Both carry the same tow rating.
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Side-by-side
2015 Honda Accord vs 2016 Honda Civic
The 2015 Honda Accord and the 2016 Honda Civic, side by side on specs, economy, documented problems and what to check before buying.
Honda
2015 Honda Accord
Photo comingOpen the vehicle file →Honda
2016 Honda Civic
Photo comingOpen the vehicle file →Leads on the measured figure.
Leads on the measured figure.
SpecHonda AccordHonda Civic
Model year20152016
BodySedan and CoupeSedan and Coupe
Engine2 engines2 engines
Power185–278 hpHigher158–174 hp
Torque181–252 lb-ftHigher138–162 lb-ft
TransmissionCVT, or 6-speed manual on some trims · 6-speed automaticCVT, or 6-speed manual · CVT
DriveFWDFWD
EPA combined25–30 mpg34–35 mpgHigher
NHTSA complaints639 · not a failure rate1,072 · not a failure rate
Recall campaigns65Fewer
Max towNot rated to towNot rated to tow
Documented problems7 documented problems10 documented problems
Honda Accord
Strengths and checks
What it does well
- Manual gearbox still offered
- Naturally aspirated engines
- Deep independent-shop knowledge
Check before you buy
- Check the title status first - clean, salvage, rebuilt, flood or lemon buyback. Nothing else on the car changes its value as much and none of it is visible.
- Look up open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov. This model year carries several, and two of them are narrow: 15V-121 replaces the engine short block on cars built in a specific window because connecting rod bolts were not torqued correctly, and 20V-769 covers driveshafts on four-cylinder CVT cars in salt-belt states. Dealers close open recalls free.
- Electrical is the largest complaint category here, 230 of 639 reports, and one recall on this year - 17V-418, the battery sensor case on 2013-2016 Accords - sits in the same category. Ask whether that campaign has been done and check that the car starts cleanly from cold.
- Establish which drivetrain is in front of you. A four-cylinder car has either a CVT or a manual, a V6 has the six-speed automatic, and the maintenance and the known problems differ by which.
Honda Civic
Strengths and checks
What it does well
- Manual gearbox on the 2.0
- Turbo warranty extension on record
- Wide parts supply
Check before you buy
- Check the title status first - clean, salvage, rebuilt, flood or lemon buyback, on a car that is now old enough for all of them.
- Identify the engine before anything else, from the VIN rather than the badge. Honda's warranty extension for fuel dilution covers 2016-2018 Civics with the 1.5-litre turbo and nothing else; a 2.0-litre car is outside it.
- Pull the dipstick on a cold engine and look at the level and the smell of the oil. A level above full and a petrol smell is the pattern behind the turbo engine's bulletins, and it is easiest to see before the car has been driven.
- Look up open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Five campaigns are on file for this model year, including 16V-074, which covers 2.0-litre engines built in a specific window, and 16V-725 on the electric parking brake. Dealers close open recalls free.
Figures come from the vehicle files and from NHTSA’s public records. Complaint counts scale with how many were sold, so they compare volume of reports rather than reliability. Confirm the model year, trim and inspection result on the specific car before you decide.