Is the Chevrolet Traverse more reliable than the Mazda CX-9?

No. The CX-9 has a clear edge. It costs less to repair each year, has a lower chance of a major repair, and has fewer recalls. The Traverse wins on shop-visit frequency and complaints per vehicle sold, but its reported failures tend to be more serious.

Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the CX-9?

The Traverse has more. Federal recall records show 19 recalls across 9 model years for the Traverse, against 6 across 6 model years for the CX-9. The Traverse also covers more model years, 2018 to 2026, while the CX-9 data ends at 2023.

Which costs less to repair, the Traverse or the CX-9?

The CX-9 costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $539 a year for the CX-9 and $656 for the Traverse, which adds up to about $585 more over five years for the Traverse. The CX-9 does make more unscheduled shop visits, at 0.6 a year versus 0.4.

What is the most common Traverse problem?

Power train problems lead the Traverse complaints. Owners report AWD Service messages that shut off all-wheel drive, and high RPM at low speed with the car acting as if it is in park. Dealers often find no fault codes, so repeat visits can end without a repair.

What goes wrong most often on the Mazda CX-9?

Engine trouble leads the CX-9 complaints. Coolant leaks at the cylinder head cause overheating and limp mode, and some cars need a quart of oil in under 3000 miles. Owners say Mazda turned down goodwill requests for the leak repair. Electrical warnings and a cracking information screen follow.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9: Reliability Compared

Chevrolet Traverse

Good

More Reliable

Mazda CX-9

Good

On reliability, the Mazda CX-9 comes out clearly ahead of the Chevrolet Traverse. Its repairs cost less and are less likely to be major. The Traverse has more recalls and more serious electrical and drivetrain complaints, though it draws fewer complaints per vehicle sold.

How Do the Chevrolet Traverse and Mazda CX-9 Generations Compare?

Late in its second generation, the Traverse picked up a facelift for 2022. That generation began with the 2018 model year, so the weakest years, 2018 and 2019, are its earliest cars. The 2025 and 2026 models rank strongest, but they have had little time to collect complaints. The CX-9 data sits in its second generation, the TC, which began with the 2016 model year and ran through 2024. Its weakest years are also 2018 and 2019, while 2022 and 2023 rank strongest but are newer. Used shoppers will mostly be weighing cars from similar model years.

Verdict

The Mazda CX-9 is more reliable than the Chevrolet Traverse, scoring 76/100 vs 70/100.

A clear edge goes to the Mazda CX-9. Its estimated annual repair cost is lower, and only 10% of its repairs are major, against 18% for the Chevrolet Traverse. It also has fewer federal recalls. The Traverse does better on complaints per vehicle sold and visits the shop less often. Still, its complaints include more serious failures: early alternators, sudden power loss while driving, and cracking exhaust brackets that owners often pay for themselves.

Key Differences

1Mazda CX-9 costs $117 less per year to repair
2Mazda CX-9 has 13 fewer total recalls
3Mazda CX-9 has 8% lower major repair risk

Category Scoreboard

2Chevrolet Traverse

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4Mazda CX-9

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Traverse	Mazda CX-9
Reliability Score	70/100	76/100
Years Tracked	9	6
Total Recalls	19	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	7.2	15
Annual Repair Cost	$656/yr	$539/yr
Repair Frequency	0.4/yr	0.6/yr
Major Repair Risk	18%	10%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2023 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	6

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Traverse and Mazda CX-9?

Drivetrain and electrical faults dominate Traverse complaints. AWD Service messages drop the car to two-wheel drive, the RPM can stick high while the car acts as if it is in park, and alternators fail early. Cracked front exhaust brackets bring a startup rattle and cabin fumes. The CX-9's main fault is a coolant leak at the cylinder head that causes overheating and limp mode, plus heavy oil use. Crash-linked reports differ too. The Traverse has them in power train, electrical, and brakes. The CX-9 has them in power train, brakes, and steering, but none in electrical, and in far smaller numbers.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9 common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Traverse	Mazda CX-9
ENGINE	0.6Very Low	5.7Average
POWER TRAIN	2.2Low	1.2Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	2Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.1Low	1.5Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.7Very Low	0.7Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.4Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.2Very Low
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low
Chest Clip	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Traverse or Mazda CX-9?

Lower running costs go to the CX-9. Independent repair-cost data puts its annual repair bill at $539, against $656 for the Traverse. Over five years, that gap comes to about $585. The Traverse does better on frequency, with 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.6 for the CX-9. But a Traverse repair is more likely to be major, at 18% versus 10%. Expect more small visits with the CX-9 and a bigger single bill risk with the Traverse.

How Does Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9 Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Traverse	Mazda CX-9	Edge
2023	72/1002R / 62C	81/1000R / 12C	Mazda CX-9
2022	73/1001R / 76C	81/1000R / 9C	Mazda CX-9
2021	71/1003R / 72C	77/1001R / 35C	Mazda CX-9
2020	62/1008R / 188C	78/1001R / 19C	Mazda CX-9
2019	62/1003R / 358C	73/1002R / 52C	Mazda CX-9
2018	62/1002R / 416C	66/1002R / 125C	Mazda CX-9

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse scored 73/100 and the 2023 Mazda CX-9 scored 81/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Traverse vs the Mazda CX-9?

Pick the CX-9 if you want lower running costs and fewer big repair bills. Its repairs are less likely to be major, and recalls are few. Skip 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Before you buy, ask for proof the cylinder head coolant leak has been checked, and watch for oil use, since owners say Mazda turned down goodwill requests for that repair. The 2022 and 2023 models rate best, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proven. Pick the Traverse if you want fewer trips to the shop and a lower complaint rate per vehicle sold. Avoid 2018 and 2019 here too. Be careful with 2020, because GM special coverage for the exhaust bracket applies to 2019 and 2021 but not 2020. Test drive for AWD warning messages, high RPM at low speed, and a startup rattle. The 2025 and 2026 cars score well, but they have had little time to show problems.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Mazda CX-9: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Traverse more reliable than the Mazda CX-9?: No. The CX-9 has a clear edge. It costs less to repair each year, has a lower chance of a major repair, and has fewer recalls. The Traverse wins on shop-visit frequency and complaints per vehicle sold, but its reported failures tend to be more serious.
Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the CX-9?: The Traverse has more. Federal recall records show 19 recalls across 9 model years for the Traverse, against 6 across 6 model years for the CX-9. The Traverse also covers more model years, 2018 to 2026, while the CX-9 data ends at 2023.
Which costs less to repair, the Traverse or the CX-9?: The CX-9 costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $539 a year for the CX-9 and $656 for the Traverse, which adds up to about $585 more over five years for the Traverse. The CX-9 does make more unscheduled shop visits, at 0.6 a year versus 0.4.
What is the most common Traverse problem?: Power train problems lead the Traverse complaints. Owners report AWD Service messages that shut off all-wheel drive, and high RPM at low speed with the car acting as if it is in park. Dealers often find no fault codes, so repeat visits can end without a repair.
What goes wrong most often on the Mazda CX-9?: Engine trouble leads the CX-9 complaints. Coolant leaks at the cylinder head cause overheating and limp mode, and some cars need a quart of oil in under 3000 miles. Owners say Mazda turned down goodwill requests for the leak repair. Electrical warnings and a cracking information screen follow.

More Chevrolet Traverse comparisons

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More Mazda CX-9 comparisons

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How we score the Chevrolet Traverse and Mazda CX-9

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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