Midsize sedans · model years 2021 to 2023
Kia K5 vs Honda Accord: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the K5 looks better on 3 and the Accord on 2, with 2 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 23, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2021 to 2023 | K5 | Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 7.2% | 4.6% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 6.7% | 2.5% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 48,000 | 38,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.3 | 3.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 2 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system K5 owners complain about most is fuel and propulsion; for the Accord it is electrical. Complaints citing fuel and propulsion make up 29% of all K5 complaints, against 6.2% on the Accord. The Accord leans the other way on collision avoidance: 25% of its complaints, against 6.7% for the K5.
Kia K5Honda Accord
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the K5 is misfire (13% of its complaints). On the Accord it is infotainment problems (33% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the K5.
| Problem | K5 | Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 0 | 33% 188most in 2022 · 37k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 13% 5476k mi | 7.1% 4074k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 6.0% 2424k mi | 11% 61most in 2021 · 24k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 9.5% 3824k mi | 7.1% 4069k mi |
| Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) | 0 | 12% 69most in 2022 · 15k mi |
| Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out | 3.2% 13 | 6.7% 38 |
| Seat belt or seat problems | 5.7% 23 | 2.7% 15 |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 8.0% 3260k mi | 0 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Accord owners report problems earlier. Half the Accord complaints that give a mileage come before 38,000 miles; for the K5 the halfway point is 48,000. 51% of K5 reports and 58% of Accord reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Kia K5Honda Accord
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 98 for the K5 and 98 for the Accord.
Worst and best years
No K5 model year stands out from the rest. The 2018 Accord draws 4.0 times the complaints of a typical Accord year for its age.
Kia K5Honda Accord
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Accord draws more recalls: 3.0 campaigns per model year against 2.3 for the K5. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Kia K5
7 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (2), fuel system (2) and lane keeping (1).
- 22V-760 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 3 model years
- 23V-149 (airbags) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- DP22003: Loss of motive power (closed)
Honda Accord
9 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: seat belts (2), airbags (2) and fuel system (2).
- 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 3 model years
- 24V-064 (airbags) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA24002: Inadvertent automatic emergency braking (open)
- RQ24006: Front seat belt assemblies may be missing the rivet that secures the quick connector and wire plate (closed)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of K5 complaints report a crash: 7.2%, against 4.6% for the Accord. Fire reports: 6 for the K5 and 3 for the Accord. Complaints on file report 3 deaths in the K5 and 0 in the Accord for these model years.
Kia K5Honda Accord
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Kia K5 or the Honda Accord more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the K5 looks better on 3 and the Accord on 2, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the K5 has 401 complaints and the Accord 566 for model years 2021 to 2023, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the K5 or the Accord?
The K5 has 7 recall campaigns and the Accord 9 across model years 2021 to 2023. The Accord draws more recalls: 3.0 campaigns per model year against 2.3 for the K5.
What are the most common problems on the K5 and the Accord?
The most reported problem on the K5 is misfire (13% of its complaints). On the Accord it is infotainment problems (33% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the K5.
More comparisons
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