Head-to-head reliability
Subaru BRZ vs Honda Accord
How the Subaru BRZ 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
Subaru BRZ vs Honda Accord: The BRZ averages 2.5 complaints per year with 4 recalls, while the Accord averages 452 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The BRZ has no reported injuries or deaths in this data, but the Accord has 146 injuries and 3 deaths. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Subaru BRZ or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Subaru BRZ
The Subaru BRZ is a low-volume sports coupe, so it accumulates very few complaints per year—about 2.5 over the past decade. The most common owner-reported trouble spot is the engine, including a known issue where excess sealant can clog the oil pickup and starve the engine. Other reports cover fuel system stalls, exterior lighting glitches, and infotainment quirks. With only 4 recalls and no reported injuries or deaths in this data, it appears to be a niche car with a handful of recurring, specific problems rather than widespread failures.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan, and its complaint volume reflects that—roughly 452 complaints per year over the last decade. Owners report a wide range of issues, especially with the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance features. Some complaints describe serious events like simultaneous power steering and braking failure, unintended automatic braking, and engine rattles or loss of power. With 38 recalls and 146 injuries plus 3 deaths in the data, the Accord's issues are more numerous and, in some cases, more severe than the BRZ's.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Subaru BRZ | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 25 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.5 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Subaru BRZ
- 01ENGINE11
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
- 05POWER TRAIN2
Owners report sudden warning lights and a car that won't move, as well as excess RTV sealant from the oil pan and timing cover clogging the oil pickup tube. This can lead to oil starvation and engine damage, so a buyer should check for oil pressure warnings or unusual engine noise.
Complaints include stalling on the freeway, a check engine light, and white, sweet-smelling smoke from the engine, with one owner finding a broken valve spring. These symptoms point to fuel delivery or internal engine problems that can leave you stranded.
Owners report that rear turn signals fail to activate and the dash flashes rapidly (hyperflashing), especially when the sun is behind the car. This is a safety concern because other drivers may not see your turn signal.
Issues include Bluetooth audio cutting out and a crash where the vehicle was struck while crossing an intersection. While not all are mechanical, they show that small electronic annoyances and crash vulnerability exist.
“This is a new car. There’s was only 31 miles when I purchased. One day, there’s some sound when I driving the vehicle. Once I parked, all the warning lamps was on, then my car wasn’t able to move. When the incident happened, it was only 4 months of using it a…”
“These particular vehicles (and their Toyota counterpart, the GR86) have been experiencing issues with excess RTV sealant used on the oil pan and timing cover getting into the oil. Once this RTV sealant is in the oil, it clogs the oil pickup tube filter. As th…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe alarms for brake, hill descent, and ABS, followed by loss of speed, as well as rattling noises like a diesel and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These can indicate hybrid system or engine problems that may affect drivability and safety.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and a tire failure after a TPMS service. Such failures can be extremely dangerous, so a buyer should check for any warning lights or recent electrical repairs.
Owners report the system braking unexpectedly or failing to resolve a threat, sometimes under adaptive cruise control. This can cause near-collisions or loss of control, so it's important to test these features and check for related recalls.
Reports include persistent rotten-egg/sulfur odors and a foot slipping behind a plastic side panel. These may seem minor but can point to larger issues like catalytic converter problems or interior design flaws.
“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.
Subaru BRZ — 4 recalls
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while b…
The risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
The fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall i…
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 BRZ and Toyota GR86 vehicles. The rear turn signals may intermittently become inoperative.
The risk: Inoperative rear turn signals may not notify other drivers of a turning vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace both rear combination lamp assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Subaru owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Toyota owners may contact Toyota cus…
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
Subaru BRZ or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Subaru BRZ has far fewer complaints per year (about 2.5) compared to the Honda Accord (about 452), and the BRZ also has fewer recalls and no reported injuries or deaths in this data. In practice, that means the BRZ owner is likely to encounter fewer distinct problems, though the Accord's higher volume means many owners still have trouble-free experiences. The difference is mainly in the scale and severity of reported issues.
Key differences
- The Subaru BRZ averages about 2.5 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord averages about 452, a huge difference in reported problem frequency.
- The BRZ's top issue is engine-related, including oil starvation from excess sealant, while the Accord's top issues span engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance systems.
- The Accord has 38 recalls and 146 injuries plus 3 deaths in the data, compared to 4 recalls and no injuries or deaths for the BRZ.
- BRZ owners report turn signal failures in bright sun, while Accord owners report unexpected automatic braking and simultaneous power steering and braking failure.
- Check for any history of engine warning lights, unusual noises, or oil pressure issues, as owners report sealant clogging the oil pickup and sudden loss of power.
- Test the rear turn signals in bright sunlight to see if they fail to activate or hyperflash, a known complaint.
- Look for warning lights related to brakes, ABS, or power steering, and ask if the electronic power steering or braking systems have ever failed, as owners report simultaneous failure at speed.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control systems for unexpected braking or failure to detect obstacles, and check for any related recalls.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models using the NHTSA VIN lookup tool.
- For the BRZ, have a mechanic inspect the engine for oil leaks, sealant debris, and check oil pressure; also test all exterior lights.
- For the Accord, scan for stored trouble codes in the electrical and hybrid systems, and test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control on a test drive.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for oil changes and any engine or electrical repairs.
- During a test drive, listen for engine rattles or unusual noises and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes on the Accord.
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 | Subaru BRZ | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| 2025 | 0 | 109 |
| 2024 | 3 | 219 |
| 2023 | 1 | 226 |
| 2022 | 10 | 252 |
| 2021 | 0 | 234 |
| 2020 | 2 | 362 |
| 2019 | 1 | 691 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 7 | 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 Subaru BRZ or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Subaru BRZ vs Honda Accord
- Subaru BRZ total complaints
- 25
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Subaru BRZ total recalls
- 4
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Subaru BRZ avg complaints/year
- 2.5
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Subaru BRZ
- Subaru BRZ top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE