Head-to-head reliability
Mazda CX 70 vs Honda Accord
How the Mazda CX 70 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
Mazda CX 70 vs Honda Accord: The CX 70 has 28 complaints per year versus the Accord's 443.8, but both show safety-related issues. CX 70 owners report false collision alerts and steering pulls, while Accord owners face engine and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Mazda CX 70 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Mazda CX 70
The Mazda CX 70 is a relatively new model with a short ownership history, but its complaint pattern centers on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and drivetrain glitches. Owners report false alerts and unintended steering inputs from the lane-keeping and collision avoidance systems, as well as jerky low-speed transmission behavior and occasional engine surging. These issues suggest a vehicle that may be technologically ambitious but not fully sorted, requiring frequent software updates and dealer visits.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord has a long track record with a high volume of complaints, but its per-year rate is still higher than the CX 70. The most common issues involve engine problems (including loss of power and warning lights), electrical system failures (like TPMS and wiring harness damage), and forward collision avoidance glitches that cause false braking or system warnings. While many Accords are reliable, the sheer number of reports indicates that some owners experience significant, sometimes safety-related, defects.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Mazda CX 70 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 56 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 2 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 28.0 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 4 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.
Mazda CX 70
- 01LANE DEPARTURE23
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE9
- 03POWER TRAIN7
- 04ENGINE5
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
Owners report the lane departure warning and steering assist malfunctioning, causing the car to alert when no lane departure is occurring and, more concerning, the steering to stiffen or pull the vehicle left or right without driver input. This can be alarming and potentially dangerous on the highway.
The forward collision warning and automatic braking systems often trigger false alerts when no obstacle is present, and adaptive cruise control may not respond correctly to traffic. Owners describe repeated service visits and software updates that fail to permanently fix the issue.
At low speeds (10-20 mph), the transmission or motor can feel jerky and sluggish, making acceleration from stops or in stop-and-go traffic hesitant and uneven. This can be annoying and may affect drivability in urban settings.
Some owners report involuntary acceleration at very low speeds (1-5 mph), where the engine revs and the car lurches forward without the driver pressing the accelerator. This is a serious safety concern, especially when parking or in tight spaces.
“Within 100 days of purchasing the CX70 new ,we noticed that the collision avoidance system was malfunctioning . It would alert when no car was near us . It did not alert every time a car was actually in our right blind spot or moving through our right blind s…”
“I purchased a Certified Pre-Owned Mazda CX-70 that exhibits intermittent and unpredictable steering behavior, creating a significant safety concern. The steering will intermittently stiffen and then pull the vehicle left or right without driver input, at time…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Engine complaints are the most frequent, with owners reporting unusual noises, loss of power, and warning lights for brake, ABS, and hill descent systems. In some cases, the vehicle loses speed and cannot maintain highway speeds, which is a major safety risk.
Electrical issues range from TPMS warnings that lead to tire failures to rodent damage on wiring harnesses. Owners also report problems with the infotainment and other electronic components, which can be costly to repair.
The forward collision avoidance system can trigger false alerts or warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and road departure mitigation. These messages appear intermittently and may indicate a software glitch that affects driver confidence.
Brake-related complaints include issues with the antilock braking system (ABS) and traction control, sometimes accompanied by warning lights. Owners report a loss of braking power or unusual behavior, which is critical for safety.
“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.
Mazda CX 70 — 4 recalls
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024-2025 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 vehicles equipped with a Dash Electrical Supply Unit (ESU). During vehicle startup, the defroster, seat belt warning, 360° view monitor functions, and the PHEV high-voltage battery cooling system may not fun…
The risk: An ESU that does not function properly, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the Dash ESU with improved software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 7…
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 vehicles. The powertrain control module (PCM) and engine control modules (ECM) software may cause malfunction indicator lights to illuminate and a loss of drive power.
The risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the PCM and ECM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 7024J.
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Improper inverter software may cause the malfunction indicator lights to illuminate, and a loss of drive power may occur while in electric vehicle (EV) mode.
The risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install improved inverter software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 7024J.
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024-2025 CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV). The fuel gauge in the instrument cluster may display an inaccurate fuel reading.
The risk: An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the body control module (BCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 24, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. The manufacturer's number for this r…
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
Mazda CX 70 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
Based on NHTSA data, the Mazda CX 70 has far fewer complaints per year (28.0) compared to the Honda Accord (443.8). While the CX 70's issues are concerning, they are less frequent, suggesting that on average, a CX 70 owner may experience fewer problems than an Accord owner. However, the Accord's higher volume may reflect its longer sales history and larger owner base.
Key differences
- The CX 70 has significantly fewer complaints per year (28) than the Accord (443.8), indicating a lower rate of reported issues.
- CX 70 owners frequently report false alerts and unintended steering from lane departure and forward collision systems, while Accord owners report more engine and electrical failures.
- The Accord has a higher number of crash-related complaints (160) and injuries (144) compared to the CX 70 (2 crashes, 4 injuries), but the Accord also has more total complaints.
- The CX 70's recalls focus on software and control modules, while the Accord's recalls include hybrid power control, spare tires, ABS, airbag sensors, and fuel pumps.
- Test the lane departure and forward collision systems on a variety of roads to see if they trigger false alerts or cause unexpected steering inputs.
- Check for any signs of jerky transmission behavior at low speeds and ask about the latest software updates for the powertrain and ADAS.
- Listen for unusual engine noises and check for any warning lights related to brakes, ABS, or hill descent. Ask for service records to see if the engine has been inspected.
- Inspect the wiring harness for any signs of rodent damage, especially if the vehicle is parked outdoors, and verify that the TPMS system is functioning correctly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Take each vehicle for an extended test drive, including highway and stop-and-go traffic, to evaluate ADAS behavior and transmission smoothness.
- Ask the seller for all service records, especially any software updates or repairs related to the complaints mentioned.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine, electrical system, and brakes.
- Check online owner forums and NHTSA website for the latest complaints and any patterns that may affect your decision.
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 | Mazda CX 70 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 5 |
| 2025 | 50 | 101 |
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 Mazda CX 70 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mazda CX 70 vs Honda Accord
- Mazda CX 70 total complaints
- 56
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Mazda CX 70 total recalls
- 4
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Mazda CX 70 avg complaints/year
- 28.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Mazda CX 70
- Mazda CX 70 top complaint area
- LANE DEPARTURE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE