Head-to-head reliability
Nissan CUBE vs Honda Accord
How the Nissan CUBE 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
Nissan CUBE vs Honda Accord: the CUBE averaged about 36 complaints per year over six years with 7 recalls, while the Accord averaged about 452 per year over ten years with 38 recalls. The CUBE's reports center on door locks, no-start ignition, and sudden power loss; the Accord's center on engine, electrical, and collision-avoidance faults. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan CUBE or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan CUBE
The Nissan CUBE is a small, low-volume hatchback, and its complaint record reflects a quirky car with a handful of recurring, sometimes serious annoyances. Over six years it averaged about 36 complaints per year, with electrical, power train, and steering problems leading the list. Owners describe door locks that quit together, push-button starting that fails without warning, and sudden loss of power at speed. It is a car you buy cheaply but should budget time and money for electrical and drivability repairs.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan, and its complaint volume is correspondingly large, averaging roughly 452 complaints per year over ten years. The leading areas are engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with many reports tied to newer hybrid models. Owners describe warning-light cascades, power loss at highway speed, and adaptive cruise or collision-avoidance systems that brake or fail unexpectedly. It is a broadly capable car, but the data shows a wide spread of electronic and powertrain complaints worth checking model year by model year.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan CUBE | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 217 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 7 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 10 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 36.2 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 12 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.
Nissan CUBE
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM52
- 02POWER TRAIN49
- 03STEERING42
- 04AIR BAGS24
- 05ENGINE21
Owners report multiple door lock actuators failing at once, leaving doors stuck locked, and push-button ignition that can fail to start without warning. Both are everyday usability and safety concerns, since a locked door or a no-start condition can strand you.
Several owners describe the car refusing to accelerate after a stop or losing power on the highway, dropping from around 70 mph to 20 mph with no warning light. That kind of sudden speed loss is a real hazard in traffic and points to transmission or throttle-related faults.
One owner reported an engine mount (the 'dogbone') breaking while driving, which damaged the axle and transmission bracket and cost over $1,100. Mount and steering-related failures matter because they affect control and can cascade into expensive driveline repairs.
Owners report the front passenger air bag warning light coming on even with an occupied, belted seat, and one crash report where air bags failed to deploy. A warning light can mean the bag may not fire in a crash, so this needs diagnosis, not ignoring.
“Problem # 1- is 3 out of 4 door lock actuators all of a sudden stopped working at the exact same time, except the driver door. This is a huge safety issue and causes the door to remain locked. This causes someone getting locked inside the vehicle or locked ou…”
“SINCE NOV OF 2014 I HAVE DEALT WITH PERSISTENT START-UP ISSUE WITH MY 2011 NISSAN CUBE. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY CAN FAIL TO START AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS PUSH BUTTON IGNITION. THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM JACKIE COOPER & NISSAN NORTH…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe warning-light cascades (brake, ABS, hill descent, critical failure) followed by loss of speed at highway pace, plus rattling under acceleration and rough EV-to-gas transitions on hybrids. These symptoms suggest powertrain control and hybrid integration issues that can leave you limping.
Reports include electronic power steering and braking failing together at highway speed, and a tire failing shortly after a TPMS warning was 'fixed' under warranty. Electrical faults that touch steering or brakes are the most serious kind, and TPMS issues can mask real tire problems.
Owners report the system failing to resolve a threat and adaptive cruise control behaving unexpectedly under repeatable conditions. Driver-assist features that misbehave can surprise you at speed, so verify software updates and recall status before buying.
The fuel/propulsion category is among the top complaint areas, and recalls cover fuel pump delivery and hybrid power control software. Fuel delivery and hybrid control faults can cause stalling or power loss, so confirm recall work was completed.
“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.
Nissan CUBE — 7 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 Versa Sedan vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013, to January 29, 2014, 2013-2014 Cube vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to October 21, 2013, and 2013-2014 Juke vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to October 22, 2013. When exp…
The risk: If the engine start/stop button gets stuck in the housing, road vibrations may cause the engine to shut off unexpectedly while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the start/stop switch housing, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 Versa Sedan vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013, to January 29, 2014, 2013-2014 Cube vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to October 21, 2013, and 2013-2014 Juke vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to October 22, 2013. When exp…
The risk: If the engine start/stop button gets stuck in the housing, road vibrations may cause the engine to shut off unexpectedly while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the start/stop switch housing, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
The defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 NISSAN CUBE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 30, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ROTATED FOLLOWING A REAR MOVING…
The risk: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The fix: DEALERS WILL DEVELOP A SPECIAL PROTECTOR AND ATTACH IT TO THE GASOLINE RECIRCULATION TUBE AT THE LOCATION OF THE FILLER NECK CONNECTOR. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2010. OWNERS MA…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Cube vehicles. The driver’s air bag inflator may rupture or detach from the steering wheel during air bag deployment.
The risk: A driver's air bag that ruptures or detaches can strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the front air bag inflator serial number, and replace the inflator as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan…
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
Nissan CUBE or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Nissan CUBE has far fewer complaints per year (about 36 versus about 452 for the Accord), but that partly reflects how many fewer CUBEs were sold. In practice, the CUBE's problems cluster around locks, starting, and sudden power loss, while the Accord's are spread across engine, electronics, and driver-assist systems. Fewer complaints per year does not automatically mean fewer surprises.
Key differences
- The CUBE's top complaints are electrical (52), power train (49), and steering (42), with door-lock and no-start reports standing out; the Accord's top areas are engine (1006), electrical (895), and forward collision avoidance (837).
- CUBE owners describe sudden loss of power from highway speed and a broken engine mount; Accord owners describe warning-light cascades, hybrid mode jerking, and steering/braking electronics failing together.
- The Accord has 38 recalls over ten years, including hybrid power control software and fuel pump delivery; the CUBE has 7 recalls, including ignition switch and air bag inflator items.
- Crash-related complaints are 10 for the CUBE and 162 for the Accord, but the Accord's much larger sales volume means raw counts are not directly comparable.
- Test every door lock actuator repeatedly, including from the inside, since owners report several failing at once and trapping occupants.
- Check starting behavior with the push-button ignition over several cold and warm starts, and listen for transmission hesitation or delayed engagement after a stop.
- Scan for stored codes and confirm all recall and software updates, especially hybrid power control and fuel pump campaigns, were completed.
- Test adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning on a highway drive, and check for warning lights related to ABS, brakes, or TPMS.
Before you buy
- Pull the full NHTSA complaint and recall history for the exact model year you are considering, not just the nameplate.
- Have a mechanic scan all modules for stored codes and verify recall repairs were actually performed.
- On the CUBE, test locks, ignition, and acceleration from a stop; on the Accord, test driver-assist features and watch for warning lights.
- Ask for service records showing transmission, fuel system, and electrical repairs, and walk away from cars with unresolved warning lights.
- Take a highway test drive in both to check for sudden power loss, hesitation, or unexpected braking.
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 Nissan CUBE or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan CUBE vs Honda Accord
- Nissan CUBE total complaints
- 217
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Nissan CUBE total recalls
- 7
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Nissan CUBE avg complaints/year
- 36.2
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Nissan CUBE
- Nissan CUBE top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE