Head-to-head reliability
Volkswagen Arteon vs Honda Accord
How the Volkswagen Arteon 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
Volkswagen Arteon vs Honda Accord: The Arteon has 103 complaints over 5 years (20.6/yr) versus the Accord's 4,438 over 10 years (443.8/yr). Arteon owners report tire delamination and false driver-assist alerts, while Accord owners face engine and electrical issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Volkswagen Arteon or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Volkswagen Arteon
The Volkswagen Arteon, a low-volume premium sedan, shows a reliability pattern dominated by tire issues, with owners reporting delamination that dealerships confirm as hazardous. Beyond tires, the car's driver-assistance systems—forward collision avoidance and lane departure—trigger frequent false alarms, often tied to a 'Travel assist unavailable' message. Electrical complaints include a serious report of unintended acceleration, though no injuries or deaths are recorded. With only 103 complaints over five years, it's a niche vehicle with a focused set of recurring problems.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a high-volume mainstream sedan, has a much larger complaint count (4,438 over ten years), reflecting its popularity. Engine issues lead, with reports of noises and sudden power loss accompanied by warning lights. Electrical problems include tire pressure monitoring failures and rodent damage to wiring, while forward collision avoidance systems trigger false alerts. The Accord also has more crash-related complaints and injuries, but its sheer numbers mean buyers should be vigilant about specific model years and issues.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Volkswagen Arteon | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 103 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 20.6 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Volkswagen Arteon
- 01TIRES45
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE27
- 03LANE DEPARTURE15
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12
- 05WHEELS12
Owners report tire delamination, where the tread separates from the body, which the dealership confirms as hazardous. This can lead to sudden tire failure and loss of control.
The system frequently displays 'Travel assist unavailable' warnings at random times, such as during turns, causing audible and visual alarms that distract the driver.
Similar to the forward collision issue, lane departure warnings are part of the same 'Travel assist unavailable' defect, triggering false alerts and undermining driver confidence.
One owner filed a formal complaint about unintended acceleration, a serious safety concern that could lead to crashes. Other electrical issues may be related to the driver-assist malfunctions.
“Several of the tires showing delamination according to the dealership. Extremely hazardous to drive on tires as is. Manufacturer (Continental) advised me on 9/25/2025 they would replace 5 tires (car purchased new, came with full size spare). Continental repre…”
“Several of the tires showing delamination according to the dealership. Extremely hazardous to drive on tires as is. Manufacturer (Continental) advised me on 9/25/2025 they would replace 5 tires (car purchased new, came with full size spare). Continental repre…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report unusual noises and, in some cases, sudden loss of power with warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS systems, which can be dangerous on highways.
Issues include tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) failures that led to a tire blowout, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses, which can cause various malfunctions.
The system can falsely activate or show errors for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic high beams, often intermittently, which can be annoying and potentially hazardous.
Brake-related complaints are common, with some owners experiencing critical failures that affect braking performance, though specific details vary.
“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.
Volkswagen Arteon — 6 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Arteon vehicles. The pressure input rod connection on the brake booster may be loose and could detach.
The risk: A detached pressure input rod will cause the brake pedal to fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will tighten the pressure input rod connection, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 28, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47R…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Arteon vehicles. The electronic brake booster pressure input rod may be installed incorrectly, possibly causing an increased actuating force or a disconnected input rod. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirem…
The risk: An increased actuating force or a disconnected input rod may affect braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the mounting of the pressure rod only or replace the electronic brake booster and mounting of the pressure rod, depending of the inspection results, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Arteon vehicles. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors were incorrectly calibrated and may not detect the position of a wheel sensor after tire rotation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement…
The risk: The TPMS may misidentify a tire with low air pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wheel electronics and tire valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volksw…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, the…
The risk: A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this rec…
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
Volkswagen Arteon or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Volkswagen Arteon has far fewer complaints per year (20.6) compared to the Honda Accord (443.8), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Arteon's problems are concentrated in tires and driver-assist systems, while the Accord's are more widespread across engine, electrical, and brakes. In practice, the Arteon may offer fewer headaches, but the Accord's issues are more varied and potentially more serious.
Key differences
- The Arteon's tire delamination is a specific, safety-critical issue, while the Accord's engine problems include power loss and noises.
- Both vehicles have false alerts from forward collision avoidance, but the Arteon's are tied to a 'Travel assist unavailable' message, while the Accord's affect multiple systems.
- The Accord has a much higher number of crash-related complaints and injuries, but that may reflect its larger sales volume.
- The Arteon has fewer recalls (6 vs 38), but both have recalls for brakes and cameras.
- Inspect tires for any signs of delamination or uneven wear, and ask if the Continental tires have been replaced under warranty.
- Test the driver-assist systems during a test drive to see if 'Travel assist unavailable' warnings appear, especially when turning.
- Check for any engine noises or warning lights during a test drive, and ask about the vehicle's service history for engine or electrical issues.
- Verify the TPMS is functioning correctly and inspect wiring for any signs of rodent damage, especially if the car is parked outdoors.
Before you buy
- Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic familiar with the model.
- Check the NHTSA website for open recalls and ensure they've been addressed.
- Review the vehicle's service records for any repeated repairs.
- Test all advanced safety features, including adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, in a safe area.
- Ask about the tire brand and any prior replacements, especially on the Arteon.
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 | Volkswagen Arteon | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 39 | 224 |
| 2022 | 12 | 238 |
| 2021 | 42 | 226 |
| 2020 | 2 | 355 |
| 2019 | 8 | 677 |
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 Volkswagen Arteon or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Volkswagen Arteon vs Honda Accord
- Volkswagen Arteon total complaints
- 103
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Volkswagen Arteon total recalls
- 6
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Volkswagen Arteon avg complaints/year
- 20.6
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Volkswagen Arteon
- Volkswagen Arteon top complaint area
- TIRES
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE