Monday, September 21, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2018 Honda Accord vs 2018 Kia Optima

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2018 Honda Accord2018 Kia Optima
NHTSA complaints1,875232
Recall campaigns62
Service bulletins (TSBs)307155
Investigations22
Crash reports3510
Fire reports410
NCAP overall rating5/55/5
EPA MPG (combined)26–4725–42
Median reported incident mileage24,970 mi45,663 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentHonda AccordKia Optima
Engine552131
Forward Collision Avoidance3371
Electrical System28933
Fuel/propulsion System30313
Service Brakes24917
Fuel System, Gasoline1650
Power Train13618
Vehicle Speed Control11110

Symptoms owners describe

Loss of power18014
Stalling17126
Misfire / rough idle15911
Check engine light13827
Overheating840
Vibration / shaking6619
Hesitation / surging467
Clunking / rattling226

Compare all Honda Accord vs Kia Optima years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.