Honda Accord
2021 Honda Accord
LX, Sport, Sport Special Edition (new for 2021), EX-L and Touring, plus Hybrid, Hybrid Sport, Hybrid EX-L and Hybrid Touring. The 2.0L turbo is limited to Sport and Touring. 2021 is the first year with no manual transmission offered.
Overview
2021 is the mid-cycle refresh of the tenth-generation Accord that launched for 2018. Honda revised the grille and wheels, added the Sport Special Edition with heated leather seats, made wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on EX-L and above, and dropped the 6-speed manual entirely. The chassis, engines and transmissions carry over unchanged.
The powertrain split matters more than the trim ladder here. The 1.5L turbo with the CVT is the volume car and the efficient one. The 2.0L turbo pairs with a 10-speed automatic and is genuinely quick — 252 hp and 273 lb-ft — but it is the more complex machine and the fuel economy penalty is real. The two-motor hybrid is arguably the best of the three, running 48 mpg combined with an e-CVT that has no belt, no torque converter and very few wear items.
- Standard on every trim: Honda Sensing with adaptive cruise, collision mitigation braking, lane keeping and road departure mitigation.
- What owners report: A/C condenser leaks carried over from earlier years of this generation, an occasional infotainment freeze, and a 12V battery that does not last long on short-trip duty.
- What holds up well: the body, the interior materials, the brakes, and the hybrid system, which has a strong service record across Honda's lineup.
Reliability & running costs
A well-built sedan with one recurring expense you should plan for. The A/C condenser problem that Honda extended warranty coverage for on 2018–2020 Accords is the same design on the 2021, and it is the failure most likely to hand you a four-figure bill. Beyond that the mechanical picture is strong across all three powertrains, and the hybrid in particular has been trouble-free enough that it is the one to buy if you can find it.
- Reliability score
- 4.0 / 5
- Maintenance + repairs, per year
- $450–$820 per year, maintenance and repairs
Recalls
Honda has issued safety recalls and separate warranty extensions across tenth-generation Accords, and the two are tracked differently — NHTSA lists safety recalls by VIN, while warranty extensions and service bulletins are only visible to a Honda dealer. Check both. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or how many owners the car has had.
Known issues on the 2021 Honda Accord
Reported by owners of this model year specifically — not generic advice.
- ModerateTypically 25,000–65,000 milesA/C Condenser Cracks and Loses RefrigerantCooling fades over weeks until the vents blow ambient air. Honda extended warranty coverage on condensers for 2018–2020 Accords; the 2021 uses the same design.Typical fix $750–$1,400 condenser and recharge
- ModerateTypically 20,000–55,000 miles12V Battery Goes Flat After Short TripsThe car will not crank after sitting a few days, or the dash lights up with multiple unrelated warnings when voltage sags. Tied to a small factory battery plus a heavy always-on module load.Typical fix $200–$550 battery plus diagnosis
- LowTypically Any mileageDisplay Audio Freezing and RebootingThe center screen locks up, goes black, or restarts on its own — often when a phone connects or when wireless CarPlay is handing off.Typical fix $0–$1,900 usually free; replacement at the top of the range
- LowTypically Any mileage; worst in winterFuel Dilution in the 1.5L TurboUnburned fuel entering the crankcase raises the oil level and thins it, most noticeably on short cold-weather trips. Less severe on the Accord than the Civic, but the same mechanism.Typical fix $60–$130 per additional oil change
Engines offered
| Engine | Layout | Output | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| L15BE1.5L turbo | Inline-4 | 192 hp | gasoline |
| K20C42.0L turbo | Inline-4 | 252 hp | gasoline |
| LFB2.0L + electric | Inline-4 two-motor hybrid | 212 hp | hybrid |
Service schedule
What this vehicle needs and roughly when.
Per Maintenance Minder (roughly 6,000–8,000 miles)
- Engine oil and filter — 0W-20 full synthetic
- Rotate tires and check pressures
- Inspect brakes, boots, hoses and fluid levels
- Reset the oil life indicator
Minder code 2 / 15,000–30,000 miles
- Replace engine air filter
- Replace cabin air filter
- Inspect drive belt
- Inspect suspension, steering and driveshaft boots
Minder code 3 / 30,000–40,000 miles
- CVT fluid drain and fill with Honda HCF-2 (1.5L)
- 10-speed automatic fluid service with Honda ATF Type 2.0 (2.0L turbo)
- Inspect transmission for leaks
3 years, regardless of mileage
- Replace brake fluid — specified by time, not mileage
- Clean and lubricate caliper slide pins
- Inspect parking brake operation
Minder code 4 / around 100,000 miles
- Replace spark plugs
- Inspect valve clearance
- Inspect the timing chain and tensioner
- Inspect turbocharger oil feed and return lines for seepage
10 years or 120,000 miles
- Replace engine coolant with Honda Type 2, then every 5 years / 60,000 miles
- Replace transmission cooler lines if weeping
- Pressure test the cooling system
- Inspect hybrid battery cooling intake filter on hybrid models
Codes this vehicle sets most often
Where the same code has a vehicle-specific root cause.
- P0171
On the 1.5L turbo, the usual cause is a boost leak — check the intercooler pipe clamps and the PCV hose, both of which sit in a hot area and harden with age. On the 2.0L turbo, check the same clamps but also consider carbon deposits, since the K20C4 is direct-injection only and does not have port injectors to keep intake valves clean. Read the P0171 guide.
- P0455
Most 2021 Accord evap codes trace to the fuel cap seal or, less often, the fuel tank pressure sensor. Honda's evap monitor runs after the car has been sitting, so this often appears on the first start of the day and clears itself for weeks at a time before returning. Read the P0455 guide.
- P0301
A cylinder-1 misfire on the 1.5L is worth cross-checking against the dipstick — badly fuel-diluted oil and a wet plug point to the dilution issue rather than a failed coil. On the 2.0L turbo, a single-cylinder misfire under boost is more often an injector than a coil. Read the P0301 guide.