Head-to-head reliability
Subaru Legacy vs Honda Accord
How the Subaru Legacy 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 Legacy vs Honda Accord: Over 10 years, the Legacy had 724 complaints (72/year) and 24 recalls, while the Accord had 4,524 complaints (452/year) and 38 recalls. The Accord also had 162 crash-related reports and 3 deaths versus 36 and 0 for the Legacy. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Subaru Legacy or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a midsize sedan that, over the past decade, has generated 724 owner complaints—about 72 per year—along with 24 recalls. The most common trouble spots are visibility and wiper issues, electrical glitches, and miscellaneous unknowns, with fewer engine and steering complaints. For a used-car buyer, this suggests a car that may have annoying but often non-catastrophic problems, though the 36 crash-related reports and 14 injuries mean some issues can escalate.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular midsize sedan that has racked up 4,524 complaints over 10 years—roughly 452 per year—and 38 recalls. The biggest complaint categories are engine, electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and fuel/propulsion system, with 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths. That volume of complaints, especially around engine and driver-assist systems, points to a car that may require more frequent attention and could pose higher safety risks if defects go unaddressed.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Subaru Legacy | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 724 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 24 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 36 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 72.4 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 14 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 Legacy
- 01VISIBILITY/WIPER207
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM185
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER161
- 04ENGINE39
- 05STEERING35
Owners report sun visors that are too short and narrow to block glare, and windshields that crack or chip easily from small road debris. These issues can impair your view and lead to unexpected glass repair costs.
Complaints include infotainment systems that mute phone calls, warning lights for EyeSight and transmission oil, and windows that roll down on their own when the car is off. Such glitches are distracting and may point to deeper software or wiring problems.
A few owners describe unintended acceleration while parking and, in one case, a brand-new 2024 Legacy needing a full engine replacement. These are serious, though less frequent than the visibility and electrical complaints.
Reports range from unexplained noises while sitting in the car to windows operating by themselves. Because the cause is often unclear, diagnosing and fixing these issues can be frustrating and costly.
“Safety Hazard: Subaru Sun Visor I own a 2022 Subaru Legacy, the first new car I've ever owned. The visor (to protect eyes from the sun) is too short and not wide enough. The seat is raised as high as it will go. I CAN'T position myself to protect my eyes from…”
“In 2022, a piece of small gravel fell off the back of a dump truck, bounced off the road, and struck the windshield of my 2022 Subaru Legacy. Based on past experience with other vehicles, this should have resulted in a round or star-shaped crack to the glass…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report sudden loss of power at highway speeds with multiple warning lights, rattling noises during acceleration, and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These symptoms can leave you stranded or create dangerous driving conditions.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of power steering and braking at highway speeds, TPMS warnings followed by tire failure, and other electronic glitches. Such failures directly affect your ability to control the car.
Drivers describe the system braking or alerting unexpectedly on open roads, sometimes with adaptive cruise control engaged. These false activations can startle you and potentially cause a collision if you react abruptly.
Some owners report a persistent rotten-egg or sulfur odor, which can indicate fuel or emissions problems. While not always dangerous, it may signal costly repairs and is unpleasant to live with.
“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 Legacy — 24 recalls
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
The risk: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Suba…
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
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 Legacy or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Subaru Legacy has far fewer complaints per year (about 72) than the Honda Accord (about 452), and fewer crash-related reports (36 vs. 162). In practice, that means a used Legacy is likely to have fewer reported problems overall, though both cars have their own recurring issues. The Accord’s higher volume of engine and electrical complaints suggests a higher chance of encountering a serious defect.
Key differences
- The Legacy averages about 72 complaints per year versus about 452 for the Accord, meaning owners report far fewer issues with the Subaru.
- Accord complaints often involve serious engine and electrical failures (e.g., power loss, steering/braking lockup), while Legacy complaints more often concern visibility (sun visor, windshield) and infotainment glitches.
- The Accord has 162 crash-related reports and 3 deaths, compared to 36 crash-related reports and 0 deaths for the Legacy, indicating a higher reported safety risk for the Honda.
- Both have recalls, but the Accord’s recalls include hybrid power control software and fuel pump issues, while the Legacy’s include park/neutral start interlock and occupant classification sensors.
- Check the sun visor for adequate coverage and test the windshield for any chips or cracks, as owners frequently complain about glare and easy glass damage.
- Test all electrical functions, especially the infotainment system, window operation when the car is off, and look for any warning lights related to EyeSight or transmission oil.
- During a test drive, listen for rattling noises during acceleration and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which owners report as early signs of engine trouble.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control at highway speeds to see if they brake or alert unexpectedly, and check for any rotten-egg odor that could indicate fuel system issues.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been performed, especially for the Accord’s hybrid power control unit and fuel pump, and the Legacy’s park/neutral start interlock.
- Have a mechanic inspect the engine and transmission for the Accord, focusing on power loss, rattling, and hybrid mode transitions.
- For the Legacy, inspect the sun visor, windshield, and all electrical components including infotainment, windows, and warning lights.
- Test drive both cars under various conditions—highway, parking, and stop-and-go—to replicate the complaint scenarios described by owners.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and check if any repeated repairs were done for the specific issues reported to NHTSA.
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 Legacy | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 109 |
| 2024 | 17 | 219 |
| 2023 | 10 | 226 |
| 2022 | 33 | 252 |
| 2021 | 31 | 234 |
| 2020 | 121 | 362 |
| 2019 | 123 | 691 |
| 2018 | 117 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 119 | 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 Legacy or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Subaru Legacy vs Honda Accord
- Subaru Legacy total complaints
- 724
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Subaru Legacy total recalls
- 24
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Subaru Legacy avg complaints/year
- 72.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Legacy top complaint area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE