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Honda: reliability & common problems

#14 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~187k
~114k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
536
Hondas inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
56/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 536 used Hondas we inspected, they tend to be in noticeably 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
34%
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.

81%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 75%
8%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
29%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 23%

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 ~114k miles. It ranks Honda #14 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~187k. 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: 78% in good shape (45 cars) 60–80k mi: 70% in good shape (67 cars) 80–100k mi: 63% in good shape (71 cars) 100–120k mi: 45% in good shape (84 cars) 120–140k mi: 41% in good shape (70 cars) 140–160k mi: 21% in good shape (77 cars) 160–180k mi: 24% in good shape (33 cars) 180–200k mi: 12% in good shape (26 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: 91% in good shape (11 cars) 3 years old: 91% in good shape (23 cars) 4 years old: 81% in good shape (26 cars) 5 years old: 77% in good shape (30 cars) 6 years old: 70% in good shape (43 cars) 7 years old: 63% in good shape (43 cars) 8 years old: 50% in good shape (30 cars) 9 years old: 50% in good shape (34 cars) 10 years old: 46% in good shape (48 cars) 11 years old: 54% in good shape (35 cars) 12 years old: 39% in good shape (36 cars) 13 years old: 29% in good shape (38 cars) 14 years old: 29% in good shape (24 cars) 15 years old: 14% in good shape (28 cars) 16 years old: 17% in good shape (24 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?
▼ Newer Hondas aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 60% in good shape (age-adjusted; 53 cars, raw 57%) 60 2015–17: 63% in good shape (age-adjusted; 104 cars, raw 61%) 63 2018+: 51% in good shape (age-adjusted; 54 cars, raw 59%) 51 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+

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 31 cars · 71% good CR-V 87 cars · 53% good Odyssey 53 cars · 53% good Civic 145 cars · 50% good Pilot 47 cars · 41% good Accord 117 cars · 37% good Element 17 cars · profile soon Ridgeline 13 cars · profile soon HR-V 11 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2020 Honda Odyssey · 58k mi — flagged: fuel trim out of range, worn brake rotors, worn suspension joints. Inspected Aug 27.
2020 Honda CR-V · 62k mi — flagged: low coolant / cooling system issues, fuel trim out of range, sway bars. Inspected Aug 27.
The bottom line

Honda shopping here is engine-first and history-skeptical. Start with a scan and a look under the engine for fuel trim problems and oil leaks—those are the pattern, not the exception. Stick to the 2015–17 window if you can; the 2018+ cars actually look weaker at the same age, so don't overpay for recency. Extra structural repairs, wiped codes, and heavy repaint mean you treat every car as potentially patched: get the underbody inspected, walk from leaks or frame work, and use everything else to negotiate. They tend to dip around 114,000 miles, so treat high-mileage ones as extra-risky.

FAQ
?
Is Honda reliable?
48% of the 536 Hondas we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 56/100 — they tend to be in noticeably 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?
No — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), newer Hondas actually score lower than the early-2010s ones.
Thinking of buying a Honda? Get the exact car inspected before you pay.
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Based on 536 inspections · updated Aug 27, 2026