The Honda Accord offers all the dependability of the carmaker’s flagship Civic, plus a little more elbow room on the inside. If you’re looking to join the high mileage club, it’s not hard to find an Accord with over a quarter million miles on it.
Key Points
- The Honda Accord is estimated by Consumer Reports to reach 200,000 miles with proper care.
- Newer Accords come with one-speed continuously variable transmission, which can be dependable, but requires twice as much maintenance as a conventional automatic.
- 2013 and 2014 Accords suffered a handful of electrical and steering issues. They are still generally dependable compacts, but you might as well skip to the 2015 and avoid the transmission issue altogether.
Expect to Reach 200,000 Miles in Your Accord, but Don’t be Surprised to Fly Right Past 250,000
You’ve no doubt heard of Honda Civics maxing out the odometer and passing a million miles. But the automaker’s other compact, the Accord, has some high-mileage record-holders, including a million mile 1990.
If you want to get your numbers up there, if you want a car that you’ll still be driving in 20 years, you can just about throw a dart at a list of Toyotas and Hondas, and if you take care of it, it’ll get you there.
Obviously, every Accord driver can’t expect to hit a million miles. Consumer Reports puts the average maximum mileage closer to 200,000.
Overall, Honda takes the second spot for longest-lasting vehicles, with 1.6% of all Hondas on the road right now having topped 200,000 miles. Toyota come in first at 2%. For comparison, Chevy and Cadillac tie for third at 1.5%, and the average is just 1%.
It’s not hard to find anecdotal evidence to back this up. Where most cars will top out somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000, the Internet is full of Honda owners bragging about their used Accords hitting the first quarter million.
When you factor in the low cost of refueling and maintaining a Honda, the only way you’re getting farther on less money is with a plane ticket.
Transmission Maintenance is Key to Passing 200,000 Miles
The Accord switched over to one-speed CVT for the 2013 model, and it has been the default option ever since.
Manual transmission comes as an option in some model years, but the vast majority of used and new Accords on the road today are one-speeds.
After safe driving, knowing your service schedule is the most important factor in hitting that 200,000-mile mark. But, the service schedule is going to be different based on what transmission you’re driving with, so this is worth knowing.
Obviously, you want to check your owner’s manual. That’s going to tell you exactly when you need to change your oil and spark plugs, when to rotate your tires, etc.
But for quick reference, a Honda CVT typically needs its fluid changed once every 25,000 to 30,000 miles or so.
Manual transmissions might go 30,000 to 60,000 miles between changes, and automatics can reach 60,000 to 100,000. It all depends on make and model, of course.
Itās better you bring your car into the dealer for routine maintenance too soon than not soon enough. So, read every pamphlet, book, and scrap of paper that comes with the car, and err on the side of caution.
2013 and 2014 Accords have More Problems than Most
It’s hard to find a bad year for the Accord, but the 2013 and 2014 models marked a two-year rough patch for the nameplate.
In 2013, the car generated over a thousand complaints with the NHTSA. And theĀ 2014 model was hit with more than 700. Not the worst numbers for a compact, but more than double what you expect from an Accord.
The leading complaint: electrical issues.Ā A number ofĀ 2013 and 2014 Honda Accord owners report that “the car simply doesn’t want to start.ā Or it shuts off on the highway, or otherwise just shows a whole range of technical hiccups pointing to flimsy wiring and buggy onboard computers.
In the 2013 model, the power steering had a tendency to go out, as well.
Both model years were recalled for a battery sensor shortage in 2017, and driveshaft corrosion in 2020. But complaints for both issues continue to roll in as late as 2021.
The rate of incidence is low enough that this isn’t what you’d call a major problem for the brand. Most units will go unaffected.
But, if you haven’t put in a down payment yet, why take the risk? Just skip ahead and start your Accord shopping with the 2015 model.
The Accord is Everything You Expect from Honda
While the flagship Civic may steal most of the thunder, the Accord is every bit as reliable as Honda’s iconic subcompact, and with a little extra interior room, too.
You really can’t go wrong with any Honda, if you’re looking for a car that’s going to go the distance.
With a little extra care, regular maintenance, and safe driving, you could be the next driver posing for auto magazines next to your million-mile Honda.
But even if you’re not still driving your Accord in 2060, a minimum expected mileage of 200,000 ain’t bad.
Photos: Honda
