Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.

Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.

DEBUG (temporary — remove before final ship)
pairKey: 2005-gmc-sierra-vs-2005-honda-cr-v
allCommentaries.length: 0
commentary found: NO
slugs available: (none)
Different vehicle classes · Different segments — choice depends on use case

2005 GMC Sierra vs 2005 Honda CR-V

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-05-03 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2005 GMC Sierra versus 2005 Honda CR-V — different vehicles, different jobs

These two come from different segments, which makes a direct reliability comparison less meaningful than usual. Showing the data so you can see what each one is good at and where each one breaks down. The reliability scores (3.5 versus 3.4) reflect different testing populations and use patterns — don't treat them as apples-to-apples.

2005 GMC Sierra

3.5/5
Reliability score
448 complaints
0 recalls (0 critical)
$14,050 repair exposure
vs

2005 Honda CR-V

3.4/5
Reliability score
477 complaints
1 recalls (0 critical)
$14,550 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

These come from different vehicle segments, which means we're not declaring a winner here. The 2005 GMC Sierra scores 3.5; the 2005 Honda CR-V scores 3.4. Different testing populations, different driving patterns, different categories of failure. Use the data below to understand what each one is good at and what each one breaks.

If you lean 2005 GMC Sierra, know what you're getting into on electrical and brakes. Those categories have noticeably more complaints than the 2005 Honda CR-V sees, and they're not cheap items when they go.

Going with the 2005 Honda CR-V? Watch the airbags and lighting. The 2005 GMC Sierra has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

Bottom line: these are different categories of vehicle. Pick based on what you actually need it for. We're showing the reliability data so you can factor in long-term ownership cost, not pick a winner.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2005 GMC Sierra
2005 Honda CR-V
electrical
122 reports
moderate · ~$850
71 reports
severe · ~$850
airbags
17 reports
severe · ~$1,100
123 reports
severe · ~$1,100
brakes
118 reports
severe · ~$450
No reports
lighting
No reports
95 reports
moderate · ~$250
steering
52 reports
severe · ~$700
23 reports
moderate · ~$700
engine
44 reports
severe · ~$3,100
26 reports
severe · ~$3,100
powertrain
21 reports
severe · ~$2,500
21 reports
severe · ~$2,500
suspension
14 reports
moderate · ~$900
23 reports
moderate · ~$900
visibility
No reports
14 reports
severe · ~$350
cruise control
10 reports
severe · ~$600
No reports

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2005 GMC Sierra or the 2005 Honda CR-V?

It's close to a tie. Both vehicles score within 0.2 points on our reliability index (3.5 vs 3.4). At this margin, either choice is defensible — base your decision on the specific failure modes that matter to you.

What goes wrong more often on the 2005 GMC Sierra?

Compared to the 2005 Honda CR-V, the 2005 GMC Sierra sees more reported issues in electrical and brakes. That doesn't mean it's a bad truck — it means those are the categories worth budgeting for if you go that direction.

What goes wrong more often on the 2005 Honda CR-V?

Compared to the 2005 GMC Sierra, the 2005 Honda CR-V has more complaints in airbags and lighting. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

The 2005 Honda CR-V has more active recalls (1 vs 0). Total count is less important than severity, though — a vehicle with one critical recall and zero moderate ones is generally riskier than one with five moderate recalls.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $14,550 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
Get a free warranty quote →