How Many Miles Can A Honda Accord Last? Reliable Or Not?

Many people love Honda cars. They are relatively luxurious, very reliable, absolutely beautiful, and also technological. We know a lot of myths about the Honda Accord, but we also know that this vehicle is one of the most popular in its class all over the world. When people keep buying a car, we should understand that this car is very reliable and great to drive.

Today, we'll be mainly speaking about the durability of the Honda Accord. This model is so popular that nearly all drivers in the US have already driven this car and have formed their opinion about it. If you still haven't, you should test drive this vehicle. And we are pretty sure you will forget about all the competitors.

We'll be talking about the following:

1. Honda Accord engines and transmissions - reliability and durability.
2. Overall car mileage - how many miles can Honda Accord go?
3. What are the main problems of a Honda Accord?
4. What are the best years and generations of the Accord?

Let's get started!

Engines and transmissions - any problems?

When we are talking about cars with internal combustion engines, the longevity should be tightly connected with the durability of the engine and the transmission. These two units will likely be the first ones to give up and start failing. It doesn't always happen like this, but in most cases, the engine problems are the reason for getting rid of an old Accord.

We won't now talk about all generations of the Honda Accord because it has already had ten of them and the eleventh is going to be presented soon. But we'll look at those generations that are available on the market and are still popular among used cars.

Here's what we can say:

1. The most popular Accord engine now is the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged unit offering 192 horsepower. The longevity of this engine is not very good, it's said to go for about 100 000 miles with no problems, and then you will have to invest in it.
2. Also, the new Accords offer one trim (Sport 2.0T) with a more powerful 2-liter turbocharged engine offering 252 horsepower which is not bad at all. Unfortunately, the longevity is not brilliant at all - it's about 120 000 miles until the first major problems.
3. The most popular transmission among the new Accords is a well-known continuously variable transmission (CVT) by Honda. The 1.5-liter engines all come equipped with this option which is not very long-lasting, too. We would say, 100 000 miles is the mark for the first repair.
4. The second transmission option is the 10-speed automatic transmission that is offered with the 2-liter engine. It's much better in terms of durability. We would say, it can go over 150 000 miles. Also, it's repairable which is a big advantage today.
5. The new Accord also offers a hybrid version. This one is not much better in terms of durability than any other option for the 2022 Accord. The hybrid will start showing its first problems somewhere near 120 000 miles.

So, we have two things to tell you. The good news is that you can go at least 100 000 miles on any Accord from the new lineup of the company. What's more, the vehicle will not bother you with a lot of problems and minor issues. But the bad news is that after this 100 000-mile mark, you will start getting real problems with your vehicle. And it's not just minor problems.

We would say that the turbocharger repair doesn't make much sense in both 1.5 and 2.0 engines. When it starts failing, you should replace the turbocharger which is extremely expensive. Any problem with the engine or the transmission of the vehicle can be surprisingly expensive to repair. If you have the Accord and you are going to drive it for years, start saving money for some repairs.

What's the average mileage of the Honda Accord?

We've been just reading what guys say on forums and specialized blogs and we've found many opinions that a modern Accord can last up to 250 000 miles. This is not true at all. Any CVT transmission will last that long. Any small turbocharged engine with more than 100 horsepower from 1 liter of displacement will last that long. Unfortunately, the modern Honda Accord will last only about 120 000 to 150 000 miles.

We could say it's bad, but then we compared it with other vehicles in the class and we saw that it's an optimal average mileage of today's family sedans. All companies tend to make smaller engines and get more power out of them, use cheaper transmissions, and reduce the mileage of their cars to make more money. It's time to get used to such marketing strategies.

The best years and generations of the Honda Accord

Up until now, we've been talking about the latest 10th generation of the Accord. But it's obviously not the best generation in terms of durability and reliability. We all remember that legendary 2007-2012 Accord generation which is still popular in America and is worth some money on the market. This generation had great engines, wonderful transmissions, cool suspension, and basically no problems.

Then, in 2012, the ninth generation appeared. Basically, they changed the body and style but they left all the great technical features untouched. And that's why the Accord became even more popular in the US. But even then, we started paying attention to some problems and minor issues that could show up at very low mileage.

We would say the eighth generation of the Honda Accord (2007-2012) was the best one in the family, here's why:

• all engines, starting with a 2-liter base unit and finishing with a 3.5-liter luxury V6, were extremely reliable and long-lasting;
• the simple 5-speed automatic transmission could go really many miles with no problems at all and it was cheap to repair;
• the body was protected from rust (though, the new generation is also protected quite well, we should say);
• the interior looked pretty good until the car hit the 200 000-mile mark, and even after that it was not so shabby;
• the mileage of some cars could go up to 400 000 miles, while the average longevity is thought to be around 250 000 miles.

If you are looking for a really good used car, the eighth generation of the Accord is a good choice. All engines, all transmissions, and all trims were really good. Yes, the car now looks a bit old-fashioned, but it's still a good choice for the money. For a decent 2010 Accord, you will pay around $8000 or $9000 which is not so bad at all.

Of course, modern Accords are more beautiful, more technological and they are fun to drive. But their longevity is twice worse than the longevity of an Accord that is already 12 years old. Just imagine, if you buy a 12-year-old Accord with 150 000 miles on the clock and also a new Accord from a dealer, they will both eventually go 120 000 to 150 000 miles.

Main problems of the Honda Accord

Now, we'll try to figure out the most frequently occurring problems of the tenth generation of the Honda Accord. We take the last generation just because talking about all years of the Accord is insane - it will take us too long to finish because all the generations are just different cars with their own set of problems.

So, the new Accord will likely have such problems:

1. CVT troubles. The transmission is good and it's very economical in terms of fuel consumption. But after 120 000 miles, it will start failing. Unfortunately, repairing the transmission is sometimes not possible.
2. Turbocharger problems. Both engines have problems with the turbocharging system. Be careful with the choice of oil to ensure longer life of the turbocharger.
3. Front suspension minor issues. Some owners report the suspension problems much sooner than they expect to get them.
4. Front brake rotor problems. The rotors will be warped in just 30 000 - 50 000 miles depending on your driving habits.
5. Wiring and electronics problems. Usually, the Accord will only bother you with minor problems like AC glitches and multimedia system problems.

Now you know what to expect and you can predict when your Accord starts sending you some problems. Maybe, this will help you prevent them or even change your car until these problems start taking money from your pockets.

Final words

We know for sure that the Honda Accord will become your favorite car because this vehicle is just great. But unfortunately, the longevity of the new Accord is not that good. The vehicle has become less reliable over time. We all remember that wonderful eighth generation of the Accord which was hard to kill, just like the Terminator. But today things are different. If you are buying a new Accord, you will not get the legendary longevity this car used to have a decade ago.