Even though the Honda Accord is an award-winning car, questions about its reliability are legit. Let’s take a closer look at the Accord’s history and pain points you may want to consider.

The history of the Honda Accord

Four years ago, the Honda Accord celebrated its 40th anniversary.

The first Accord appeared back in 1976. It was a two-door hatchback. Back then, the Accord was the brand’s premium model (a step above the Civic). The vehicle had a second-generation 68-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which made it fuel-efficient.

Since then, the company has developed nine more generations of the model. Comparing the new 2020 Honda Accord with the 1976 vehicle could make anyone smile. It has a 10-speed automatic transmission, 192 hp, hybrid options, and much more, which all contribute to making the new Accord an appealing choice for many buyers.

However, throughout the years of success, the model has suffered several recalls.

Dangerous Honda Accord recalls

According to Kelley Blue Book, the most unfortunate recall happened back in 2008 when the company discovered a defective airbag inflator that could cause serious injuries to the occupants during deployment. The recall affected 2001-12 Accords and many other Honda models. Takata airbag inflators didn’t just make the vehicle unreliable, they turned it into a deadly weapon.

The latest recall occurred back in October 2018. The rearview camera in some vehicles didn’t do its job properly, putting the occupants in danger.

A year before that, numerous 2015-2017 Accord models equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine were recalled due to reduced fuel pump performance, which resulted in an engine stall, increasing the risk of accidents.

Before you buy one of the used Accord models, make sure it hasn’t been recalled. You can take advantage of the Honda owners’ website to figure it out.

Good years and bad years

Generally, the Honda Accord is considered one of the most reliable vehicles on the market. However, just like any product, it has good days and bad days.

According to Car Complaints, the worst year for this model was 2003. Back then, it had serious issues with the transmission. Overall, the seventh generation Honda Accord (2003 – 2007) had numerous reliability problems.

The ninth and 10th generations of the Honda Accord seem to be the most reliable option right now. For example, 2015, 2017, and 2019 vehicles get the lowest number of complaints.

New reliability perks

Honda is working hard to make its models highly reliable and appealing to the audience. For example, it recently developed a passenger airbag that can reduce the chances of a head injury by a whopping 75 percent. More tests are yet to be conducted, but the future of this development seems bright.

Considering the airbag problems they had in the past, the company is making a huge effort to come up with a truly safe product.

Is the new 2020 Honda Accord Reliable?

Since the 2020 model appeared, many potential buyers are wondering about its safety. The new Honda Accord sedan was evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It received five stars. The model also was a IIHS Top Safety Pick.

The vehicle has an impressive collection of safety features, including:

• 4-Wheel ABS
• Brake Assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• Daytime Running Lights
• Child Safety Locks
• Traction Control
• Lane Departure Warning
• Honda Sensing suite

The Honda Sensing features offer a variety of perks, such as: a Collision Mitigation Braking System, a Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist System, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

While all of the above sounds truly amazing, the 2020 model is still too young to judge. Let’s see how it fares over the next few years.