Head-to-head reliability
Volvo VNR vs Honda Accord
How the Volvo VNR 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
Volvo VNR vs Honda Accord: The VNR has 2 complaints over 10 years (0.2/year) and 36 recalls, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints (452.4/year) and 38 recalls. Accord reports include 162 crash-related complaints and 146 injuries; VNR reports none. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Volvo VNR or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Volvo VNR
The Volvo VNR is a heavy-duty semi tractor, so it's a commercial work vehicle rather than a family car. Over ten years it has only 2 complaints, which is extremely low, but 36 recalls show that factory fixes are common. The few complaints point to transmission and visibility quirks that could affect daily driving.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular family sedan with a huge complaint volume: 4,524 over ten years, or about 452 per year. Owners report engine, electrical, and forward-collision-avoidance problems, and there are 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths. That doesn't mean the Accord is unsafe, but it does mean you should check for these issues carefully.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Volvo VNR | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 36 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.2 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.
Volvo VNR
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
- 02VISIBILITY/WIPER1
One owner reported the truck slipping into neutral when slowing for a turn or stop light and not going back into gear until fully stopped. This could leave you without power in traffic, so test low-speed shifting.
A complaint describes a replacement sun visor that was smaller and mounted incorrectly, making morning and evening driving difficult. Check that the visor is the original size and properly installed.
“This Is a volvo semi tractor 2021 the original sunvisor was removed from tractor. And an off brand replacement was installed which is substantially smaller by 4 inches on each side of visor + it's mounted in wrong direction making morning and evening's very d…”
“My truck is going to neutral When ever I slow down and about to make a turn or for a stop light , and will not ho back in gear . Until I fully stop and put it in gear again - causing big problems -”
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 at highway speeds, with the vehicle losing speed. Another notes rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These could mean expensive engine or hybrid system repairs.
One complaint says the electronic power steering and braking failed simultaneously at highway speeds, causing a near-collision. Another describes a tire failure after a TPMS warning. Electrical faults can affect safety-critical systems, so have a mechanic scan for codes.
Owners report the system failing to resolve a threat and unexpected behavior with adaptive cruise control set at 70 mph. This could reduce the benefit of driver-assist features, so test them on a test drive.
Complaints include a persistent rotten-egg odor that remained after a filter replacement and a foot slipping behind a center panel. These are not necessarily safety issues but indicate build-quality annoyances.
“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.
Volvo VNR — 36 recalls
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2020-2023 VNR Electric vehicles equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). When the adaptive cruise control braking activates under light load conditions, it can trigger an aggressive braking response.
The risk: Overly aggressive braking can result in the rear axle skidding, the brakes locking up, and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will secure wiring and remove radar antennas and brackets from the vehicle. The anti-lock braking system will be reprogrammed to disable adaptive cruise control. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 2, 2023. Ow…
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2020-2024 VNR Electric vehicles. The coolant line in the high voltage battery pack may not be fully seated and locked, which can result in the loss of coolant and an electrical short circuit.
The risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Volvo Trucks will work with the battery manufacturer Akasol to inspect and replace the batteries, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 9, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks' customer service at 1-800-…
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2022-2024 VNR, VNL, VHD, and VAH trucks. The windshield wiper motor gears may wear prematurely, causing the motor to fail.
The risk: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo Trucks number for this recall is R…
The defect: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2021 VNL and VNR buses. The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the rear drive axles stated on the Federal Certification Label exceeds the rating of the wheel hubs. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Pa…
The risk: If the rear axles are overloaded, over time the wheel hubs may fail prematurely, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Volvo will notify owners and send corrected replacement labels, free of charge. The recall began August 18, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX2002.
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
Volvo VNR or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Volvo VNR has far fewer complaints per year (0.2 vs. 452.4), but it's a commercial truck with many recalls. The Accord's higher complaint rate means you're more likely to encounter reported problems, especially with engine and electrical systems. In practice, the VNR may need fewer owner-reported fixes, but both require careful inspection.
Key differences
- The Volvo VNR is a semi tractor with only 2 complaints in 10 years, while the Honda Accord is a passenger car with 4,524 complaints—about 452 per year.
- Accord owners report engine and electrical failures that can cause loss of speed or steering/braking assist; VNR complaints focus on transmission slipping into neutral and a poorly fitted sun visor.
- The Accord has 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the VNR has none of these reported.
- Both have recalls (36 for VNR, 38 for Accord), but the VNR's recalls cover diverse systems like braking, battery thermal management, and wipers, while the Accord's include hybrid software and fuel pump issues.
- During a test drive, slow down for turns and stop lights to check that the transmission does not slip into neutral or hesitate to re-engage.
- Inspect the sun visor for correct size and mounting direction; a smaller, misinstalled visor can impair visibility in low sun.
- Listen for rattling noises during acceleration and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes; these may indicate engine or hybrid system problems.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control at highway speeds if possible, and watch for warning alarms for brake, ABS, or hill descent systems.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models using the NHTSA VIN lookup.
- For the Volvo VNR, have a commercial truck mechanic inspect the transmission and visibility equipment, and test low-speed shifting.
- For the Honda Accord, have a mechanic scan for stored codes in the engine, electrical, and forward-collision-avoidance systems.
- Test-drive the Accord on a highway to check adaptive cruise control and forward collision warnings, and listen for engine rattles.
- Verify that any sun visor or windshield wiper components on the VNR are original or correctly installed.
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 | Volvo VNR | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| 2025 | 0 | 109 |
| 2024 | 0 | 219 |
| 2023 | 1 | 226 |
| 2022 | 0 | 252 |
| 2021 | 1 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 0 | 691 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Volvo VNR or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Volvo VNR vs Honda Accord
- Volvo VNR total complaints
- 2
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Volvo VNR total recalls
- 36
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Volvo VNR avg complaints/year
- 0.2
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Volvo VNR
- Volvo VNR top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE