Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Rogue Select vs Honda Accord
How the Nissan Rogue Select 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 Rogue Select vs Honda Accord: The Rogue Select has 422 complaints per year and no recalls, while the Accord averages 452 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The Rogue's top issue is CVT transmission failure; the Accord's is engine power loss. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Rogue Select or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Rogue Select
The Nissan Rogue Select is a compact SUV with a notably high complaint rate for a single model year: 422 complaints per year, with no recalls on record. The most common issues center on the continuously variable transmission (CVT), which owners describe as overheating, losing power, or juddering violently. Air bag and fuel system complaints also appear frequently, often involving sensors or warning lights. For a used buyer, this suggests a vehicle that may demand close attention to transmission health and electrical/air bag diagnostics.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a midsize sedan with a much lower annual complaint rate—about 452 complaints per year across 10 years—but a far higher total volume and 38 recalls. Engine and electrical system complaints dominate, with many owners reporting sudden power loss, warning-light cascades, and electronic steering or braking failures. Forward collision avoidance issues also recur, often involving unexpected braking or failure to respond. The Accord has more documented safety recalls, which can be a plus if addressed, but also signals more complex systems that can fail.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Rogue Select | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 422 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 20 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 422.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 22 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.
Nissan Rogue Select
- 01POWER TRAIN112
- 02AIR BAGS71
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM64
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM63
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER62
Owners report CVT transmission overheating, losing power at highway speeds, and violent juddering between 1,500 and 2,000 rpm. These symptoms can leave a driver stranded or cause sudden loss of acceleration, making a pre-purchase transmission inspection critical.
Complaints include passenger occupancy sensor failures that deactivate the entire airbag system, and cases where airbags did not deploy in a crash. This means the safety system may be silently disabled, so buyers should verify the airbag warning light and sensor function.
Some owners link blinking air bag lights with transmission slipping, suggesting electrical or sensor interactions. Fuel system complaints are less detailed but appear often enough to warrant checking for warning lights and fuel delivery issues.
Reports include water leaking into the driver's side floorboard and battery terminal corrosion that damages electrical components. These can lead to mysterious electrical faults and costly repairs, so inspect for leaks and corrosion.
“about 2 years ago (2021) both me and my wife's my nissan cvt transmission went out and needed repair. In my case the transmission overheated, losing power while driving 80mph almost leaving me and my family stranded on the highway while coming back from trip…”
“The vehicle was experiencing judder on two recent occasions. The vehicle was just over 90K miles and due for a CVT fluid inspection. After experiencing brief but violent jerks/judders while operating between 1,500 and 2,000 rpms, I took the vehicle into the N…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe sudden power loss at highway speeds with multiple alarms (brake, hill descent, ABS), as well as rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These issues can cause dangerous loss of speed and may be hard to diagnose.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and TPMS warnings followed by tire failure. Such failures can severely compromise control, so a thorough electrical and brake system check is essential.
Owners report unexpected braking or failure to respond under adaptive cruise control, sometimes occurring repeatedly on the same route. This can surprise the driver and increase crash risk, so test the system if possible.
Some complaints involve persistent rotten-egg odors and fuel pump issues, with recalls for fuel delivery. These can indicate fuel system defects that may affect performance and safety, so check for recalls and odors.
“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 Rogue Select
No recalls on record.
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 Rogue Select or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Honda Accord has a lower complaint rate per year (about 452 vs. 422 for the Rogue Select, but the Rogue's rate is for only one year), yet the Accord has far more total complaints and recalls. In practice, the Rogue Select's issues are concentrated in the CVT and air bags, while the Accord's are spread across engine, electrical, and driver-assist systems. The Accord's higher recall count means more known defects, but also more potential fixes.
Key differences
- The Nissan Rogue Select has 422 complaints per year with no recalls, while the Honda Accord averages 452 complaints per year but has 38 recalls—meaning the Accord has more documented defects but also more official fixes.
- Rogue Select owners most often report CVT transmission overheating and juddering, whereas Accord owners report engine power loss and electronic steering/braking failures.
- Air bag sensor failures that deactivate the system are a recurring Rogue Select complaint, while the Accord has forward collision avoidance issues like unexpected braking.
- The Accord has 3 deaths and 146 injuries reported in complaints, compared to 0 deaths and 22 injuries for the Rogue Select, though these figures reflect reported incidents, not rates.
- Check for CVT transmission juddering or hesitation during a test drive, especially between 1,500 and 2,000 rpm, and ask for transmission fluid service records.
- Verify that the air bag warning light is not illuminated and that the passenger occupancy sensor works; a faulty sensor can disable the entire air bag system.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking systems at low and highway speeds; any warning lights or unusual feel could indicate a serious failure.
- Check for persistent rotten-egg or sulfur odors and confirm whether the fuel pump recall has been performed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all open recalls have been repaired, especially for the Honda Accord.
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the transmission (CVT for Rogue, automatic for Accord) and scan for stored trouble codes.
- Test all safety systems: air bags, forward collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, and electronic stability control.
- Check for water leaks in the floorboards and corrosion on battery terminals, particularly on the Rogue Select.
- During a test drive, listen for engine rattles or unusual noises and note any sudden power loss or warning lights.
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 Rogue Select or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Rogue Select vs Honda Accord
- Nissan Rogue Select total complaints
- 422
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Nissan Rogue Select total recalls
- 0
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Nissan Rogue Select avg complaints/year
- 422.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Rogue Select
- Nissan Rogue Select top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE