V is among the few vehicles that owners keep for 15 years or more.
• Honda CR-V’s have a life expectancy of 250,000 to 300,000 miles or 16 to 20 years (dependent on maintenance and driving habits).

The average annual repair and maintenance costs is $407, which is significantly less than the average $652 across all vehicle models.

Japanese automaker, Honda are well know for producing high quality, durable vehicles and the the CR-V is no exception, however as with all vehicles the CR-V isn’t without it’s faults.

The 2011 CR-V was rated by Car Complaints as being the worst model year for Honda’s SUV with 140 registered complaints. The most number of complaints were costly, engine related problems.

Although numbers may seem high in the table below, its important to keep in mind there are hundreds of thousands of units sold each year.

Here is a chart using data from Car Complaints breaking down the number of complaints made by model year:

You may also be interested in our article: Honda CR-V Tune-Up & Maintenance Costs (Complete Guide)

How Safe Is a Honda CR-V?

Honda has built a reputation as one of the world leaders in automotive safety, and the CR-V is testament to this with an impeccable safety record and abundance of high-tech safety features. From our research, we can confidently say the CR-V is a very safe vehicle.

Safety Ratings

• The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the 2021 Honda CR-V an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 5 stars in the frontal crash and side crash tests and 4 stars in the rollover test.
• The 2021 Honda CR-V Touring trim and Hybrid Touring trim were crowned the Top Safety Pick by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), this was attributed to their state of the art headlights.

Standard Advanced Safety Features:

Collision Mitigation Braking System – based on the speed of the CR-V and the vehicle in front, the system will warn the driver of an impending crash. Should an impending forward crash be detected, the system will apply the brakes

Road Departure Mitigation –  If your vehicle is drifting too close to the side of the detected roadway while driving 45–90 mph without a turn signal activated, the RDM system alerts you with a series of rapid steering wheel vibrations.

Adaptive Cruise Control – Automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles in front.

Automatic High-Beam Headlights – Designed to automate high-beam operation during nighttime driving

Rearview Camera – Allows you to check your surroundings when you are backing out of parking bays or your driveway

Available Advanced Safety Features:

Front and rear parking sensors – Embedded into the bumpers, the system will alert the driver as objects get closer

Blind spot monitoring – Can detect a vehicle that may be positioned in a lane adjacent to the vehicle.

Rear cross traffic alert – When backing out of a parking space or driveway the system is designed to detect vehicles approaching from the side and warn the driver when they’re within 82 feet.

Rain-sensing windshield wipers – A sensor will initiate wiper action when rain is detected (only when the wiper lever is in AUTO)

Please also read our article: how long do Nissan Murano last

What Is the Typical Buyer Demographic for This Model?

The Honda CR-V is an ideal vehicle for young families, adventure seekers and seniors alike due to its high safety record, spacious interior, excellent handling and abundance of driver assistance features, however the buyer demographic for the CR-V tends to be slightly older generations.

• Research shows us that women buy half of all compact SUVs however the CRV breaks this trends with a higher percentage of male buyers.
• 55% of CRV buyers are men and 45% are women.
• Owners annual income tends to fall in the $95,000 region
• It is less common for people born between 1965-1994 to own this vehicle
• The median age for buyers is 62, which is slightly higher than the median age of the segment which is 58

Honda CR-V Theft Numbers

The Honda CR-V is a common target for thieves and was featured on the National Insurance Crime Bureau list of most stolen cars in 2020. The same institution ranked the CR-V the 10th most stolen vehicle in the US in 2019 with a reported 10,094 thefts, the most popular year was the 2001 model.

Keyless systems have made the newer CR-V models vulnerable to ‘relay attacks’, whereby signals are intercepted between fob and car which can allow thieves to gain access and start the vehicle.

To help mitigate keyless attacks from high-tech criminals we strongly advise investing in a faraday-style wallet. Essentially these will block unwanted electronic signals from reaching your car keys.

To help prevent your CR-V from being stolen we advise:

• Keeping the vehicle locked at all times
• Do not keep valuables on display where thieves can see them
• Invest in a steering and car key signal blocking wallet
• Researching anti-theft technology
• Never leave your vehicle running unattended

Here is a chart from the NHTSA displaying the number of vehicles stolen between 1997-2014

Related: 17 Best & Worst Honda CR-V Years (With Facts & Stats)

Resources

https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/cr-v/overview.html#:~:text=The%20Honda%20CR-V%20is,since%20its%20launch%20in%202012.

https://carsalesbase.com/us-honda-cr-v/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CR-V

https://www.autoevolution.com/cars/honda-cr-v-2019.html#aeng_honda-cr-v-2019-15l-turbo-cvt-190-hp

https://automobiles.honda.com/cr-v/specs-features-trim-comparison

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&path=1&year1=2021&year2=2021&make=Ford&baseModel=Escape&srchtyp=ymm&pageno=1&rowLimit=50

https://caredge.com/honda/cr-v/depreciation

http://www.hondaproblems.com/models/cr-v/recalls/

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/CR-V/

https://www.carsguide.com.au/honda/cr-v/towing-capacity

https://repairpal.com/reliability/honda/cr-v#:~:text=Honda%20CR-V%20Reliability%20Rating%20Breakdown&text=The%20Honda%20CR-V%20Reliability,it%20has%20excellent%20ownership%20costs.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/HONDA/CR-V/SUV/FWD

https://www.carmax.com/articles/which-car-brands-have-oldest-youngest-buyers

https://www.torquenews.com/1084/new-honda-cr-v-what-owners-say-about-suv