Head-to-head reliability
Lexus NX vs Honda Accord
How the Lexus NX 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
Lexus NX vs Honda Accord: The NX averages about 30.5 complaints per year with 15 recalls, while the Accord averages about 452.4 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The Accord also shows 162 crash-related complaints and 3 deaths, versus 38 and 0 for the NX. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus NX or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus NX
The Lexus NX is a compact luxury SUV with a relatively low complaint volume: about 30.5 per year over a decade, plus 15 recalls. Owners often report electrical glitches that can trigger multiple warning lights and affect power brakes or starting, along with structural annoyances like a misaligned fuel door. There are 38 crash-related complaints and 30 injuries but no deaths in the data, suggesting that while some failures are serious, they are less frequent than in the Accord.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream midsize sedan with a much higher complaint rate: about 452 per year, 38 recalls, and 162 crash-related complaints including 3 deaths. The most common trouble spots are the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with owners describing loss of power, warning-light storms, and unexpected braking. This volume of reports means a used Accord buyer should expect to see more documented problems and should budget for potential repairs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus NX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 305 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 15 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 38 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 30.5 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 30 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.
Lexus NX
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM97
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER64
- 03STRUCTURE37
- 04SERVICE BRAKES21
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE21
Owners report that all warning lights can illuminate at once, sometimes followed by loss of air conditioning and power brakes, or a car that won't start and locks the driver inside. These failures can strand you or reduce braking assist, so a pre-purchase electrical check is wise.
Complaints include a fuel door that won't open due to misalignment, even after dealer repairs. This is a minor but persistent annoyance that can affect refueling and suggests fit-and-finish issues.
One owner expressed deep disappointment with brake service on a 2021 NX 300, though the excerpt is cut off. Brake complaints are fewer than electrical ones, but any brake issue is safety-critical and should be inspected.
This system appears in the top five complaint areas, though no sample text is provided. Buyers should verify that automatic emergency braking and related features function correctly, as faults could reduce crash protection.
“While driving our Lexus on 8/13/2023 on the interstate under normal driving conditions ALL of our warning lights came on one after another. We also lost air conditioning and power brakes it seemed. We immediately exited and pulled over. Opened the hood and th…”
“The electrical system failed. It operates just about all the systems including items that are normally operated manually. My wife entered the car and pressed the start button and the car would not start. The car locked my wife inside with no manual method for…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure, followed by loss of speed, as well as rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These symptoms can indicate serious powertrain problems that may be expensive to fix.
Reports include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and a tire failure shortly after a TPMS repair. Such failures can cause loss of control, making electrical health a key inspection point.
Owners report unexpected braking or failure to resolve a defect, sometimes under adaptive cruise control at highway speeds. This can lead to near-collisions or rear-end crashes if the system misjudges obstacles.
This area is among the top complaints, though no sample text is given. Fuel delivery or hybrid propulsion issues could cause stalling or power loss, so a thorough test drive and diagnostic scan are recommended.
“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.
Lexus NX — 15 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lexus NX350, NX250, 2023-2026 RX350, and 2024-2026 TX350 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federa…
The risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software or replace the rearview camera, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Camry, 2019 Lexus NX300, and 2019 RX350L vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TA01 and 25LA01.
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous NHTSA recall number 23V-480…
The risk: A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall…
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
Lexus NX or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Lexus NX has far fewer complaints per year (about 30.5 vs. 452.4) and fewer recalls (15 vs. 38), so it appears to have a lower reported problem rate. In practice, that means a used NX buyer may spend less time at the shop, while an Accord buyer should be prepared for more frequent and potentially more severe issues, including three reported deaths in the data.
Key differences
- The Lexus NX averages about 30.5 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord averages about 452.4 per year, a roughly 15-fold difference.
- The Accord has 38 recalls and 162 crash-related complaints, versus 15 recalls and 38 crash-related complaints for the NX.
- Lexus NX owners most often report electrical glitches and structural annoyances like a misaligned fuel door; Accord owners report engine power loss, simultaneous steering and brake failure, and unexpected forward collision avoidance braking.
- The Accord data includes 3 deaths and 146 injuries, while the NX data includes 0 deaths and 30 injuries, though these figures alone do not prove cause and effect.
- Check for any history of multiple warning lights illuminating at once, loss of power brakes, or a car that won't start and locks occupants inside—these are reported electrical failures.
- Inspect the fuel door for misalignment or difficulty opening, as owners report repeated dealer visits without a permanent fix.
- Test drive at highway speeds and watch for sudden loss of power, brake/ABS/hill descent alarms, or rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which owners report.
- Verify that electronic power steering and braking do not lock up, and that forward collision avoidance does not brake unexpectedly, especially under adaptive cruise control.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and ask for any records of electrical, brake, or engine repairs.
- Have a certified mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the electrical system, brakes, and—for the Accord—the engine and hybrid components.
- During the test drive, deliberately test all warning lights, the fuel door, and forward collision avoidance features in a safe environment.
- For the Accord, scan for stored trouble codes related to the engine, ABS, and hybrid system, and confirm any open recalls have been addressed.
- For the NX, check that the car starts reliably, that power brakes feel normal, and that the fuel door opens and closes smoothly.
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 | Lexus NX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 10 |
| 2025 | 36 | 109 |
| 2024 | 183 | 219 |
| 2023 | 31 | 226 |
| 2022 | 16 | 252 |
| 2021 | 34 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 0 | 691 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Lexus NX or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus NX vs Honda Accord
- Lexus NX total complaints
- 305
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Lexus NX total recalls
- 15
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Lexus NX avg complaints/year
- 30.5
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Lexus NX
- Lexus NX top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE