Head-to-head reliability
Isuzu Trooper vs Honda Accord
How the Isuzu Trooper 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
Isuzu Trooper vs Honda Accord: the Trooper logged about 30 complaints per year over three years with 3 recalls, while the Accord logged roughly 452 per year over ten years with 38 recalls. The Trooper's complaints center on engine, transmission, and unwanted acceleration; the Accord's on engine, electrical, and driver-assist faults. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Isuzu Trooper or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Isuzu Trooper
The Isuzu Trooper is a low-volume older SUV, and its complaint record reflects that: about 30 complaints per year over the three years covered, with 3 recalls. The pattern is dominated by engine and engine cooling issues, followed by power train and vehicle speed control, and several owners describe sudden unintended acceleration or transmissions that fail with warning lights on. For a buyer, this reads as a vehicle where drivetrain and throttle faults are the recurring theme, and where parts and diagnosis may be harder to sort out than on a mainstream car.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume vehicle, and its complaint count is correspondingly large: roughly 452 complaints per year over ten years, with 38 recalls. The reported pattern leans on engine and electrical system faults, plus a notable cluster of forward collision avoidance complaints, and several owners describe warning-light cascades, loss of speed, and steering or braking assist problems. For a buyer, this means the Accord has far more reported issues in total, but many are concentrated in newer, electronics-heavy models rather than basic mechanical wear.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Isuzu Trooper | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 90 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 8 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 30.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 8 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.
Isuzu Trooper
- 01ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING35
- 02POWER TRAIN17
- 03VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL11
- 04SERVICE BRAKES9
- 05FUEL SYSTEM9
Owners report excessive oil consumption with no visible leak, a persistent check engine light, and one account of the vehicle lurching rapidly in reverse after ignition. These are the most frequent complaints, so a buyer should expect to check oil level and warning lights carefully.
Complaints describe transmission and engine warning lights coming on before a breakdown, and one owner had the vehicle towed to a dealer. Transmission health is a real question mark on this SUV.
Owners report the engine revving at a stop and the truck trying to lunge forward, with one saying it reached 35 mph without the accelerator pressed. Unwanted acceleration is the kind of fault that affects how confidently you can drive the vehicle.
One complaint describes extreme engine heat entering the interior while shifting into drive, and another pairs brake concerns with a faulty transmission accumulator and bad U-joint. Brake and heat-related faults are worth a hands-on inspection.
“MY SUV , ISUZU TROOPER OF 10YEARS, WAS PARKED IN A LIBRARY PARKING GARAGE AND AFTER IGNITION TURNED ON, I PUT IT IN REVERSE GEAR TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND THE CAR RAPIDLY REVERSED AND BEFORE I COULD FIGURE OUT AND REACT, THE CAR SHOT LIKE A ROCKET TOW…”
“WE HAVE HAD TO ADD 1-2 QTS OF OIL EVERY COUPLE THOUSAND MILES ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT SEE AN OIL LEAK (NO MARKS ON THE DRIVEWAY) MECHANIC COULD FIND NO OIL LEAK OR PROBLEM OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON,AND MECHANIC SAID WE NEEDED EMISSIONS SENSOR REPLACED. W…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report warning-light cascades for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure along with loss of speed, plus rattling under acceleration and rough transitions between EV and gas mode on hybrids. These suggest engine and hybrid control faults that can strand a driver.
Complaints include simultaneous failure and lock-up of electronic power steering and braking at highway speed, and a tire failure shortly after a TPMS repair. Electrical faults here can affect steering, braking, and tire monitoring at once.
Owners describe repeated unintended behavior under adaptive cruise control at highway speed, on the same route and in the same conditions a year apart. Driver-assist faults like these matter because they intervene when you least expect it.
Complaints include a persistent sulfur-like odor that survived a paid filter replacement and odor treatment. Odor and fuel-system issues are less dramatic but point to diagnosis that can be hard to resolve.
“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.
Isuzu Trooper — 3 recalls
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BUILT WITH TOD (TORQUE-ON-DEMAND). IN CERTAIN HIGH SPEED, FRONTAL CRASHES, MOVEMENT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR FUEL LEAKAGE.
The risk: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, REINFORCED FUEL HOSE ASSEMBLY. NOTE: THE FUEL LEAKAGE ISSUE IN THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ONE ADDRESSED IN THEIR PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN 00V-253.
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BUILT WITH TOD (TORQUE-ON-DEMAND). IN CERTAIN HIGH SPEED, FRONTAL CRASHES, MOVEMENT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR FUEL LEAKAGE.
The risk: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, REINFORCED FUEL HOSE ASSEMBLY. NOTE: THE FUEL LEAKAGE ISSUE IN THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ONE ADDRESSED IN THEIR PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN 00V-253.
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BUILT WITH TOD (TORQUE-ON-DEMAND). IN CERTAIN HIGH SPEED FRONTAL CRASHES, AN INTERIOR FUEL LINE AND FUEL HOSE CAN BE SEPARATED, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK.
The risk: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL FUEL SYSTEM SHIELDS.
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
Isuzu Trooper or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Isuzu Trooper has far fewer complaints per year, about 30 versus roughly 452 for the Honda Accord, but the Trooper's complaints cluster around engine, transmission, and unwanted acceleration faults. The Accord's much larger count reflects its far higher sales volume and a heavy concentration of electronics and driver-assist complaints. In practice, the Trooper is the simpler but older and quirkier vehicle, while the Accord offers more modern systems with more reported electronic failure modes.
Key differences
- Complaint volume is very different: about 30 per year for the Trooper versus roughly 452 per year for the Accord, though the Accord sells in far greater numbers.
- The Trooper's top complaints are engine, power train, and vehicle speed control, including reports of unwanted acceleration and transmission breakdowns.
- The Accord's top complaints are engine and electrical system, with a large forward collision avoidance cluster and reports of steering and braking assist failure.
- The Trooper has 3 recalls over three years; the Accord has 38 recalls over ten years, covering hybrid control software, fuel pump, seat belts, air bags, and spare tires.
- Check for excessive oil consumption and a persistent check engine light, since owners report adding oil every couple thousand miles with no visible leak.
- Test the transmission and throttle carefully: look for warning lights before a breakdown and any revving or lunge at a stop.
- Watch for cascading warning lights for brake, ABS, hill descent, and critical failure, and confirm electronic power steering and braking behave normally at highway speed.
- Test adaptive cruise control and forward collision avoidance on a highway drive, since owners report repeated unintended behavior under those systems.
Before you buy
- Pull a full history of recalls and confirm which ones were completed on the specific vehicle.
- Have a mechanic scan for stored engine and transmission codes and check oil consumption on the Trooper.
- On the Accord, test electronic power steering, braking, and driver-assist features at highway speed before buying.
- Ask for service records showing transmission, brake, and fuel-system work, and verify any recent TPMS or tire repairs.
- Take a longer test drive that includes stops, highway speeds, and reverse gear to reproduce the reported symptoms.
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 Isuzu Trooper 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 Isuzu Trooper inspection checklist by email, so you know what to look for when you're standing next to it.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Isuzu Trooper vs Honda Accord
- Isuzu Trooper total complaints
- 90
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Isuzu Trooper total recalls
- 3
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Isuzu Trooper avg complaints/year
- 30.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Isuzu Trooper
- Isuzu Trooper top complaint area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE