Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Cruze vs Honda Accord
How the Chevrolet Cruze 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 vs Honda Accord: The Cruze averages 371.7 complaints per year with 44 recalls, while the Accord averages 443.8 with 38 recalls. Cruze owners report engine oil leaks and electrical glitches; Accord owners face forward collision system issues and tire failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Cruze or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze, a compact sedan, shows a high complaint rate averaging 371.7 per year over the past decade. Owners frequently report engine issues, including oil leaks and misfires, as well as electrical problems like frozen infotainment screens and water intrusion from disconnected HVAC drains. These issues suggest that while the car may be economical, it demands attention to recurring mechanical and electronic gremlins.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a midsize sedan, has a slightly higher complaint rate at 443.8 per year, but its issues are more varied, including engine alarms, electrical failures, and a significant number of complaints about forward collision avoidance systems. Owners also report problems like tire failures and sunroof explosions, indicating a mix of safety-related and quality concerns. Despite its reputation, the Accord shows that modern complexity brings its own set of challenges.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Cruze | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,717 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 44 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 292 | 160 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 371.7 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 200 | 144 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 3 | 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
- 01ENGINE1,258
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM758
- 03POWER TRAIN676
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER468
- 05SERVICE BRAKES382
Owners report significant oil leaks at the front of the engine and engine misfires with warnings for Stabilitrak, ABS, and P0300. These issues can lead to performance problems and potential safety hazards if not addressed.
The infotainment touchscreen often freezes with an error screen, and there are cases of HVAC condensate drains disconnecting, causing water to leak into the passenger compartment. These electrical gremlins can be frustrating and may require dealer intervention.
Complaints include a musty smell inside the car, likely from water intrusion, and transmission-related issues that were part of a recall. Owners have reported taking their vehicles in for power train recalls, indicating potential reliability concerns.
“For a year I have had my car to the shop multiple times due to a musty smell inside my car. I have never been able to find any fluids or moisture inside the car, however, the inside of my windshield tends to get a weird film on it, I am constantly cleaning to…”
“Purchased new in 2019 – 32k miles - Oil changes every 6 months. Lightly driven, no modifications, all original engine components and tune. Engine developed a significant miss. Several warnings on Stabilitrak, ABS, and P0300. Significant oil leak at front of e…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report sudden alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure, along with loss of speed at highway speeds. These symptoms suggest possible engine or electronic control issues that could be dangerous.
There are reports of tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warnings followed by catastrophic tire failure, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses. Electrical issues can lead to unexpected failures and costly repairs.
Many owners report problems with adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams, with messages appearing intermittently. These systems may malfunction, reducing driver assistance features and potentially increasing collision risk.
“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 — 44 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th…
The risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increa…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267,…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insu…
The risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrole…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th…
The risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increa…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267,…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insu…
The risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrole…
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 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Cruze has fewer complaints per year (371.7) compared to the Honda Accord (443.8), but the Cruze's issues are more concentrated in engine and electrical problems. In practice, the Accord's higher rate is offset by its broader range of issues, but both vehicles show significant reliability concerns that buyers should investigate.
Key differences
- The Cruze has more engine-related complaints (1258) than the Accord (985), but the Accord has more forward collision avoidance complaints (821) than the Cruze (0).
- The Cruze has more recalls (44) than the Accord (38), but the Accord has more crash-related complaints (160) than the Cruze (292).
- Owners of the Cruze report water intrusion and musty smells, while Accord owners report sunroof explosions and tire failures.
- The Accord's complaints are spread across more categories, while the Cruze's are heavily concentrated in engine and electrical.
- Inspect for oil leaks around the front engine cover and check for any engine misfire codes (P0300).
- Test the infotainment system for freezing and check under carpets for signs of water damage from HVAC drains.
- Check for any warning lights related to forward collision avoidance and test the adaptive cruise control if possible.
- Inspect the wiring harness for rodent damage and verify the condition of the tires, especially after TPMS warnings.
Before you buy
- Have a mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on engine and electrical systems.
- Check for open recalls on both vehicles and ensure they have been addressed.
- Test all driver assistance features on the Accord, including adaptive cruise and lane keeping.
- Look for signs of water intrusion in the Cruze, such as musty odors or damp carpets.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any repeated repairs related to the common issues.
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 | Chevrolet Cruze | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 21 | 677 |
| 2018 | 109 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 201 | 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 Chevrolet Cruze or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Cruze vs Honda Accord
- Chevrolet Cruze total complaints
- 3,717
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Chevrolet Cruze total recalls
- 44
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Chevrolet Cruze avg complaints/year
- 371.7
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Cruze
- Chevrolet Cruze top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE