Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Impala vs Honda Accord
How the Chevrolet Impala 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 Impala vs Honda Accord: The Impala averages 230 complaints per year with 23 recalls, while the Accord averages 452.4 complaints and 38 recalls. Both have reported serious steering, electrical, and engine issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Impala or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size sedan that averages 230 complaints per year over the past decade, with 23 recalls. Owners frequently report electrical glitches, steering assist failures, and engine issues that can cause sudden power loss or difficulty steering. While it has zero reported deaths in the data, the 97 injuries and 112 crash-related complaints suggest these problems can contribute to dangerous situations.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a midsize sedan with a much higher complaint rate—452.4 per year—and 38 recalls over the same period. Complaints often involve engine and electrical failures, including simultaneous loss of power steering and braking, as well as forward collision avoidance malfunctions. The data shows 3 deaths and 146 injuries, indicating that some reported issues have been linked to severe outcomes.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Impala | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,300 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 23 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 112 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 230.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 97 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.
Chevrolet Impala
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM590
- 02ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)430
- 03STEERING341
- 04ENGINE322
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER295
Owners report the check engine light coming on, followed by complete power loss and the car turning off while driving, as well as steering assist failing, making the car hard to control. These electrical faults can leave you stranded or unable to steer safely.
Complaints describe the steering wheel randomly locking up or the vehicle feeling like it has a mind of its own, forcing the driver to go straight on a curve. This loss of steering control is a serious safety concern.
Some owners report the parking brake releasing on its own and transmission cooler lines bursting, leading to leaks and potential loss of power. These engine-related failures can cause unexpected breakdowns and costly repairs.
With 430 complaints, ESC issues may contribute to loss of vehicle stability, though specific owner descriptions are not provided. Buyers should be aware that stability control problems can affect handling in emergency maneuvers.
“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON, CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND TURNED OFF DURING AS I TURNED RIGHT AT A LIGHT, HAD ONSTAR RUN DIAGNOSTICS, CODE INVOLVED THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM, WAS ADVISED TO FILL UP WITH HIGH QUALITY FUEL, AND DRIVE WITH THE GAS CAP OFF TO…”
“As I was driving home from my place of employment which is exactly 30 miles from where I live my Steering Assist went out and it was very hard to steer and to even stay in the lane which I was driving I managed to get the car home and did an under carriage in…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure, followed by the vehicle losing speed and being unable to accelerate. Others note rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes, indicating potential hybrid system problems.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking systems at highway speeds, causing a near-collision, and TPMS warnings followed by catastrophic tire failure. These electrical faults can lead to sudden loss of control.
Owners describe the system failing to resolve threats, with incidents occurring under similar conditions, such as adaptive cruise control suddenly braking or not responding. This undermines a key safety feature meant to prevent crashes.
With 602 complaints, fuel system issues may include fuel pump failures or delivery problems, though specific owner reports are not detailed. These can cause stalling or difficulty starting, affecting reliability.
“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.
Chevrolet Impala — 23 recalls
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 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: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain…
The risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, a…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors custom…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured November 15, 2012, to May 30, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic parking brake piston actuation arm may not fully retract causing the brake pads to stay partially engaged. Thus, these veh…
The risk: Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the electronic parking brake control module with new software, free of charge. The recall began March 5, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). G…
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
Chevrolet Impala or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Impala has fewer issues per year (230 vs. 452.4) and fewer recalls (23 vs. 38) than the Honda Accord. In practice, this means Impala owners may experience fewer trips to the dealer for repairs, but both vehicles have reported serious safety-related failures that require attention.
Key differences
- The Honda Accord has nearly double the annual complaint rate of the Chevrolet Impala (452.4 vs. 230), with more than twice as many recalls (38 vs. 23).
- Honda Accord owners report simultaneous power steering and braking failures, while Impala owners report steering lock-up and power loss separately.
- The Accord has 3 reported deaths and 146 injuries in the data, compared to 0 deaths and 97 injuries for the Impala.
- Forward collision avoidance is a top complaint area for the Accord (837 complaints), but not for the Impala, indicating different safety system concerns.
- During a test drive, check for any hesitation or sudden loss of power, and listen for unusual noises from the engine or transmission, as owners report power loss and transmission cooler line bursts.
- Test the steering at low and high speeds for any locking or resistance, and ask if the steering assist has ever failed, since multiple complaints describe hard steering and wheel lock-up.
- Test all electronic safety systems, including forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control, and check for any warning lights on the dashboard, as owners report failures and false alarms.
- Listen for rattling noises during acceleration and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes if it's a hybrid, and ask about any history of brake or ABS warnings.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on the NHTSA website using the VIN.
- Have a mechanic inspect the electrical system, steering components, and brakes, focusing on the specific failure areas reported for each model.
- During a test drive, deliberately test the steering, brakes, and any advanced safety features like forward collision avoidance or adaptive cruise control.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for transmission, fuel system, and hybrid components if applicable.
- Scan for stored diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) even if no warning lights are on, as some issues may be intermittent.
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 Impala | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 15 | 362 |
| 2019 | 28 | 691 |
| 2018 | 59 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 116 | 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 Chevrolet Impala or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
No VIN yet? Ask the seller.
A genuine seller should be happy to share it. Send this, then paste the VIN into the box above when it comes back.
Going to see one?
Get the Chevrolet Impala inspection checklist by email, so you know what to look for when you're standing next to it.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Impala vs Honda Accord
- Chevrolet Impala total complaints
- 2,300
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Chevrolet Impala total recalls
- 23
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Chevrolet Impala avg complaints/year
- 230.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Impala
- Chevrolet Impala top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE