Head-to-head reliability
Porsche 718 Cayman vs Honda Accord
How the Porsche 718 Cayman 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
Porsche 718 Cayman vs Honda Accord: The Cayman averages 1.1 complaints per year over 9 years, while the Accord averages 452.4 over 10 years. The Accord has 162 crash-related complaints and 3 deaths; the Cayman has 0 crash-related and 0 deaths. Both have recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Porsche 718 Cayman or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Porsche 718 Cayman
The Porsche 718 Cayman is a low-volume sports car, averaging just 1.1 complaints per year over nine years. Owners report issues like exhaust burns, engine faults, and CV joint grease leaks, but the overall complaint count is small. Recalls cover fuel system, air bags, and seat belts, so check for open recalls. Living with it means fewer reported problems, but repairs can be costly and specialized.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan with 452.4 complaints per year over ten years, plus 162 crash-related reports and 3 deaths. Owners describe engine stalling, electrical failures, and forward collision avoidance malfunctions. Recalls address hybrid software, fuel pumps, and air bag sensors. It's a common car with many reported issues, so a thorough pre-purchase inspection is critical.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Porsche 718 Cayman | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 10 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 7 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.1 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 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.
Porsche 718 Cayman
- 01ENGINE5
- 02POWER TRAIN3
- 03SEAT BELTS3
- 04SEATS1
- 05EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
Owners report serious burns from the protruding central exhaust pipe on 2014 Boxster S and 2017 Cayman, and one had an engine fault error with loss of responsiveness at low speed. These are immediate safety and drivability concerns.
A CV joint grease boot clamp failed and leaked grease, and a clutch master cylinder return line disconnected from the brake fluid reservoir while driving. Both can lead to loss of lubrication or brake fluid, risking damage or reduced braking.
The passenger-side 3-point seat belt retractor was loose and rattled, and another owner noted a driver-side seat belt retractor noise. A faulty retractor may not restrain properly in a crash.
The same owner with the seat belt issue also reported a problem with the passenger-side 3-point seat belt, which was filed under seats. This suggests a recurring issue with the seat and belt assembly on that side.
“I SUSTAINED SERIOUS BURNS TO MY CALF FROM MY THE EXHAUSTS ON MY 2014 BOXSTER S, AND MY 2017 CAYMAN, ON TWO OCCASIONS. BOTH CARS SUFFER FROM THE SAME DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT: AN EXCESSIVELY PROTRUDING CENTRAL EXHAUST PIPE. THE FIRST INJURY WAS SUSTAINED ON FEB…”
“I received delivery of my vehicle this morning and put about 20 miles on it when I received an engine fault error and my vehicle check engine light came on while accelerating from a stop to about 15 mph before the issue occurred. I lost responsiveness and my…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure while losing speed, plus rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These can indicate hybrid system faults that may cause stalling or power loss.
Electronic power steering and braking systems completely failed and locked up at highway speeds, and a TPMS repair was followed by a catastrophic tire failure. Electrical glitches can disable safety-critical systems.
Owners experienced unexpected braking or failure to resolve a threat, sometimes twice on the same route under similar conditions. This can cause sudden deceleration or a near-collision if the system misreads the road.
A persistent rotten-egg sulfur odor required a filter replacement and odor treatment, but the odor remained. This may point to fuel or emissions issues that are hard to diagnose and fix.
“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.
Porsche 718 Cayman — 7 recalls
The defect: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2019 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S vehicles and 2018-2019 718 Boxster GTS and 2018-2019 718 Cayman GTS vehicles. In the event of a crash, a crossmember may detach from the luggage compartment bracket, pos…
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of fire.
The fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will secure the crossmember with additional rivets, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is…
The defect: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera S, 911 Carrera 4, 911 Carrera 4S, 911 Targa 4, 911 Targa 4S + GTS, 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman,…
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will install improved fastening screws, free of charge. The recall began March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH01.
The defect: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2017 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman, 718 Cayman S, 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera S, 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4S, 911 Turbo, 911 Turbo S, 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, and 911 Turbo Cabriolet vehicles. The seat mou…
The risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the side air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG10.
The defect: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2018 718 Boxster, Boxster S and Boxster GTS, 718 Cayman, Cayman S and Cayman GTS, 911 Carrera, Carrera T, Targa 4 GTS, Carrera 4, Carrera S, Carrera 4S, Carrera GTS, Carrera 4 GTS, Carrera Cabriolet, Carrera S Cabriolet, Carrera 4S Cab…
The risk: In the event of a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the air bag sensors, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 17, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKA4.
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
Porsche 718 Cayman or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Porsche 718 Cayman has far fewer issues per year (1.1 vs 452.4), but both have serious reported problems. In practice, the Cayman's lower complaint rate means less frequent owner-reported failures, while the Accord's high volume means many more reports, including 162 crash-related and 3 deaths. Neither should be assumed problem-free.
Key differences
- The Porsche 718 Cayman averages 1.1 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord averages 452.4, a massive difference in reported owner issues.
- The Accord has 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the Cayman has 0 crash-related, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths.
- Cayman owners report exhaust burns and CV joint grease leaks; Accord owners report electronic power steering and braking failures at highway speeds.
- The Accord has 38 recalls including hybrid software and fuel pumps; the Cayman has 7 recalls covering fuel system, air bags, and seat belts.
- Inspect the central exhaust pipe for excessive protrusion that could cause burns, especially on 2014 Boxster S and 2017 Cayman models.
- Check the passenger-side CV joint grease boot clamp for leaks and the clutch master cylinder return line for secure connection to the brake fluid reservoir.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking systems for any lock-up or warning lights, especially on 2025 Accord Hybrid models.
- Listen for rattling noises during acceleration and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which may indicate hybrid system faults.
Before you buy
- Verify all open recalls are repaired by checking the NHTSA recall database using the VIN.
- Obtain a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on reported failure areas.
- For the Cayman, inspect exhaust, CV boots, clutch line, and seat belt retractors; for the Accord, test electrical, braking, and forward collision systems.
- Ask for complete service records and check for repeated repairs related to engine, electrical, or fuel issues.
- Take a test drive that includes highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic to replicate conditions where owners reported failures.
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 | Porsche 718 Cayman | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 109 |
| 2024 | 0 | 219 |
| 2023 | 1 | 226 |
| 2022 | 1 | 252 |
| 2021 | 2 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 1 | 691 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 5 | 537 |
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 Porsche 718 Cayman or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Porsche 718 Cayman vs Honda Accord
- Porsche 718 Cayman total complaints
- 10
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Porsche 718 Cayman total recalls
- 7
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Porsche 718 Cayman avg complaints/year
- 1.1
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Porsche 718 Cayman
- Porsche 718 Cayman top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE