Is the Honda Accord more reliable than the Buick Regal?

Yes, but only slightly. Both cars hold a good standing. The Accord has fewer complaints per 10,000 sold, a lower yearly repair cost, and a lower chance of a major repair. The Regal needs fewer unscheduled shop visits. The Accord's serious problems, such as false emergency braking, keep the lead narrow.

Which has more recalls, the Accord or the Regal?

The Accord has far more. Federal recall records show 46 recalls across its 9 model years, against 8 across 3 model years for the Regal. The Accord has been covered for more model years, so the gap partly reflects time on the road.

Which costs less to repair, the Accord or the Regal?

The Accord costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $400 a year for the Accord and $563 for the Regal. Over five years, that is about $815 saved. The Accord also has a lower chance that a repair is major, at 9% against 12% for the Regal.

What is the Regal's "Shift to Park" problem?

Some Regal owners see a false "Shift to Park" or "Place in Park" message when the shifter is already in park. The car may then fail to shut off fully, which drains the battery and can stop it from restarting. Some owners clear it by moving the shifter back and forth. One dealer diagnosed a failed shifter unit and console.

Does the Accord have a problem with automatic emergency braking?

Yes, owners report it. The Accord's forward collision avoidance complaints describe hard braking with nothing ahead, at speeds from 30 mph to highway speed. Two complaints describe rear-end crashes after the car stopped on its own. Dealers usually find no stored codes, and turning the system off does not last past a restart.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Regal vs Honda Accord: Reliability Compared

Buick Regal

Good

More Reliable

Honda Accord

Good

Shoppers get a slight reliability edge with the Honda Accord over the Buick Regal. It costs less to fix and draws fewer complaints per car sold. The Regal's record rests on a small sample, but its owners pay more per year to keep it running and face a higher chance of a major repair.

How Do the Buick Regal and Honda Accord Generations Compare?

Most of the Accord years in this data belong to the tenth generation, which ran from the 2018 through 2022 model years with a facelift for 2020. That generation includes the two weakest years, 2018 and 2019. The eleventh generation began with the 2023 model year, so 2023 and later cars are newer and have had less time to collect complaints. For the Regal, the sixth generation began with the 2018 model year, and 2020 was marked as its final production year with a facelift. The Regal data covers 2018 to 2020 only, so a shopper is choosing among three model years.

Verdict

The Honda Accord is more reliable than the Buick Regal, scoring 76/100 vs 74/100.

A slight edge goes to the Honda Accord, not a clear win. Both cars hold a good standing. The Accord draws fewer owner complaints per car sold, costs less to repair each year, and is less likely to need a major repair. The Buick Regal visits the shop a little less often, and its small complaint count makes its record harder to read. The Accord's weak spots are serious, so the lead stays narrow.

Key Differences

1Honda Accord costs $163 less per year to repair
2Buick Regal has 38 fewer total recalls
3Honda Accord has 8.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

2Buick Regal

—

4Honda Accord

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Buick Regal vs Honda Accord: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick Regal vs Honda Accord at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Regal	Honda Accord
Reliability Score	74/100	76/100
Years Tracked	3	9
Total Recalls	8	46
Complaints per 10k Sold	14.5	5.7
Annual Repair Cost	$563/yr	$400/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	12%	9%
Year Wins	3	0

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

Driver-assist and engine failures dominate the Accord's complaints. Owners report ghost touches on the touchscreen, automatic emergency braking that slams on with nothing ahead, and head gasket failures that bring overheating and power loss. Its electrical, forward collision, engine, and brake complaints all include crash-linked reports. The Regal's list is shorter. It centers on a false "Shift to Park" message that can drain the battery, a stop-start system that restarts late, and a hard brake pedal. Its crash-linked reports sit in brakes and speed control, where one car surged forward into a pole in a drive-thru. Speed control is not a main problem area for the Accord.

Buick Regal vs Honda Accord common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Regal	Honda Accord
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.6Low	0.9Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	1.9Low	0.5Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1.5Low	0.3Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.5Low	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.7Very Low	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.7Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.7Very Low
ENGINE	—None	0.6Very 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
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 Regal or Honda Accord?

Keeping the Accord on the road costs less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $400 a year against $563 for the Regal, a gap of about $815 over five years. A repair is also less likely to be major on the Accord, at 9% against 12%. The Regal does better on frequency, with 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.3. You would visit the shop slightly more often in the Accord, but each year would cost less overall.

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

Buick Regal vs Honda Accord year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Regal	Honda Accord	Edge
2020	75/1002R / 2C	73/1008R / 344C	Buick Regal
2019	73/1003R / 18C	70/1005R / 574C	Buick Regal
2018	74/1003R / 19C	63/1008R / 1739C	Buick Regal

Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 Buick Regal scored 75/100 and the 2020 Honda Accord scored 73/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick Regal vs the Honda Accord?

Pick the Accord if you want lower running costs and a bigger pool of cars to choose from. Its estimated repair bill is $400 a year, and fewer owners complain per car sold. Test the touchscreen and the automatic braking on a long drive. Be cautious with 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Do not choose 2025 or 2026 just because they look strong, since newer years have had less time to collect complaints. Pick the Regal if you want fewer unscheduled shop visits and can accept a higher yearly repair bill. Its data covers only 2018 to 2020, and 2019 is among the weakest years, so lean toward 2020 and check the history of any 2018, which shows up as both strong and weak. Before buying, shift in and out of park several times and watch for the false "Shift to Park" message. Press the brake pedal firmly and check that it feels normal.

Buick Regal vs Honda Accord: Common Questions

Is the Honda Accord more reliable than the Buick Regal?: Yes, but only slightly. Both cars hold a good standing. The Accord has fewer complaints per 10,000 sold, a lower yearly repair cost, and a lower chance of a major repair. The Regal needs fewer unscheduled shop visits. The Accord's serious problems, such as false emergency braking, keep the lead narrow.
Which has more recalls, the Accord or the Regal?: The Accord has far more. Federal recall records show 46 recalls across its 9 model years, against 8 across 3 model years for the Regal. The Accord has been covered for more model years, so the gap partly reflects time on the road.
Which costs less to repair, the Accord or the Regal?: The Accord costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $400 a year for the Accord and $563 for the Regal. Over five years, that is about $815 saved. The Accord also has a lower chance that a repair is major, at 9% against 12% for the Regal.
What is the Regal's "Shift to Park" problem?: Some Regal owners see a false "Shift to Park" or "Place in Park" message when the shifter is already in park. The car may then fail to shut off fully, which drains the battery and can stop it from restarting. Some owners clear it by moving the shifter back and forth. One dealer diagnosed a failed shifter unit and console.
Does the Accord have a problem with automatic emergency braking?: Yes, owners report it. The Accord's forward collision avoidance complaints describe hard braking with nothing ahead, at speeds from 30 mph to highway speed. Two complaints describe rear-end crashes after the car stopped on its own. Dealers usually find no stored codes, and turning the system off does not last past a restart.

More Buick Regal comparisons

Buick Regal vs Toyota Camry reliability Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata reliability Buick Regal vs Nissan Altima reliability Buick Regal vs Kia K5 reliability Buick Regal reliability by year Buick Regal years to avoid

More Honda Accord comparisons

Honda Accord vs Ford Fusion reliability Honda Accord vs Kia Optima reliability Honda Accord vs Toyota Camry reliability Honda Accord vs Subaru Legacy reliability Honda Accord reliability by year Honda Accord years to avoid

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

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the Buick Regal 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.

See incorrect data? Report an issue