Is the Honda Accord more reliable than the Buick Lacrosse?

Not by a clear margin. The two are effectively tied on reliability. The Accord has lower repair costs and a smaller chance of a major repair, while the Lacrosse has far fewer complaints because it covers only two model years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year.

Which has more recalls, the Accord or the Lacrosse?

The Accord has more, with 46 recalls across 9 model years. The Lacrosse has 5 across 2 model years. The gap mostly reflects the Accord's longer run of model years. One Accord recall covered the fuel pump, and owners said the repair part was unavailable for a long time.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Accord or the Lacrosse?

The Accord is cheaper at about $400 a year, against about $569 for the Lacrosse. Over five years that adds up to roughly $845 saved. Major repairs are also less likely on the Accord, at 9% versus 12% for the Lacrosse.

What are the main problems with the Buick Lacrosse?

Power delivery problems lead the complaints. Owners report hesitation when merging, the car shutting off suddenly, and failure to accelerate from a stop. One report describes surging forward at a light with the brake applied. Dealers sometimes found no fault. Only 18 complaints are on file, so the sample is small.

Does the Honda Accord have safety-related complaints?

Yes. Owners report automatic emergency braking that clamps down with nothing ahead, with two rear-end crashes described after the car stopped on its own. Electrical and brake complaints each include 18 crash-linked reports. Dealers often found no stored codes and offered no fix for the braking issue.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord: Reliability Compared

Buick LaCrosse

Good

Honda Accord

Good

On reliability, the Honda Accord and Buick Lacrosse are effectively tied, though the Lacrosse costs more to repair each year. The Accord has far more complaints and recalls, but it also covers many more model years and cars on the road.

How Do the Buick LaCrosse and Honda Accord Generations Compare?

Two generations cover the Honda years you are likely to shop. The tenth generation runs 2018 through 2022, with a facelift for the 2020 model year. The eleventh generation began with the 2023 model year. The weakest years, 2018 and 2019, both sit in the early part of the tenth generation, before that facelift. The Buick data covers only 2018 and 2019, the last two years of the Lacrosse third generation, which began in 2017 and received a facelift for 2019. Because both Lacrosse years belong to one generation, the choice between them comes down to the condition and history of the individual car.

Verdict

The Buick LaCrosse and Honda Accord are evenly matched with a reliability score of 76/100.

Effectively tied. Neither sedan pulls clearly ahead, and both stand well in the data. The Lacrosse record is thin, with only 18 owner complaints across two model years, so its weak spots are less proven either way. The Accord has far more complaints, but it also has far more cars and years behind it. Independent repair-cost data favors the Accord on yearly cost and chance of a major repair. Shop visits are the same for both at 0.3 a year, so the edge is slight.

Key Differences

1Honda Accord costs $169 less per year to repair
2Buick LaCrosse has 41 fewer total recalls
3Honda Accord has 3% lower major repair risk

Category Scoreboard

1Buick LaCrosse

—

3Honda Accord

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick LaCrosse	Honda Accord
Reliability Score	76/100	76/100
Years Tracked	2	9
Total Recalls	5	46
Complaints per 10k Sold	7.9	5.7
Annual Repair Cost	$569/yr	$400/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	12%	9%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2019 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick LaCrosse and Honda Accord?

Screens and safety systems dominate the Honda side. The touchscreen registers ghost touches while driving, and automatic emergency braking can clamp down with nothing ahead. Head gasket failures, cracked cylinder heads, and a recalled fuel pump also appear. Electrical, forward collision, engine, and brake complaints all include crash-linked reports. Buick complaints are fewer and center on power delivery: hesitation when merging, sudden shutoffs, failed acceleration from a stop, and surging at a light. Those reports describe near misses, and the data lists no crash-linked counts for the Lacrosse. Dealers often found no fault on both cars.

Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick LaCrosse	Honda Accord
ENGINE	2.2Low	0.6Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.3Low	0.9Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.3Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	0.3Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.9Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.7Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.5Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.4Very Low
STEERING	—None	0.4Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.3Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Buick LaCrosse or Honda Accord?

Repairs run about $169 a year cheaper on the Honda: roughly $400 against about $569 for the Buick. Over five years that adds up to about $845. Both cars average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so you should not expect more trips with either one. The difference shows up when something breaks: 9% of Accord repairs are major, compared with 12% for the Lacrosse.

How Does Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick LaCrosse	Honda Accord	Edge
2019	76/1002R / 6C	70/1005R / 574C	Buick LaCrosse
2018	75/1003R / 12C	63/1008R / 1739C	Buick LaCrosse

Best years to cross-shop: The 2019 Buick LaCrosse scored 76/100 and the 2019 Honda Accord scored 70/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick LaCrosse vs the Honda Accord?

Pick the Accord if you want the lower running cost and a larger pool of cars to choose from. Repair cost is lower and major repairs are less likely. Target the newer years, but remember they have had less time to collect complaints, so check recall repairs on any car. Be careful with 2018 and 2019, the weakest Accord years in the data. Before buying, test the touchscreen and the driver-assist systems for false braking, and confirm the fuel pump recall work was done. Pick the Lacrosse if you found a clean, well-documented example and want a quieter complaint history. Only 2018 and 2019 are in the data, so those are your only choices. Its repair cost runs higher, and its complaints involve hesitation and sudden shutoffs. On a test drive, press the pedal firmly from a stop and while merging, and ask whether any stalling or reduced power warnings were ever dealt with. Walk away from a car with unexplained power loss.

Buick LaCrosse vs Honda Accord: Common Questions

Is the Honda Accord more reliable than the Buick Lacrosse?: Not by a clear margin. The two are effectively tied on reliability. The Accord has lower repair costs and a smaller chance of a major repair, while the Lacrosse has far fewer complaints because it covers only two model years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year.
Which has more recalls, the Accord or the Lacrosse?: The Accord has more, with 46 recalls across 9 model years. The Lacrosse has 5 across 2 model years. The gap mostly reflects the Accord's longer run of model years. One Accord recall covered the fuel pump, and owners said the repair part was unavailable for a long time.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Accord or the Lacrosse?: The Accord is cheaper at about $400 a year, against about $569 for the Lacrosse. Over five years that adds up to roughly $845 saved. Major repairs are also less likely on the Accord, at 9% versus 12% for the Lacrosse.
What are the main problems with the Buick Lacrosse?: Power delivery problems lead the complaints. Owners report hesitation when merging, the car shutting off suddenly, and failure to accelerate from a stop. One report describes surging forward at a light with the brake applied. Dealers sometimes found no fault. Only 18 complaints are on file, so the sample is small.
Does the Honda Accord have safety-related complaints?: Yes. Owners report automatic emergency braking that clamps down with nothing ahead, with two rear-end crashes described after the car stopped on its own. Electrical and brake complaints each include 18 crash-linked reports. Dealers often found no stored codes and offered no fix for the braking issue.

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Decided between Buick LaCrosse and Honda Accord? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Buick LaCrosse and Honda Accord

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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