Head-to-head reliability
Lexus RX vs Honda Accord
How the Lexus RX 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 RX vs Honda Accord: Over 10 years, the Lexus RX had 617 complaints (62/year) and 16 recalls, while the Honda Accord had 4,438 complaints (444/year) and 38 recalls. The Accord's higher volume includes engine and electrical issues, whereas the RX's fewer complaints include unintended acceleration. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus RX or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus RX
The Lexus RX is a luxury SUV with a relatively low complaint rate of about 62 per year over the past decade. Owners frequently report unintended acceleration, air bag and seat belt alert issues, and electrical problems like battery drain. While the overall complaint volume is modest, the nature of these issues—especially those involving unintended acceleration—can be serious and should be carefully investigated before purchase.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream sedan with a much higher complaint rate of about 444 per year. Common trouble spots include engine problems, electrical glitches, and forward collision avoidance system malfunctions. The higher volume of complaints suggests that owners experience a wider range of issues more frequently, though many may be less severe than the Lexus's unintended acceleration reports.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus RX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 617 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 73 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 61.7 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 65 Better | 144 |
| 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 RX
- 01AIR BAGS260
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER105
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM75
- 04ENGINE51
- 05STRUCTURE35
Owners report unintended acceleration leading to crashes, as well as failure to alert when rear seat belts are unbuckled. These issues are critical because they directly affect occupant safety and crash outcomes.
Complaints include harsh transmission shifting and parasitic battery drain that can leave the vehicle dead. These problems can strand drivers and lead to costly repairs.
Some owners describe stuttering or hesitation when accelerating, which could cause dangerous situations when merging or pulling into traffic. This suggests potential fuel delivery or transmission coordination issues.
Reports of sudden power loss after using seat coolers and uncontrollable acceleration in drive-thrus indicate unpredictable electronic or throttle control faults. Such symptoms are alarming and hard to diagnose.
“The contact owns a 2025 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that while driving into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove forward at a high rate of speed before crashing into the brick wall of an office building. Dur…”
“The car does not alert when a seat belt is not worn in the back seats. This feature is mentioned in the owner's manual, but the car fails to alert when a rear passenger does not buckle their seat belt. I have raised the complaint twice and proved to lexus ser…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report noises, loss of speed, and multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS) indicating critical failures. These can lead to sudden loss of power and reduced control.
Complaints include tire pressure monitoring system failures leading to tire blowouts, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses. These issues can cause sudden tire failure or engine performance problems.
Intermittent warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams are common. While often brief, these glitches can undermine driver trust in safety systems.
Some owners experience brake system warnings and potential failures, which are critical for safe stopping. This area has a high number of complaints, suggesting a pattern worth investigating.
“I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got lo…”
“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…”
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 RX — 16 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 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner…
The risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charg…
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 (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an…
The risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
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 RX or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Lexus RX has far fewer complaints per year (about 62) compared to the Honda Accord (about 444), indicating a lower overall frequency of reported issues. However, the Lexus's complaints include severe unintended acceleration events, while the Accord's issues are more varied but may be less immediately dangerous. In practice, the Lexus may require less frequent attention, but buyers should be aware of the potential for serious safety defects.
Key differences
- The Lexus RX has about 62 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord has about 444, a seven-fold difference in reported issue frequency.
- Lexus RX complaints often involve unintended acceleration and air bag/seat belt alerts, which are immediate safety concerns.
- Honda Accord complaints frequently cite engine and electrical problems, including loss of power and tire failures, which can also be dangerous.
- The Lexus RX has 16 recalls over 10 years, compared to 38 for the Honda Accord, suggesting more widespread issues for the Accord.
- During a test drive, check for any hesitation or unintended acceleration when accelerating from a stop or at low speeds, as owners report stuttering and sudden surges.
- Inspect the 12V battery and electrical system for parasitic drain; ask if the battery has been replaced or if there are any aftermarket electronics that could contribute.
- Listen for unusual engine noises and watch for multiple warning lights (ABS, brake, hill descent) during a test drive, as these may indicate critical failures.
- Check the forward collision avoidance system by testing adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist; intermittent warnings may signal sensor or software issues.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for any open recalls on the NHTSA website using the VIN.
- Have a certified mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the specific problem areas: for Lexus, throttle and electrical; for Honda, engine and brakes.
- During a test drive, simulate common scenarios like accelerating from a stop, using cruise control, and driving over bumps to elicit any symptoms.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for battery replacements, software updates, and any repairs related to the reported complaints.
- Verify that all safety systems (air bags, seat belt reminders, forward collision avoidance) are functioning properly before purchase.
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 RX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 5 |
| 2025 | 22 | 101 |
| 2024 | 57 | 214 |
| 2023 | 65 | 224 |
| 2022 | 40 | 238 |
| 2021 | 277 | 226 |
| 2020 | 151 | 355 |
| 2019 | 0 | 677 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 0 | 534 |
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 RX or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus RX vs Honda Accord
- Lexus RX total complaints
- 617
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Lexus RX total recalls
- 16
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Lexus RX avg complaints/year
- 61.7
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Lexus RX
- Lexus RX top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE