Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti G20 vs Honda Accord
How the Infiniti G20 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
Infiniti G20 vs Honda Accord: the G20 logged 24 complaints over 3 years (about 8 per year) with 0 recalls, while the Accord logged 4,524 over 10 years (about 452 per year) with 38 recalls and 162 crash-related complaints. The G20's issues are smaller; the Accord's include power loss and electronics faults. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti G20 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti G20
The Infiniti G20 is a small, older luxury sedan with a light complaint load: 24 complaints over 3 years, about 8 per year, and no recalls on record. The pattern is mostly nuisance-and-wear items rather than catastrophic failures — a persistent sulfur/rotten-egg exhaust smell, airbag sensor faults, and brake noise or premature brake wear. With only 3 crash-related complaints and 2 injuries reported, it reads as a car where the main ownership cost is chasing small, recurring faults rather than facing large safety campaigns.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume vehicle with a correspondingly large complaint record: 4,524 complaints over 10 years, roughly 452 per year, plus 38 recalls, 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries and 3 deaths. The reported failures are more serious and more varied — engine and hybrid power loss, electronic power steering and braking lockups, forward collision avoidance misfires, and fuel pump and electrical recalls. Living with one means checking recall status carefully and being alert to electronics and hybrid-system faults, not just routine maintenance.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti G20 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 24 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 8.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 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.
Infiniti G20
- 01ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING6
- 02AIR BAGS4
- 03SERVICE BRAKES3
- 04POWER TRAIN2
- 05VISIBILITY2
Owners repeatedly describe a sulfur or rotten-egg smell from the exhaust that dealers struggled to fix, sometimes resolving only after parts burned off. It is unpleasant and can point to exhaust or emissions work, so budget for diagnosis.
The passenger-side airbag warning light flashes, traced to a faulty airbag sensor, often right after warranty expiry around 60,000 miles. A flashing airbag light means the system may not deploy correctly, so this needs fixing, not ignoring.
Reports include screeching when braking, glazed front rotors, cracked front pads and grooved rotors, plus one account of front and rear brakes failing. Brake condition is a direct safety item and should be inspected before purchase.
One owner reported the engine revving unexpectedly while braking in reverse, moving only a few feet. Unexpected revving or lurching suggests transmission or throttle control issues worth a test drive and scan.
“SULPHER SMELL INSIDE CAR: THE DEALER TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT. EVENTUALLY THE SMELL WENT AWAY BY ITSELF, OR WHAT EVER SMELLED LIKE SULPHUR WHILE IT WAS BURNING FINALLY BURNT UP.*AK HERE IS A LIST OF OTHER REPAIRS THE DEALER HAS MADE: NEW ALTINAT…”
“CONSUMER STATES FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A ROTTEN EGG/SULFUR SMELL COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 3 TIMES TO TRY AND GET THE PROBLEM RESOLVED, CONSUMER HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE…”
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 while at highway speed, with the vehicle losing speed, plus rattling under acceleration and rough EV-to-gas transitions on hybrids. Sudden power loss at speed is the kind of fault a buyer should take seriously.
Complaints describe electronic power steering and braking failing and locking up simultaneously at highway speed, and a tire failing shortly after a TPMS repair. Electronics-related loss of steering or braking assist is a high-risk pattern to check.
Owners report the system activating or misbehaving under adaptive cruise control at highway speeds, in repeatable conditions on the same route. Unwanted braking or intervention is a real driving hazard, so verify software and recall status.
Fuel pump delivery is a recall subject, and owners report persistent sulfur-like odors even after paid filter and odor treatment. A fuel pump recall plus lingering smells means confirming the recall was performed and the smell is resolved.
“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.
Infiniti G20
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 (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
Infiniti G20 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Infiniti G20 has far fewer complaints per year, about 8 versus roughly 452 for the Accord, and no recalls versus 38. In practice the G20's issues are smaller and more annoying, while the Accord's record includes power loss, steering and braking electronics faults, and multiple recall campaigns — so the Accord demands more recall homework and inspection.
Key differences
- Complaint volume: about 8 per year for the G20 versus roughly 452 per year for the Accord, a difference of orders of magnitude.
- Recalls: the G20 has none on record; the Accord has 38, including hybrid power control software, fuel pump, seat belt retractor and occupant classification sensor campaigns.
- Failure severity: G20 reports center on sulfur exhaust smell, airbag sensor lights and brake noise; Accord reports include highway speed loss, steering and braking lockup, and unwanted forward collision braking.
- Crash and injury counts: the G20 shows 3 crash-related complaints and 2 injuries; the Accord shows 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries and 3 deaths.
- Check the passenger-side airbag warning light at startup and ask whether the airbag sensor has been replaced; a flashing light after 60,000 miles is a known complaint.
- Inspect front rotors and pads for glazing, cracking or grooves, and listen for screeching on a test drive; also watch for unexpected engine revving when shifting into reverse.
- Confirm every recall was completed, especially hybrid power control unit software, fuel pump, rear seat belt retractor and front passenger occupant classification sensor.
- Test the electronic power steering, braking assist and forward collision/adaptive cruise systems at highway speed if possible, and check for rattling on acceleration or rough EV-to-gas transitions on hybrids.
Before you buy
- Pull the full NHTSA recall list by VIN for the specific Accord and confirm each campaign was performed.
- On the G20, scan for airbag and emissions codes and verify the sulfur exhaust smell is gone after a warm-up drive.
- Road-test the Accord at highway speed to check for warning-light clusters, power loss, and unwanted forward collision braking.
- Inspect brakes on both cars — rotor condition and pad wear — since both have brake-related complaints.
- Ask for service records showing prior fixes for the exact symptoms reported, and budget for a pre-purchase inspection by an independent shop.
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 Infiniti G20 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti G20 vs Honda Accord
- Infiniti G20 total complaints
- 24
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Infiniti G20 total recalls
- 0
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Infiniti G20 avg complaints/year
- 8.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti G20
- Infiniti G20 top complaint area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE