The Camry Was Always the Safe Bet — Until This Sedan Dethroned It
Three midsize legends, one reliability test. The Accord grabs the crown, but the Camry fights back on running costs and the Sonata plays its warranty card. Here's who actually wins.
For years the Toyota Camry has been the benchmark for the “indestructible” sedan. But in a fresh three-way showdown of the segment's biggest names, first place didn't go to it at all. Experts lined up the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata to work out which of the trio is the most dependable. Across ratings, breakdown frequency, repair costs and typical trouble spots, the Honda Accord pulled ahead. Its reliability score — 4.5 out of 5, and first place among 24 midsize sedans.
The Camry trailed by a whisker: 4.0 out of 5 and third in class. But it holds a trump card — it's cheaper to fix. Around $388 a year on average, against $400 for the Accord and $458 for the Sonata. For the owner it's simple math: the Toyota is a little cheaper to keep — especially with its honest naturally aspirated engine and no turbo in the base versions.
And the Sonata? Fifth place — and that feels about right. But the Korean lays its biggest card on the table: a huge powertrain warranty in the US — 10 years or 160,000 km. The catch is a longer list of possible complaints, from recall campaigns to gripes about paintwork and electronics. The Accord still carries old questions about its 1.5-liter turbo engine and its infotainment. And the Camry? Its list of typical niggles is the shortest of the three.
The verdict is simple. The Accord wins on overall reliability. The Camry is for anyone who counts every penny on servicing. The Sonata tempts with warranty and price. But the real question isn't only reliability — it's which version you can actually get, whether parts are on the shelf, and what kind of warranty you're left with.