2017 Ford Fusion vs 2017 Honda Accord
Two midsize cars, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2017 Ford
Fusion
5/10
Great chassis and styling wrapped around EcoBoost engines that eat themselves via coolant intrusion — know which engine you're getting before you sign anything.
VS
2017 Honda
Accord
8/10
The smartest $15-20k you can spend on a mid-size sedan, as long as you verify the fuel pump recall was actually done.
Milo scores the 2017 Honda Accord higher — 8/10 against 5/10.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Ford Fusion |
Honda Accord |
| Known failure points | 5 | 6 |
| NHTSA complaints | 1102 | 531 |
| Safety recalls | 4 | 3 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 48 | 78 |
| Cheap to own | 45 | 72 |
| Fun factor | 58 | 58 |
| Holds value | 38 | 66 |
| Enthusiast cred | 30 | 52 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2017 Ford Fusion
1.5L/2.0L EcoBoost coolant intrusion — cracked cylinder head/block or degraded degas bottle allows coolant into cylinders, causing hydrolock, overheating, and often full engine replacement
$4,000–$8,00030k–70k mi
2017 Honda Accord
CVT shudder/judder under light acceleration (4-cyl automatic cars only)
$150–$3,80080k–120k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2017 Ford Fusion
2017 Fusion SE or Titanium with the base 2.5L I4, or if you want performance, the Fusion Sport 2.7L V6 AWD — both sidestep the 1.5T/2.0T coolant intrusion nightmare.
✅ 2017 Honda Accord
A 2017 Accord Coupe Touring or EX-L V6 with the 6-speed manual — last of its kind, mechanically robust, and the most fun this generation ever got. For a daily-driver sedan pick, an EX-L 2.4L with full service records and confirmed recall completion is the sweet spot.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
Run my free report →
First report free · then $10
Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.