Head-to-head reliability
Saturn Astra vs Honda Accord
How the Saturn Astra 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
Saturn Astra vs Honda Accord: The Astra has 164 complaints over 2 years (82 per year) and 2 recalls, while the Accord has 4,438 complaints over 10 years (444 per year) and 38 recalls. The Astra's top issue is air bags (97), and the Accord's is engine (985). Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Saturn Astra or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Saturn Astra
The Saturn Astra is a compact car sold for only two model years, so parts and repair know-how can be harder to find. Owners filed 164 complaints over those two years, with air bag problems dominating. Many of those air bag complaints are tied to the Takata recall, where drivers waited months for parts. Electrical and power train issues also show up, including stalling and repeated accelerator pedal failures.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a long-running family sedan with a much larger owner base and far more complaints simply because it sold in huge numbers over 10 years. With 4,438 complaints, the yearly rate is about 444, and the top issues are engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance systems. Recalls cover hybrid software, brakes, fuel pumps, and air bag sensors. Some owners report serious problems like sudden power loss, brake warnings, and sunroof glass shattering.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Saturn Astra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 164 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 2 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 5 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 82.0 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 7 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.
Saturn Astra
- 01AIR BAGS97
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM22
- 03POWER TRAIN18
- 04ENGINE8
- 05STEERING6
97 complaints center on the Takata frontal driver-side air bag inflator recall. Owners report waiting many months for parts, driving with an unrepaired air bag. This matters because a recalled air bag may not protect you in a crash until it is fixed.
Owners report trouble starting the car, stalling while driving, and repeated check engine lights. One owner needed five accelerator pedal replacements due to code P2138. These electrical faults can leave you stranded or cause sudden loss of power.
Complaints include the steering wheel seizing and the car failing to accelerate even with the pedal pressed. Another owner said the vehicle rolled forward or backward after being shifted into park. These are serious drivability and safety concerns.
Engine complaints overlap with electrical issues, such as stalling while driving and hard starting. Owners describe spending hundreds on diagnostics without a lasting fix. This suggests persistent reliability problems that can be costly to chase.
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE FRONTAL DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INFLATOR; HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED TH…”
“TAKATA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 16V063. WE GOT NOTIFIED OF THE SATURN ASTRA RECALL IN FEBRUARY OF 2016, WE GOT THE LETTER STATING THE FIX HAS ARRIVED IN APRIL OF 2017. THAT'S 14 MONTHS OF NO WORD AND DRIVING AN UN-SAFE VEHICLE, THAT THE RECALL NOTICE ITSELF…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
With 985 complaints, engine issues are the most common. Owners report noises, sudden loss of speed, and multiple dashboard alarms like brake and hill descent failure. These can indicate serious powertrain or sensor problems that may recur.
863 complaints include TPMS warnings, tire failure after service, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses. One owner had a passenger-side tire catastrophically fail hours after a TPMS repair. Electrical gremlins can be hard to diagnose and may affect safety systems.
821 complaints describe adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic high beam warnings that appear intermittently. Some owners say the system fails to respond to obstacles. This matters because these driver-assist features are meant to prevent crashes.
592 complaints involve brake problems, including ABS and traction control warnings. Recalls cover the ABS control unit. Brake issues are critical because they directly affect your ability to stop safely.
“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.
Saturn Astra — 2 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deploy…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deploy…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2…
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
Saturn Astra or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Saturn Astra has about 82 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord has about 444 per year. That means the Astra has far fewer complaints per year, but it was only sold for two years and has a smaller owner base. The Accord's higher yearly rate reflects its longer production and more complex systems, but it also has many more recalls and serious issues like engine and brake failures.
Key differences
- The Astra's top complaint is air bags (97), mostly the Takata recall, while the Accord's top complaint is engine (985) with a wider range of issues.
- Astra owners report stalling, steering seizure, and repeated accelerator pedal failures; Accord owners report sudden power loss, brake warnings, and sunroof glass shattering.
- The Astra has 2 recalls over 2 years; the Accord has 38 recalls over 10 years, covering hybrid software, fuel pumps, and brakes.
- The Astra averages 82 complaints per year; the Accord averages 444 per year, but the Accord sold in much higher numbers.
- Confirm the Takata driver-side air bag inflator recall (NHTSA campaign 16V063000) has been completed; ask for paperwork.
- Test for stalling, hard starting, and check for stored code P2138; repeated accelerator pedal replacements are a known issue.
- Check for engine noises, sudden loss of power, and dashboard warnings for brakes, hill descent, and ABS; these are common complaints.
- Inspect tires and TPMS system closely, and ask if the ABS control unit recall and fuel pump recall have been performed.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls for the specific vehicle and confirm they are fixed.
- For the Astra, ask for proof the Takata air bag recall was completed and test-drive for stalling or hesitation.
- For the Accord, scan for engine and brake trouble codes, and test all driver-assist features like adaptive cruise and lane keeping.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic to feel for power loss or brake issues.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the car, focusing on the Astra's electrical and power train, and the Accord's engine and brakes.
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 Saturn Astra or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Saturn Astra vs Honda Accord
- Saturn Astra total complaints
- 164
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Saturn Astra total recalls
- 2
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Saturn Astra avg complaints/year
- 82.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Saturn Astra
- Saturn Astra top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE