Head-to-head reliability
Bentley Mulsanne vs Honda Accord
How the Bentley Mulsanne 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
Bentley Mulsanne vs Honda Accord: The Mulsanne has 0 owner complaints and 8 recalls over 10 years, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints, 38 recalls, and 162 crash-related reports. The Accord's engine, electrical, and forward collision systems are the most complained-about areas. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Bentley Mulsanne or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Bentley Mulsanne
The Bentley Mulsanne is a low-volume luxury sedan with no owner complaints filed over the past decade, so there is no reported pattern of recurring failures from drivers. However, it has eight recalls, mostly for rear seat belts and a backup camera issue, which suggests potential safety defects that were addressed by the manufacturer. For a buyer, this means very little real-world failure data to judge reliability, but you should verify that all recall work was completed.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan with thousands of owner complaints over ten years, averaging over 450 per year. The most common problem areas are the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with reports of stalling, power steering and brake failure, and unintended automatic braking. There are also 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths, indicating that some reported issues have serious consequences.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Bentley Mulsanne | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 8 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 146 |
| 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.
Bentley Mulsanne
No component data available.
A recall was issued for the backup camera system, which could fail to display an image and increase the risk of a back-over incident. Buyers should confirm this recall was performed, as no owner complaints describe the failure in detail.
Multiple recalls cover rear seat belt components, which may not properly restrain occupants in a crash. Since there are no owner complaints, the exact symptom is unknown, but any unrepaired recall is a safety concern.
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report sudden loss of power, warning lights for brakes, hill descent, and ABS, and rattling noises during acceleration. These symptoms can leave a driver unable to maintain speed on the highway, creating a serious safety risk.
Complaints describe simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, as well as tire failure after a TPMS warning. Such electrical faults can cause loss of control and near-collisions.
Owners report unintended automatic braking or failure to intervene, sometimes under adaptive cruise control at highway speeds. This can cause sudden deceleration or a crash if the system does not work as expected.
There are reports of rough transitions between EV and gas modes, jerking when the engine starts, and a rotten-egg odor that persists after repairs. These issues can affect drivability and may indicate fuel or hybrid system problems.
“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…”
“Vehicle makes rattling noises while accelerating similar to a diesel engine also rough transitions between EV mode and Gas mode also when you press the charge button the engine makes a very noticeable jerk once it’s on ,Honda does not want to fix my issue and…”
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.
Bentley Mulsanne — 8 recalls
The defect: Bentley Motors, Inc. (Bentley) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Bentley Mulsanne vehicles. In the event of a crash, the rear seat belt anchor may detach from the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages…
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the rear seat belt buckle detaches, the seat occupant would have an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Bentley will notify owners, and dealers will improve the strength of the rear seat belt mounting by adding an additional reinforcement panel to the body structure, free of charge. The recall began March 7, 2019. Owners may contact Bentley…
The defect: Bentley Motors, Inc. (Bentley) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Bentley Mulsanne vehicles. In the event of a crash, the rear seat belt anchor may detach from the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages…
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the rear seat belt buckle detaches, the seat occupant would have an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Bentley will notify owners, and dealers will improve the strength of the rear seat belt mounting by adding an additional reinforcement panel to the body structure, free of charge. The recall began March 7, 2019. Owners may contact Bentley…
The defect: Bentley Motors, Inc. (Bentley) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Bentley Mulsanne vehicles. In the event of a crash, the rear seat belt anchor may detach from the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages…
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the rear seat belt buckle detaches, the seat occupant would have an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Bentley will notify owners, and dealers will improve the strength of the rear seat belt mounting by adding an additional reinforcement panel to the body structure, free of charge. The recall began March 7, 2019. Owners may contact Bentley…
The defect: Bentley Motors, Inc. (Bentley) is recalling certain 2018 Bentley Mulsanne and 2018 Bentayga vehicles. When reverse gear has been selected, the rearview camera display may be obstructed or may not be fully visible within two seconds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Fe…
The risk: If the full camera view is obstructed or delayed and the driver does not check their surroundings before backing up, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: Bentley will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software in the infotainment system, free of charge. The recall began October 19, 2018. Owners may contact Bentley customer service at 1-800-777-6923. Bentley's number for this rec…
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 (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint sys…
The risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
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
Bentley Mulsanne or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Bentley Mulsanne has far fewer issues per year, with zero owner complaints compared to the Honda Accord's average of 452.4 per year. In practice, this means the Mulsanne has no documented pattern of recurring failures from drivers, while the Accord has thousands of reports, including some involving crashes and injuries. However, the Mulsanne's eight recalls still require attention.
Key differences
- The Bentley Mulsanne has 0 owner complaints over 10 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,524, including 162 crash-related, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths.
- The Mulsanne's only known issues are 8 recalls for backup camera and rear seat belts, with no owner-described symptoms.
- The Accord's top complaints are engine (1,006), electrical (895), and forward collision avoidance (837), with reports of stalling, brake failure, and unintended braking.
- The Accord has 38 recalls covering hybrid software, tires, seat belts, air bag sensors, and fuel pumps, while the Mulsanne has 8 recalls focused on two areas.
- Check that the backup camera recall was performed, as a non-functioning camera can hide obstacles when reversing.
- Verify that all rear seat belt recalls were completed, since unrepaired belts may not protect passengers in a crash.
- Test drive at highway speeds and listen for rattling or jerking during acceleration, which owners report as engine or hybrid transition problems.
- Check for warning lights related to brakes, ABS, or forward collision avoidance, and confirm any open recalls for hybrid software or fuel pump are fixed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and confirm all open recalls are repaired before purchase.
- For the Bentley Mulsanne, ask for documentation of the backup camera and rear seat belt recall fixes.
- For the Honda Accord, test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control on a test drive to see if it brakes unexpectedly.
- Scan for stored trouble codes, especially in the engine, electrical, and hybrid systems, even if no warning lights are on.
- Ask the seller for any repair invoices related to stalling, power loss, or brake issues, and have a mechanic inspect those systems.
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 | Bentley Mulsanne | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 0 | 691 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 0 | 537 |
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 Bentley Mulsanne or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Bentley Mulsanne vs Honda Accord
- Bentley Mulsanne total complaints
- 0
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Bentley Mulsanne total recalls
- 8
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Bentley Mulsanne avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Bentley Mulsanne
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE