Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year, against this model's usual year.
2012GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual Extended coverage
Few complaints for any year of this model, so the data can't tell this year apart much. 6 serious complaints of 7, the most about air bags (6); 1.0× this model's usual share of all serious complaints about 2012 vehicles. 2 recalls.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 honda cr-z. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Nov 2016
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only. (A18-048, May 2018)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
7 owner complaints · 2 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 34–36 mpg · NHTSA: 4 of 5 stars · 2012 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. NHTSA doesn't publish sales, so only big differences count. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 1.5L 4-cyl · Drive: FWD
2012 CR-Z trims
| EX |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Honda reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Honda aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1.5L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–36 mpg | 4 of 5 | 0 | 2 | Unknown or other (1) | — |
| 2015 | 1.5L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–36 mpg | 4 of 5 | 2 | 6 | Structure (2) | — |
| 2014 | 1.5L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–36 mpg | 4 of 5 | 1 | 4 | Air bags (3) | — |
| 2013 | 1.5L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 33–36 mpg | 4 of 5 | 2 | 11 | Air bags (9) | — |
| 2012 | 1.5L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 34–36 mpg | 4 of 5 | 2 | 7 | Air bags (6) | — |
| 2011 | 1.5L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 34–36 mpg | 3 of 5 | 3 | 38 | Air bags (16) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Honda CR-Z 3 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | Honda CR-Z 3 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 2 | 6 |
| 2014 | Honda CR-Z 3 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 1 | 4 |
| 2013 | Honda CR-Z 3 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 2 | 11 |
| 2012 | Honda CR-Z 3 HB FWD | 4 | No | No | 2 | 7 |
| 2011 | Honda CR-Z 3 HB FWD | 3 | No | No | 3 | 38 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | CR-Z | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.5 L Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
33–36 |
| 2015 | CR-Z | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.5 L Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
33–36 |
| 2014 | CR-Z | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.5 L Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
33–36 |
| 2013 | CR-Z | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.5 L Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
33–36 |
| 2012 | CR-Z | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.5 L Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
34–36 |
| 2011 | CR-Z | Auto (AV-S7), 4 cyl, 1.5 L Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
34–36 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.