Head-to-head reliability
KIA Amanti vs Honda Accord
How the KIA Amanti 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
KIA Amanti vs Honda Accord: The Amanti has 247 complaints over 6 years (41/year) and 4 recalls, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years (452/year) and 38 recalls. The Amanti's issues often involve unintended acceleration and air bag warnings; the Accord's include engine stalling and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the KIA Amanti or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
KIA Amanti
The KIA Amanti is a low-volume sedan with 247 complaints over 6 years, averaging about 41 per year. Owners frequently report unintended acceleration, air bag warning lights, transmission shifting problems, and electrical glitches. These issues can be serious, including crashes and injuries, so a thorough inspection is essential.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume sedan with 4,524 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 452 per year. Common trouble spots include engine problems, electrical failures, forward collision avoidance warnings, and fuel system issues. With many recalls and reports of stalling or braking loss, buyers should check for open recalls and test all systems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | KIA Amanti | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 247 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 22 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 41.2 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 21 Better | 146 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 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.
KIA Amanti
- 01VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL56
- 02AIR BAGS39
- 03POWER TRAIN38
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34
- 05ENGINE24
Owners report sudden unintended acceleration, sometimes while braking, leading to near-misses and crashes. This is a critical safety concern that can happen without warning.
The air bag warning light may stay on, and some owners say their vehicle was not covered by a recall. This could mean the air bag may not deploy in a crash.
Transmission shifting problems and engine stalling at highway speeds are reported. These can cause loss of power and increase crash risk.
Battery drain, sunroof opening by itself, and electronic panel failures are common. These glitches can leave you stranded or distract while driving.
“THE DATE BELOW REFERS TO MOST RECENT EVENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED AROUND 10 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE (2007 KIA AMANTI PURCHASED NEW). IN THE MOST RECENT EVENT I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR FROM RUNNING A RED LIGHT, ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AND NEARLY HAD A…”
“When pulling into a parking spot and with my foot on the break, the car suddenly accelerated. The car did not react to my breaking. The car kept moving forward over a sidewalk, over the curb on the street, into the back end of a pickup parked on the road I wa…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report rattling noises, rough transitions between EV and gas modes, and sudden loss of power with multiple warnings. This can lead to stalling in traffic.
Electronic power steering and braking can fail simultaneously, and tire pressure monitoring issues may lead to tire failure. These are serious safety risks.
The system may activate unexpectedly or fail to warn, even with adaptive cruise control set. This could cause sudden braking or a missed collision warning.
Fuel pump and hybrid management problems are reported, including software issues that may cause stalling. This can leave you without power on the road.
“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.
KIA Amanti — 4 recalls
The defect: HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE…
The risk: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
The defect: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 201…
The risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved…
The fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
The defect: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 201…
The risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved…
The fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
The defect: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 201…
The risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved…
The fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
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
KIA Amanti or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The KIA Amanti has far fewer complaints per year (about 41) than the Honda Accord (about 452), but the Amanti's issues often involve unintended acceleration and air bag failures. The Accord's higher volume means more reported problems overall, but many are addressed through recalls. In practice, the Amanti may have fewer total issues, but the ones it has can be severe.
Key differences
- The KIA Amanti has 247 complaints over 6 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 over 10 years, but the Amanti's rate is much lower.
- Amanti owners report unintended acceleration and air bag warning lights; Accord owners report engine stalling and forward collision avoidance failures.
- The Amanti has 4 recalls, all for brake light switches; the Accord has 38 recalls covering electrical, fuel, and air bag systems.
- The Accord has more crash-related complaints (162 vs 22) and injuries (146 vs 21), but also more vehicles on the road.
- Check for any history of unintended acceleration by test driving at low speeds and braking firmly; ask if the brake light switch recall was performed.
- Inspect the air bag warning light and ensure it turns off after startup; if it stays on, the air bag may not work.
- Test the electronic power steering and brakes at highway speeds; any warning lights or loss of assist is a major red flag.
- Listen for engine rattles and check for rough transitions between EV and gas modes; also verify the forward collision avoidance system works.
Before you buy
- Run a VIN check for open recalls on both vehicles and confirm they were fixed.
- Take a long test drive including highway speeds and parking maneuvers to feel for acceleration or braking issues.
- Have a mechanic inspect the transmission, electrical system, and air bag components.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for oil changes and any transmission or engine repairs.
- Check tire condition and age, as the Accord has a spare tire recall and tire-related complaints.
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 KIA Amanti or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- KIA Amanti vs Honda Accord
- KIA Amanti total complaints
- 247
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- KIA Amanti total recalls
- 4
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- KIA Amanti avg complaints/year
- 41.2
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- KIA Amanti
- KIA Amanti top complaint area
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE