Head-to-head reliability
Mazda RX 8 vs Honda Accord
How the Mazda RX 8 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 RX 8 vs Honda Accord: The RX 8 averaged 90 complaints per year over 9 years, while the Accord averaged 444 per year over 10 years. The RX 8 has 42 recalls and 0 deaths; the Accord has 38 recalls and 3 deaths. Both show serious issues like power loss and brake problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Mazda RX 8 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Mazda RX 8
The Mazda RX 8 is a sports coupe with a rotary engine, and its complaint pattern suggests it can be a high-maintenance used car. Over 9 years, it averaged about 90 complaints per year, with the most common issues in the power train, engine cooling, air bags, and steering. Owners report sudden loss of acceleration, clutch failure, oil cooler line corrosion, and steering problems, so a thorough pre-purchase inspection is essential.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream family sedan with a much higher annual complaint rate—about 444 per year over 10 years—but many complaints involve newer models and advanced electronics. The most frequent problem areas are the engine, electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and brakes. Owners describe engine noises, warning lights, adaptive cruise control faults, and even sunroof glass shattering, indicating that while the Accord is popular, some examples have significant 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 RX 8 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 814 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 42 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 33 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 90.4 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 25 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 RX 8
- 01POWER TRAIN239
- 02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING150
- 03AIR BAGS117
- 04STEERING112
- 05ENGINE50
Owners report sudden loss of acceleration, smoke from under the hood and shifter area, and clutch pedals that become unresponsive. These failures can leave you stranded or unable to shift, making the car unsafe to drive.
A common complaint is that oil cooler lines rust and corrode in winter salt, causing oil to spray over the engine bay, tires, and brakes. This can lead to loss of traction and environmental damage, and it is a serious fire and safety risk.
Many complaints involve Takata air bag recalls, with dashboards deteriorating and exposing air bags, and parts not being available for repair. This means the air bag may not deploy correctly in a crash, and getting the fix can be frustrating.
Drivers report the power steering partially failing during turns, making the wheel hard to hold and straighten, and in one case a piece of the steering column broke and hit the driver's leg. These issues can cause loss of control and injury.
“I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND AS I WAS SHIFTING GEARS I FELT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY ACCELERATION. THE TOP SPEED I GOT TO WAS 55MPH. WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO GET OFF THE CAR, I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FROM INSIDE WHERE THE SHIFT KNOW IS LOCATED. I CH…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE GEAR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE W…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners of newer Accords report noises, loss of speed, and multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS) appearing while driving. These symptoms can indicate critical failures that may cause the vehicle to lose power on the road.
Complaints include tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warnings followed by catastrophic tire failure, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses even on new cars. Electrical glitches can lead to sudden tire blowouts or engine problems.
Drivers report intermittent problems with adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams, often with dashboard warnings. These failures mean the safety systems may not work when needed, increasing crash risk.
There are complaints about brake system issues, including ABS and traction control problems, which can affect stopping ability. Brake failures are a serious safety concern and should be checked immediately.
“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 RX 8 — 42 recalls
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 RX-8 and 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the fuel pump mounting rings.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will install new fuel pump mounting rings. Dealers will also add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank on RX-8 vehicles. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 17, 2021. Owners…
The defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Ind…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018…
The defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Mazda RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under recall 18V-017 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's nu…
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Mazda RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under recall 18V-716 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 201…
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 RX 8 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Mazda RX 8 has far fewer complaints per year (about 90) than the Honda Accord (about 444), but the RX 8's issues often involve major mechanical failures like power train and steering. The Accord's higher volume includes many complaints about advanced electronics and brakes, which can also be safety-critical. In practice, the RX 8 may need more frequent mechanical attention, while the Accord may have more electronic gremlins.
Key differences
- The Mazda RX 8 has about 90 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord has about 444 per year, but the RX 8's complaints often involve severe mechanical failures like loss of acceleration and steering column breakage.
- The RX 8 has 42 recalls over 9 years, including fuel pump and Takata air bag recalls, while the Accord has 38 recalls over 10 years, including hybrid power control software and brake control module recalls.
- RX 8 owners frequently report oil cooler line corrosion and clutch failure, whereas Accord owners report engine noises, electrical glitches, and forward collision avoidance malfunctions.
- The RX 8 has 0 reported deaths in the data, while the Accord has 3 deaths, though these figures are not directly comparable due to different production volumes and years.
- Check the oil cooler lines for rust or corrosion, especially if the car has been driven in winter salt, as this can cause oil sprays and loss of traction.
- Test the clutch and transmission for smooth engagement and listen for noises, as owners report clutch pedal becoming unresponsive and gears not shifting.
- Inspect the electrical system and wiring harness for rodent damage or loose connections, as owners report issues even on new cars.
- Test all advanced safety systems (adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, automatic high beams) for intermittent warnings or failures, and check for any open recalls on brakes and air bags.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the Takata air bag recall for the RX 8 and the fuel pump and brake recalls for the Accord.
- Have a mechanic inspect the RX 8's rotary engine compression, oil cooler lines, clutch, and steering column for wear or damage.
- For the Accord, scan for stored error codes in the electrical and forward collision avoidance systems, and check tire condition and TPMS functionality.
- Test drive both cars under various conditions, including highway speeds and turns, to feel for loss of power, steering difficulty, or warning lights.
- Verify that any recall repairs have been completed and ask for documentation, as some owners reported parts not being available for recalls.
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 RX 8 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mazda RX 8 vs Honda Accord
- Mazda RX 8 total complaints
- 814
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Mazda RX 8 total recalls
- 42
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Mazda RX 8 avg complaints/year
- 90.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Mazda RX 8
- Mazda RX 8 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE