Head-to-head reliability
Buick Regal Tourx vs Honda Accord
How the Buick Regal Tourx 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
Buick Regal Tourx vs Honda Accord: the Buick has 35 complaints over 3 years and 0 recalls, while the Honda has 4,524 complaints over 10 years and 38 recalls. Honda also reports 162 crash-related complaints and 146 injuries. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Buick Regal Tourx or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Buick Regal Tourx
The Buick Regal Tourx is a station wagon with a relatively low complaint volume: 35 complaints over 3 years, averaging about 12 per year, and no recalls on record. Owners most often write about electrical gremlins, transmission shift-to-park messages, engine starting problems, and brake noise or assist loss. The sample complaints suggest a car that can be pleasant to drive but may demand patience with electronic and brake-related quirks.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume sedan with 4,524 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 452 per year, plus 38 recalls and reports of 162 crashes, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths. Owner complaints cluster around engine stalling or rough running, electrical failures including power steering and braking, and forward collision avoidance systems activating unexpectedly. The data shows a much larger and more serious pattern of reported safety-related failures than the Buick.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Buick Regal Tourx | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 35 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 11.7 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.
Buick Regal Tourx
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
- 02POWER TRAIN8
- 03ENGINE7
- 04SERVICE BRAKES6
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
Owners report repeated electrical issues, including a 2019 Regal that needed multiple significant repairs after only 14,000 added miles. Another owner heard a scrubbing-like noise tied to the brakes, showing electrical and brake symptoms can overlap.
A common complaint is an intermittent 'Shift to Park' message even when the vehicle is in Park, linked to poor design of shift position switches. This can prevent the car from recognizing it is safely parked and may lead to starting or shutdown problems.
One owner reported a no-start condition with a blank instrument panel and no clicking from the ignition, pointing to battery or electrical supply failure. Another complaint involved ongoing brake scrubbing noises that required service visits.
Owners reference a 2018–2020 Buick Regal recall for partial or full loss of vacuum-brake assist, which increases crash risk. Even though this vehicle shows no recalls on record, the sample complaint describes receiving a recall notice and experiencing brake noise.
“Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a formal complaint regarding a 2019 Buick Regal, which I purchased as a used vehicle in 2023 with approximately 19,000 miles. Since owning the car, I have added only 14,000 miles, yet I have experienced multiple significant and ong…”
“I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 866-790-5600. I PURCHASED THE CAR 11/23/18 BRAND NEW WITH 12 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO GET IT SERVICED DUE TO KEPT HEARING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE BRAKES KEEP SCRUBBING, IN WHICH I THE…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe sudden alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure while driving, with the vehicle losing speed. Others report rattling noises on acceleration, rough transitions between EV and gas modes, and jerking when the charge button is pressed.
A 2025 Accord Hybrid owner reported electronic power steering and braking systems failing and locking up simultaneously at highway speeds, causing a near-collision. Another owner had a TPMS repair followed by a catastrophic tire failure the same day.
Owners report the system failing to resolve threats or activating unexpectedly, including under adaptive cruise control at 70 mph. One complaint describes the same incident happening twice, one year apart, under identical driving and weather conditions.
Complaints include a persistent rotten-egg or sulfur odor that remained after a paid filter replacement and odor treatment. Another owner reported a foot slipping behind a plastic side panel, which could interfere with pedal control.
“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.
Buick Regal Tourx
No recalls on record.
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
Buick Regal Tourx or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Buick Regal Tourx has far fewer complaints per year—about 12 versus about 452 for the Honda Accord—and no recalls on record versus 38 for the Accord. In practice, the Accord's much larger complaint and recall volume, including crash, injury, and death reports, means a used-car buyer should expect more frequent and potentially more serious safety-related issues.
Key differences
- The Buick Regal Tourx has 35 complaints over 3 years and 0 recalls, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years and 38 recalls.
- Buick owners report shift-to-park messages, no-start electrical failures, and brake assist loss; Honda owners report engine stalling, power steering and braking lockups, and unexpected forward collision avoidance activation.
- The Honda Accord data includes 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the Buick Regal Tourx data shows 0 in each of those categories.
- Honda's recall subjects include hybrid power control software, fuel pump delivery, seat belt retractors, and air bag occupant sensors, while the Buick has no recall subjects listed.
- Check for intermittent 'Shift to Park' messages or difficulty recognizing Park, which owners link to faulty shift position switches.
- Test the brakes for scrubbing noises or reduced power assist, and confirm whether any open brake-related recall applies to the specific 2018–2020 Regal.
- Watch for sudden dashboard alarms for brake, ABS, hill descent, or critical failure, and any loss of power steering or braking assist while driving.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control systems for unexpected braking or failure to respond, and check for persistent sulfur or rotten-egg odors.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN through NHTSA recalls to confirm whether the Buick Regal Tourx or Honda Accord has any open safety recalls.
- On the Buick, test the shifter in and out of Park repeatedly and scan for transmission or body control module codes.
- On the Honda, test drive at highway speed and verify adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic emergency braking behave normally.
- Ask for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on electrical, brake, and fuel-system components.
- Request service records and check for repeated repairs related to the complaint areas: electrical, power train, engine, and brakes.
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 | Buick Regal Tourx | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | 362 |
| 2019 | 18 | 691 |
| 2018 | 14 | 1884 |
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 Buick Regal Tourx or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Buick Regal Tourx vs Honda Accord
- Buick Regal Tourx total complaints
- 35
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Buick Regal Tourx total recalls
- 0
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Buick Regal Tourx avg complaints/year
- 11.7
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Buick Regal Tourx
- Buick Regal Tourx top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE