Head-to-head reliability
Honda FIT vs Toyota Camry
How the Honda FIT and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Honda Fit vs Toyota Camry: The Fit averages 113.3 complaints per year, while the Camry averages 214.3. The Fit has more recalls (51) but fewer crash-related complaints (59 vs 181). Owners report electrical display failures on the Fit and transmission/brake issues on the Camry. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda FIT or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda FIT
The Honda Fit is a subcompact hatchback that, in ownership terms, is known for practicality and fuel efficiency, but the complaint data reveals a pattern of electrical gremlins and airbag-related issues. Owners report intermittent failures of the digital display cluster, which can obscure critical information like fuel level and speed, and there are concerns about airbag deployment in crashes and recall repair delays. The fuel and engine complaints also point to potential drivability problems, such as loss of power and misfires, which could be unsettling for a first-time buyer.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan with a reputation for reliability, but the complaint data shows a higher volume of issues, particularly with the powertrain and brakes. Owners describe transmission grinding and replacement needs, as well as scary incidents of sudden acceleration and brake failure, which are serious safety concerns. There are also numerous reports of engine-related problems, including a specific coolant valve issue, and a pervasive HVAC odor that affects comfort. Despite the higher complaint count, the Camry has fewer recalls, but the nature of the reported issues is more severe.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda FIT | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,133 Better | 2,143 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 51 | 31 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 59 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 113.3 Better | 214.3 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 60 Better | 163 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
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.
Honda FIT
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM311
- 02AIR BAGS225
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM145
- 04ENGINE139
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER130
Owners report the digital display (showing fuel, odometer, oil life) intermittently goes blank or garbled, especially in cold weather, which can leave the driver without critical information. This is the most common complaint area.
There are reports of airbags not deploying in a crash, and a recall for the occupant classification sensor (NHTSA 24V064000) where parts were unavailable, leaving owners with an unrepaired safety defect.
Some owners experience the engine light, steering light, and tire light coming on, with the car juddering and losing power at highway speeds, which could be dangerous if it happens in traffic.
There are reports of engine misfires, such as a cylinder 2 misfire (DTC P0302) caused by carbon buildup, leading to rough idle and potential performance issues.
“The dealership changed the oil on my 2020 Honda Fit, and the Oil Life display was reset to 100%, on 1/8/24. Two days later the LCD panel, which shows the fuel gauge, odometer, remaining range, oil life, etc. began to intermittently go blank or become garbled…”
“DIGITAL DISPLAY (MILEAGE, OIL LEVEL, FUEL GAUGE, ETC) FAILS WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ON DURING COLD WEATHER. IT REMAINS BACKLIT, BUT ALL TEXT DISAPPEARS. TYPICALLY, THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON EITHER HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS. THIS MEANS AS A DRIVER I'M UNABLE TO…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN395
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER342
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM246
Owners report grinding noises from the front end upon acceleration, with dealers confirming transmission issues that require replacement. Some mention recalls for the same issue, but parts may be on backorder.
There are reports of sudden unintended acceleration, which is a critical safety issue, and a specific code (P268115) related to a coolant valve bypass that may not be covered by a recall for all VINs.
Some owners describe a complete loss of brake response when pressing the pedal, which is extremely dangerous. Others report issues with braking in parking lots, possibly related to the brake assist or ABS.
While less frequent than other issues, there are electrical problems that could affect various systems, but the sample complaints focus on the HVAC odor, which is more of a comfort issue.
“I turned into a restaurant’s parking lot, found a spot and slowly drove into the lot, I eased off the gas pedal and gently applying the brake as the lot has a slight downward slope. When I reach the chunk (the parking block), I added more force to the brake,…”
“Grinding noise coming from front end upon acceleration. Brought to dealership who confirmed noises coming from transmission. Transmission needs to be replaced per dealer recommendation. Recalls on 2021 Toyota Camry for same issue. Transmissions on backorder a…”
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.
Honda FIT — 51 recalls
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…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is 6DW. This recall has…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles that were previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 23V-046. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit.…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are TIQ and DIR. Vehicles previou…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Honda FIT or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Honda Fit has fewer complaints per year (113.3 vs 214.3) and fewer recalls (51 vs 31, but note the Fit has more recalls per year). However, the Camry's issues are more severe, including sudden acceleration and brake failure. In practice, the Fit may have more annoying electrical glitches, but the Camry's potential safety-critical failures are more concerning.
Key differences
- The Fit's most common issue is electrical display failures, while the Camry's is powertrain problems.
- The Camry has reports of sudden acceleration and brake failure, which are safety-critical, whereas the Fit's airbag issues are related to non-deployment and recall delays.
- The Fit has more recalls (51) than the Camry (31), but the Camry has more complaints overall.
- The Fit's engine issues include misfires from carbon buildup, while the Camry's include a specific coolant valve problem.
- Check the digital display for intermittent blanking or garbled text, especially in cold weather.
- Verify that any airbag recalls (like 24V064000) have been completed, as parts may have been unavailable.
- Listen for grinding noises from the transmission during acceleration, which could indicate a need for replacement.
- Test the brakes thoroughly, including on a slope, to ensure there is no loss of response.
Before you buy
- For the Honda Fit: test the digital display in cold conditions if possible, and confirm all recalls are done.
- For the Toyota Camry: have a mechanic inspect the transmission and brakes, and check for any pending recalls.
- Ask for service records to see if the Fit has had electrical repairs or the Camry has had transmission work.
- Take both on a test drive that includes highway speeds to feel for juddering or loss of power.
- Check the NHTSA website for any open recalls on the specific VINs you're considering.
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 | Honda FIT | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 36 | 270 |
| 2019 | 136 | 393 |
| 2018 | 116 | 736 |
| 2017 | 42 | 148 |
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 Honda FIT or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda FIT vs Toyota Camry
- Honda FIT total complaints
- 1,133
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,143
- Honda FIT total recalls
- 51
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Honda FIT avg complaints/year
- 113.3
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 214.3
- More reliable overall
- Honda FIT
- Honda FIT top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN