Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai NEXO vs Honda Accord
How the Hyundai NEXO 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
Hyundai NEXO vs Honda Accord: The NEXO has 19 complaints over 8 years (2.4/year) and 13 recalls, while the Accord has 4,438 complaints over 10 years (443.8/year) and 38 recalls. NEXO complaints often involve sudden power loss; Accord complaints include engine and electrical issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai NEXO or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai NEXO
The Hyundai NEXO is a hydrogen fuel cell SUV that has been sold for 8 years with only 19 owner complaints, averaging 2.4 per year. However, the complaints that do exist describe serious drivability problems, especially sudden power loss and accelerator pedal failure, often linked to the fuel cell stack. There are also 13 recalls, many for fuel tank pressure relief devices, and owners report difficulty getting repairs due to limited service infrastructure. For a buyer, this means low complaint volume but potentially severe, hard-to-fix issues that can make the vehicle feel unreliable.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream sedan with 4,438 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 444 per year, plus 38 recalls. The most common problem areas are the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with owners reporting issues like loss of power, warning lights, and automatic braking failures. There are also 160 crash-related complaints, 144 injuries, and 3 deaths reported, which is a much higher safety-related complaint volume than the NEXO. For a buyer, this suggests a widely used vehicle with many reported problems, but also a large support network and more data to evaluate specific issues.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai NEXO | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 19 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 13 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.4 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Hyundai NEXO
- 01FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM10
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
- 03ENGINE4
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE3
Owners report sudden power loss while driving, especially when overtaking or going uphill, often diagnosed as a fuel cell stack issue. This can leave you unable to maintain speed or accelerate, which is dangerous on highways.
Complaints describe the car failing to respond to the accelerator pedal and unexpected power loss, again tied to the fuel cell stack. This means the vehicle may not accelerate when you need it, such as merging or climbing a hill.
Owners report that the automatic braking system does not engage to avoid collisions, and hydrogen sensors may malfunction. There are also complaints about recall repairs not being available, leaving safety defects unresolved.
Some owners say the car does not automatically brake for obstacles, and they have tested it by driving toward objects without the system intervening. This undermines a key safety feature that buyers may expect to work.
“Hyundai sells Nexo Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles with known Fuel Cell stack issues, leading to severe safety issues from sudden power loss when driving, especially when overtaking and driving on highways and/or uphill. The power loss issue was diagnosed to orig…”
“PLEASE SEE ATTACH FOR DETAILS 1. Component or System Involved The Fuel Cell System and Accelerator Pedal Control System are suspected to have malfunctioned. The issue is characterized by the vehicle's failure to respond to input from the accelerator pedal, pa…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report noises, loss of power, and multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS, critical failure) appearing while driving. In some cases, the vehicle loses speed and cannot accelerate, which can be dangerous in traffic.
Complaints include tire pressure monitoring system failures leading to tire blowouts, rodent damage to wiring, and sunroof glass exploding. These issues can cause sudden loss of control or unexpected repairs.
Owners report that adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic braking systems show intermittent error messages and may fail to intervene. This means the car's advanced safety features may not work when needed.
There are 592 complaints about service brakes, often tied to ABS or traction control module failures. Owners may experience reduced braking performance or warning lights, requiring costly repairs.
“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.
Hyundai NEXO — 13 recalls
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Nexo vehicles. The thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) may break and cause a hydrogen gas leak, which can result in a fire while parked.
The risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the TPRD, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 8, 202…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Nexo vehicles. The thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) may break and cause a hydrogen gas leak, which can result in a fire while parked.
The risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the TPRD, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 8, 202…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Nexo vehicles. The thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) may break and cause a hydrogen gas leak, which can result in a fire while parked.
The risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the TPRD, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 8, 202…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Nexo vehicles. The thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) may break and cause a hydrogen gas leak, which can result in a fire while parked.
The risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the TPRD, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 8, 202…
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
Hyundai NEXO or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Hyundai NEXO has far fewer complaints per year (2.4 vs. 443.8), but its complaints often describe severe, sudden power loss and non-functioning safety systems. The Honda Accord has many more complaints, but they are spread across a larger population and include a wider range of issues, some of which are less severe. In practice, the NEXO may have fewer problems overall, but when they occur, they can be more debilitating due to limited repair options.
Key differences
- The NEXO has only 19 complaints over 8 years, while the Accord has 4,438 over 10 years, but the NEXO's complaints often involve sudden power loss and fuel cell stack failures.
- The Accord has 160 crash-related complaints, 144 injuries, and 3 deaths reported, whereas the NEXO has 0 in each category, though this may reflect lower sales volume.
- NEXO recalls focus on fuel tank pressure relief devices, while Accord recalls cover electrical, brake, airbag, and fuel pump systems, indicating different safety priorities.
- NEXO owners report difficulty getting recall repairs done, while Accord owners report a wide range of issues including engine noise, electrical glitches, and automatic braking failures.
- Check for any history of sudden power loss or accelerator pedal non-response, especially during test drives on hills or highways.
- Verify that all recalls, particularly those for fuel tank pressure relief devices, have been completed and that parts are available.
- Listen for engine noises and check for warning lights related to brakes, ABS, or hill descent systems during a test drive.
- Inspect tires for uneven wear or damage, and confirm that any TPMS-related recalls or repairs have been addressed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls are closed for the specific VIN.
- For the NEXO, test drive on varied terrain including hills and highways to check for power loss.
- For the Accord, test all advanced safety features (adaptive cruise, lane keeping, automatic braking) and check for error messages.
- Have a mechanic inspect the fuel cell system (NEXO) or engine and electrical systems (Accord) for signs of the reported issues.
- Ask the seller for any repair records and check if the vehicle has been diagnosed with the common problems described in complaints.
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 | Hyundai NEXO | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 5 |
| 2025 | 0 | 101 |
| 2024 | 0 | 214 |
| 2023 | 6 | 224 |
| 2022 | 1 | 238 |
| 2021 | 2 | 226 |
| 2020 | 7 | 355 |
| 2019 | 3 | 677 |
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 Hyundai NEXO or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai NEXO vs Honda Accord
- Hyundai NEXO total complaints
- 19
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Hyundai NEXO total recalls
- 13
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Hyundai NEXO avg complaints/year
- 2.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai NEXO
- Hyundai NEXO top complaint area
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE