Head-to-head reliability
Jaguar XE vs Honda Accord
How the Jaguar XE 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
Jaguar XE vs Honda Accord: The XE has 37 complaints over 5 years (7.4/year) and 9 recalls, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years (452.4/year) and 38 recalls. The XE's issues often involve sudden power loss, whereas the Accord's include engine and collision avoidance problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Jaguar XE or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Jaguar XE
The Jaguar XE is a compact luxury sedan with a low complaint rate—37 over five years—but the pattern shows serious electrical and engine faults that can leave you stranded. Owners report sudden power loss, transmission errors, and rear camera failures, often on low-mileage cars. With 9 recalls and 5 injuries reported, living with an XE means staying on top of recalls and being prepared for unexpected breakdowns.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream family sedan with a huge complaint volume—4,524 over ten years—but that reflects its massive sales. The most common issues involve engine and electrical problems, plus forward collision avoidance glitches that can cause phantom braking. With 38 recalls and 3 deaths reported, it's a popular car with a broad range of reported defects, so a thorough pre-purchase inspection is essential.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Jaguar XE | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 37 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 9 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 4 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 7.4 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 5 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.
Jaguar XE
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
- 02ENGINE11
- 03BACK OVER PREVENTION6
- 04AIR BAGS5
- 05FUEL SYSTEM3
Owners report sudden power loss and unresponsive accelerator pedals while driving, as well as cars that won't start due to transmission-not-in-park errors. These failures can happen at highway speeds, creating a severe safety hazard.
Complaints include check engine lights leading to expensive repairs like new timing chains on low-mileage 2019 models. One owner also reported a serious accident with injuries, though the exact engine role is unclear.
Rearview cameras fail to display, even after recall H535 was performed. This makes reversing dangerous, especially in parking lots where children or obstacles may be unseen.
Air bag warning lights illuminate, and at least one complaint describes a crash with sternum and rib fractures. This suggests the system may not deploy correctly in some situations.
“While driving on the highway at normal operating speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost power, and the accelerator pedal became completely unresponsive, preventing me from maintaining speed or safely exiting the roadway. This created a severe safety hazard, as I w…”
“Purchased 2020 jaguar XE with under 13,000 miles on it 2 years ago now has 23,000 miles on it. Went to leave for work and my car wouldn’t start stating the transmission wasn’t in park and other messages and tried jumping it wouldn’t work. Wouldnt switch gears…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report loss of power at highway speeds with multiple dashboard alarms, plus rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes on hybrids. These issues can leave you unable to maintain speed in traffic.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of power steering and braking at highway speeds, and tire failure shortly after a TPMS warning was supposedly fixed. Such failures can cause near-collisions and loss of control.
Adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems may suddenly brake or fail to respond, even with no obstacles present. This unpredictable behavior can startle drivers and increase crash risk.
Persistent rotten-egg odors and interior trim that traps the driver's foot behind the center panel are reported. These may seem minor but can distract or injure the driver.
“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.
Jaguar XE — 9 recalls
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2017-2018 and 2020 Jaguar XE vehicles that received a replacement rear rail assembly as part of a service repair. Missing spot welds may weaken the structural strength of the rear rail assembly.
The risk: The weakened rear rail assembly may allow the rear bumper beam to detach when the vehicle is being towed or the tow-bar assembly to detach when towing a trailer. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Jaguar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear rail assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 7, 2021. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H349.
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jaguar XF and F-Pace, 2016-2017 Jaguar XJ and 2018 Jaguar XE vehicles. The instrument cluster (IC) may intermittently go blank.
The risk: A blank instrument cluster will not show important information like vehicle speed, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Jaguar will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 19, 2017. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H0…
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2018 Jaguar XE, XF, E-PACE, F-PACE and F-TYPE vehicles equipped with a 2.0L gasoline engine. The fuel rail end caps may leak, possibly resulting in fuel vapor or liquid fuel leaking into the engine bay.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Jaguar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began on March 8, 2018. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H081.
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2017 XE vehicles equipped with a 2.0L diesel engine. The vehicles have a fuel return hose that may leak.
The risk: A diesel fuel leak onto the road surface may cause a skid hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. If the fuel leak contacts a hot engine or exhaust component, there would be an increased risk of a fire.
The fix: Jaguar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel return hose, free of charge. The began May 2, 2017. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H016.
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
Jaguar XE or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Jaguar XE has far fewer complaints per year (7.4 vs. 452.4), but its low volume means each complaint represents a larger share of owners. The Honda Accord's higher count is partly due to its popularity, but the sheer number of engine and electrical issues suggests a wider range of potential problems. In practice, the XE may have fewer overall issues, but when they occur, they tend to be severe and immobilizing.
Key differences
- Jaguar XE complaints often involve sudden power loss and transmission errors that prevent starting, while Honda Accord complaints more often involve engine rattles and hybrid mode transitions.
- Honda Accord has a much higher rate of forward collision avoidance complaints (837) compared to the Jaguar XE's back-over prevention complaints (6), indicating different safety-system concerns.
- The Jaguar XE has 5 injuries and 0 deaths reported, while the Honda Accord has 146 injuries and 3 deaths—though these figures are not adjusted for sales volume.
- Recall subjects differ: the XE has fuel system and structure recalls, while the Accord has hybrid power control and fuel pump recalls, affecting different repair priorities.
- Check for any history of sudden power loss or unresponsive accelerator—test drive at highway speeds and scan for stored electrical fault codes.
- Verify that recall H535 for the rearview camera was performed and that the camera actually works; also check for air bag warning lights.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control systems on a highway drive to ensure they don't phantom brake or fail to engage.
- Listen for engine rattles during acceleration and check for rough transitions between EV and gas modes on hybrid models; also inspect for rotten-egg odors.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls are completed, especially for the Jaguar XE's electrical and fuel system recalls and the Honda Accord's hybrid software updates.
- Have a mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on electrical systems, engine operation, and safety features like cameras and collision avoidance.
- Test drive both vehicles under various conditions—highway, city, and reversing—to replicate reported failure scenarios.
- For the Honda Accord, check for transmission and hybrid battery health if applicable, and verify the spare tire and seat belt retractors are functional.
- For the Jaguar XE, ensure the infotainment and instrument cluster work consistently, and check for any signs of water leaks that could cause electrical issues.
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 | Jaguar XE | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 234 |
| 2020 | 2 | 362 |
| 2019 | 7 | 691 |
| 2018 | 8 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 20 | 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 Jaguar XE or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Jaguar XE vs Honda Accord
- Jaguar XE total complaints
- 37
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Jaguar XE total recalls
- 9
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Jaguar XE avg complaints/year
- 7.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Jaguar XE
- Jaguar XE top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE