Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Cruze Limited vs Honda Accord
How the Chevrolet Cruze Limited 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
Chevrolet Cruze Limited vs Honda Accord: The Cruze Limited has 240 complaints per year, while the Accord has 443.8 per year over 10 years. Engine issues dominate both, but the Accord also has many forward collision and brake complaints. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Cruze Limited or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Cruze Limited
The Chevrolet Cruze Limited, a compact sedan, shows a high complaint rate concentrated in its first year, with engine issues dominating. Owners report serious problems like persistent diagnostic codes leading to engine replacement, as well as stalling and sputtering. Electrical gremlins, including radio and blinker malfunctions in wet weather, and water leaks in the trunk also appear. This pattern suggests a vehicle that may require frequent and costly repairs, especially as it ages.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a midsize sedan, has a much longer complaint history (10 years) but a lower average annual rate. Engine and electrical complaints are common, but a significant portion involves advanced driver assistance systems (forward collision avoidance) and brakes. Owners report intermittent warning messages and false activations, which can be unnerving. While the Accord has more recalls, they address specific software and hardware issues, and the overall complaint volume per year is lower than the Cruze Limited.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Cruze Limited | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 240 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 19 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 240.0 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 14 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.
Chevrolet Cruze Limited
- 01ENGINE98
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM57
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER40
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM32
- 05POWER TRAIN31
Owners report persistent diagnostic trouble codes (e.g., P0011) that lead to cylinder head or complete engine replacement. Others describe stalling and sputtering, where the car dies while driving and may restart after several attempts, indicating potential fuel or sensor issues.
In cold or wet weather, the radio and turn signal sounds may randomly shut off and restart, lasting seconds to minutes. This suggests a possible moisture-related electrical fault. Additionally, water leaks in the trunk have been reported, sometimes after recall repairs, leading to interior dampness.
Some owners report transmission-like issues where the car accelerates to third gear and gets stuck at low speeds, possibly related to fuel system problems. Others mention that after multiple recall attempts for fuel system issues, the problem persists, indicating an incomplete fix.
“Around 150,000 miles I had the code p0011 the dealership did work but code kept coming back on. So I was told I needed a cylinder head. I wanted a 2nd opinion so I took it to another dealership and was told I need to replace the engine. So July of 2021 engine…”
“At first, and only on cold/rainy/snowy weather, while driving the radio would randomly turn off and turn itself back on (i have videos of this). Sometimes it would last a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes. While this was happening, the blinker sounds would…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Complaints include unusual noises from new vehicles and sudden loss of power accompanied by warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS systems. This suggests potential engine or drivetrain control issues that could affect drivability.
Issues range from tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warnings leading to tire failure to rodent damage on wiring harnesses. Electrical gremlins can cause intermittent warning messages and system malfunctions, impacting safety and convenience.
Owners report false activations of the collision mitigation system, where the vehicle brakes unexpectedly on open roads, and intermittent warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and road departure mitigation. These issues can be startling and may undermine trust in safety features.
Brake-related complaints include warning messages and potential loss of braking assist, as seen in the engine complaint where the brake system warning appeared. This is a critical safety area that requires immediate attention.
“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.
Chevrolet Cruze Limited
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 (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
Chevrolet Cruze Limited or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
Based on NHTSA data, the Honda Accord has fewer complaints per year (443.8) compared to the Chevrolet Cruze Limited (240.0 per year, but only one year of data). However, the Cruze Limited's complaints are concentrated in a short period, suggesting a higher rate of serious issues. In practice, the Accord may offer more predictable reliability, but both have notable problem areas to check.
Key differences
- The Cruze Limited has a higher complaint rate per year (240.0) than the Accord (443.8), but the Cruze data is only from one year, while the Accord spans ten years.
- Engine issues are the top problem for both, but Cruze owners report more severe outcomes like engine replacement, while Accord owners report noises and power loss.
- The Accord has a significant number of complaints about forward collision avoidance and brakes, which are not prominent in the Cruze Limited.
- The Cruze Limited has no recalls on record, while the Accord has 38 recalls addressing software, fuel pumps, and other components.
- Check for engine codes like P0011 and any history of cylinder head or engine replacement.
- Inspect the trunk for water leaks, especially around the spoiler and tail light areas.
- Test the forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control for false activations or warning messages.
- Check for any brake system warnings and have the braking system inspected for proper function.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full service history and check for any open recalls on the specific VIN.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on engine and electrical systems.
- Test drive both vehicles in various conditions (wet, cold) to see if any intermittent issues arise.
- For the Cruze Limited, ask about any repairs related to engine codes or water leaks.
- For the Accord, verify that all software updates and recalls have been performed, especially for the forward collision system.
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 Chevrolet Cruze Limited or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Cruze Limited vs Honda Accord
- Chevrolet Cruze Limited total complaints
- 240
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Chevrolet Cruze Limited total recalls
- 0
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Chevrolet Cruze Limited avg complaints/year
- 240.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Cruze Limited
- Chevrolet Cruze Limited top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE