Head-to-head reliability
AUDI Q5 vs Honda Accord
How the AUDI Q5 and Honda Accord compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
AUDI Q5 vs Honda Accord: The Audi Q5 averages 48 complaints per year with 44 recalls, while the Honda Accord averages 444 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The Accord has 3 deaths and 144 injuries reported, versus 0 deaths and 26 injuries for the Q5. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI Q5 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI Q5
The Audi Q5 is a luxury compact SUV that averages about 48 complaints per year over the past decade, with 44 recalls and 29 crash-related reports. Owners frequently describe electrical glitches, engine smoke or oil consumption, and unexpected automatic braking from the forward collision system. While the overall complaint rate is lower than some rivals, the nature of these issues—especially sudden braking and engine fires—can be alarming and costly to diagnose.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream midsize sedan with a much higher complaint volume: about 444 per year, 38 recalls, and 160 crash-related reports including 3 deaths. Common owner reports include engine noise or failure, electrical problems like tire pressure warnings and rodent damage, and forward collision system errors. The sheer number of complaints suggests that many owners experience persistent issues, though not every car will have them.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI Q5 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 484 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 44 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 29 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 48.4 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 26 Better | 144 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
AUDI Q5
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM149
- 02ENGINE93
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE81
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER75
- 05SERVICE BRAKES56
Owners report unprovoked forward collision warnings and emergency braking at highway speeds, as well as software glitches that leave the car in an unpredictable state. These failures can surprise a driver and may require repeated dealer visits to resolve.
Some owners describe smoke billowing from the engine compartment and entering the cabin, while others report low oil warnings shortly after purchase. These symptoms point to potential fire risks or oil consumption problems that demand immediate attention.
The Pre-Sense system has erroneously activated during unprotected turns or clear driving, according to complaints. Such false activations can cause sudden braking and increase the risk of a rear-end collision.
Although fewer complaints mention brakes, some owners link brake issues to the forward collision system or electrical faults. Brake problems in a heavy SUV can lengthen stopping distances and erode confidence.
“On XXX at approximately 5:00 PM, my 2025 Audi Q5 (VIN: [XXX]) initiated an unprovoked forward collision warning and emergency braking intervention while I was traveling at approximately 57–58 mph on [XXX]. Road conditions were clear and dry. Weather was sunny…”
“The vehicle exhibits multiple, unresolved safety-critical defects across software and mechanical systems that create an unpredictable and dangerous driving environment. Despite multiple repair attempts, the manufacturer has failed to certify the vehicle as sa…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report noises, loss of power, and multiple dashboard alarms (brake, hill descent, ABS) that can cause the vehicle to lose speed. These symptoms may indicate serious mechanical or electronic failures that could strand a driver.
Complaints include tire pressure monitoring warnings followed by catastrophic tire failure, as well as rodent damage to wiring harnesses in newer cars. Electrical gremlins can be intermittent and difficult to diagnose, leading to repeated shop visits.
Drivers describe adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic high beam errors that appear intermittently. These failures can disable safety aids without warning, leaving the driver with reduced assistance.
Some complaints mention brake system alarms and critical failure messages that coincide with other warnings. Brake-related faults in a daily driver are a serious safety concern and should be inspected immediately.
“I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got lo…”
“Vehicle drove normally in the morning commute. In the afternoon commute it started normally and as i approached highway speeds the alarms started showing up. the Brake, hill descent system, abs, critical failure. the vehicle started losing speed and could not…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
AUDI Q5 — 44 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7…
The risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. A liquid spill in the rear seat, or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate the gateway control module, caus…
The risk: A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install a protective cover on the gateway control module and seal an underbody seam as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe,…
The risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 4…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
The risk: In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241…
Honda Accord — 38 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the integrated control module (ICM) central processing unit (CPU) may reset while driving, causing a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the ICM CPU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is TN2. Vehicle Identificati…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2026 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2025-2026 CR-V Fuel Cell EV vehicles. When using the tire repair kit, pressure may build within the sealant bottle, causing the bottle cap to detach.
The risk: A detached bottle cap can become a projectile and strike the user or others nearby, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the tire repair kit nozzle or sealant bottle, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipat…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an…
The risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
Buyer analysis
AUDI Q5 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Audi Q5 has far fewer complaints per year (about 48 vs. 444 for the Honda Accord), but both have similar recall counts. In practice, the Accord’s higher complaint volume means a buyer is more likely to encounter reported problems, while the Q5’s lower rate doesn’t guarantee freedom from costly electrical or engine issues.
Key differences
- The Audi Q5 averages about 48 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord averages about 444—nearly ten times more.
- Audi Q5 owners frequently report unprovoked automatic emergency braking, whereas Honda Accord owners report intermittent failures of adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.
- Engine complaints for the Audi Q5 include smoke and oil consumption; for the Honda Accord, they include loss of power and multiple dashboard alarms.
- The Honda Accord has 3 reported deaths and 144 injuries in crash-related complaints, compared to 0 deaths and 26 injuries for the Audi Q5.
- Check for any history of engine smoke or oil consumption—look for low oil warning lights and ask for service records.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system at low speeds in a safe area to see if it triggers falsely; also scan for stored electrical fault codes.
- Inspect tires carefully for uneven wear or damage, and verify that the tire pressure monitoring system has no pending recalls or software updates.
- Listen for engine noises at start-up and during acceleration, and check for any dashboard warning lights related to brakes, ABS, or hill descent.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been performed, especially for electrical and fuel system issues.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the brand, focusing on the engine, transmission, and electronic safety systems.
- Test-drive the car in various conditions (highway, city, parking lots) to check for unexpected braking, warning lights, or unusual noises.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and specifically inquire about any prior complaints or repairs related to the top problem areas.
- Verify that the forward collision avoidance and other driver-assist features function correctly and do not display error messages.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | AUDI Q5 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 5 |
| 2025 | 41 | 101 |
| 2024 | 20 | 214 |
| 2023 | 32 | 224 |
| 2022 | 0 | 238 |
| 2021 | 71 | 226 |
| 2020 | 24 | 355 |
| 2019 | 50 | 677 |
| 2018 | 201 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 42 | 534 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific AUDI Q5 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI Q5 vs Honda Accord
- AUDI Q5 total complaints
- 484
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- AUDI Q5 total recalls
- 44
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- AUDI Q5 avg complaints/year
- 48.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- AUDI Q5
- AUDI Q5 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE