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Honda: reliability & common problems

#13 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~197k
~115k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
564
Hondas inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
56/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 564 used Hondas we inspected, they tend to be in slightly worse shape than average — average condition 56/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.

What we found

Most common faults

Fuel trim out of range · Engine
60%
Oil leaks · Engine
54%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
41%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
32%
Cracked or torn suspension bushings · Suspension
28%

Share of inspected Hondas where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 18% Good 30% Mediocre 25% Poor 27%
Hidden history

What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Hondas.

80%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 75%
8%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
30%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 24%

Compare with another brand:

Cross-shopping? Honda vs Toyota · Honda vs Ford · Honda vs Chevrolet

How long does a Honda last?

Across every Honda body style we've inspected — sedans, SUVs and anything else pooled together — the average one's condition dips below decent (a 55/100 score) around ~115k miles. It ranks Honda #13 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~197k. Shopping a Honda near that mileage? Expect more wear ahead — see which makes give the best odds at your budget.



Good cars by mileage
0 25 50 75 100 0–20k mi: 87% in good shape (15 cars) 20–40k mi: 85% in good shape (26 cars) 40–60k mi: 79% in good shape (52 cars) 60–80k mi: 71% in good shape (69 cars) 80–100k mi: 61% in good shape (75 cars) 100–120k mi: 46% in good shape (87 cars) 120–140k mi: 41% in good shape (75 cars) 140–160k mi: 21% in good shape (78 cars) 160–180k mi: 24% in good shape (34 cars) 180–200k mi: 11% in good shape (27 cars) 200–220k mi: 0% in good shape (8 cars) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
0 25 50 75 100 1 years old: 86% in good shape (7 cars) 2 years old: 92% in good shape (12 cars) 3 years old: 92% in good shape (25 cars) 4 years old: 81% in good shape (26 cars) 5 years old: 75% in good shape (32 cars) 6 years old: 70% in good shape (43 cars) 7 years old: 62% in good shape (45 cars) 8 years old: 53% in good shape (32 cars) 9 years old: 50% in good shape (36 cars) 10 years old: 44% in good shape (54 cars) 11 years old: 57% in good shape (37 cars) 12 years old: 38% in good shape (37 cars) 13 years old: 30% in good shape (40 cars) 14 years old: 29% in good shape (24 cars) 15 years old: 14% in good shape (28 cars) 16 years old: 15% in good shape (26 cars) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share of Hondas in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.

Is Honda getting better?
▬ Consistent across generations 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 60% in good shape (age-adjusted; 53 cars, raw 57%) 60 2015–17: 62% in good shape (age-adjusted; 113 cars, raw 59%) 62 2018–20: 56% in good shape (age-adjusted; 52 cars, raw 62%) 56 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018–20 2021+

Share of Hondas in good shape (60+/100) when inspected at the same age — 5–10 years old, age-adjusted — by model-year generation; the dashed line is the all-brand average. Compare every brand's trajectory →



Honda models we've inspected
Fit 32 cars · 72% good CR-V 97 cars · 55% good Odyssey 58 cars · 52% good Civic 149 cars · 51% good Pilot 48 cars · 40% good Accord 121 cars · 37% good Element 17 cars · profile soon Ridgeline 14 cars · profile soon HR-V 13 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2019 Honda CR-V · 103k mi — flagged: oil sludge, fuel trim out of range, worn brake rotors. Inspected Sep 30.
2021 Honda Accord · 48k mi — flagged: low coolant / cooling system issues, oil leaks, dirty or low engine oil. Inspected Sep 29.
The bottom line

Expect plenty of panel work and too many structural repairs, plus engines that keep showing fuel-trim problems and oil leaks. Shop the 2015–17 cars; the 2018–20 generation actually looks weaker at the same age, so newer is not the smarter play. First things on any example: fuel trim, oil under the engine, then the chassis. Fresh paint or cleared codes are your cue to negotiate hard or walk. Condition typically falls off around 115,000 miles — treat that as a real line if the rest of the car is already messy.

FAQ
?
Is Honda reliable?
48% of the 564 Hondas we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 56/100 — they tend to be in slightly worse shape than average.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Honda?
Across the Hondas we inspected, the items we flag most often are fuel trim out of range (60%), oil leaks (54%), tires condition & wear (41%).
?
Are newer Hondas more reliable than older ones?
About the same — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), Honda's share of cars in good shape has stayed consistent.
Thinking of buying a Honda? Get the exact car inspected before you pay.
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Based on 564 inspections · updated Oct 1, 2026