Is the Dodge Journey more reliable than the Mazda CX-9?

No, the CX-9 has a slight edge. Both rate good, but the CX-9 drew 15 complaints per 10,000 sold against 18 for the Journey. It also has a lower yearly repair cost and a smaller chance of a major repair. The Journey needs fewer shop visits.

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

The Journey has more per model year. Federal recall records show 8 recalls across its 3 model years, 2018 to 2020. The CX-9 has 6 across 6 model years, 2018 to 2023. Check any car's VIN to confirm that recall repairs were done.

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

The CX-9 costs slightly less. Independent repair-cost data shows $539 a year for the CX-9 and $562 for the Journey, a difference of about $115 over five years. The Journey does need fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.3 a year against 0.6.

What goes wrong most often on the Dodge Journey?

Electrical faults lead, with 97 complaints. The most serious is sudden stalling while driving, with power steering dropping out. Smaller repeat problems include door locks that ignore the fob, backup cameras that go black or flip, and a frozen touch screen. Transmission and headlight fogging complaints follow.

What are the common engine problems on the Mazda CX-9?

Coolant leaks at the cylinder head, near the exhaust manifold, are the main one. They lead to overheating and limp mode, which holds the car to around 30 mph. Some owners also report burning a quart of oil in under 3,000 miles. Engine complaints total 95.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9: Reliability Compared

Dodge Journey

Good

More Reliable

Mazda CX-9

Good

The Mazda CX-9 edges out the Dodge Journey on reliability. It draws fewer owner complaints per car sold. The Journey does visit the shop less often, but sudden stalling reports and a higher chance of major repairs keep the CX-9 slightly ahead.

How Do the Dodge Journey and Mazda CX-9 Generations Compare?

All three Journey years sit at the very end of a long first generation, which ran from the 2009 model year through 2020 with a facelift in 2011. The model is no longer built, so you are shopping a finished design with no later fixes to wait for. The CX-9 is in its second generation, which began with the 2016 model year and ran through 2024. Every CX-9 from 2018 to 2023 belongs to that generation, so you can compare years without a redesign between them. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Mazda CX-9 is more reliable than the Dodge Journey, scoring 76/100 vs 74/100.

On the numbers, the CX-9 has a slight edge. Owners filed fewer complaints per 10,000 sold, 15 against 18, and independent repair-cost data puts its yearly cost a little lower, with a smaller chance that a repair is major. Both rate good, and the gap is small. The Journey wins on shop visits, at 0.3 a year against 0.6. Its electrical record, which includes sudden stalling at speed, is the main thing keeping it from closing the gap.

Key Differences

1Mazda CX-9 costs $23 less per year to repair
2Mazda CX-9 has 3.0 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Mazda CX-9 scores 2 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Dodge Journey

—

6Mazda CX-9

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9: Which Is More Reliable?

Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Dodge Journey	Mazda CX-9
Reliability Score	74/100	76/100
Years Tracked	3	6
Total Recalls	8	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	18	15
Annual Repair Cost	$562/yr	$539/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.6/yr
Major Repair Risk	12%	10%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2020 NHTSA	2023 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	1

What Are the Common Problems With the Dodge Journey and Mazda CX-9?

Electrical faults are the Dodge's biggest issue. Engines shut off at speed, power steering drops out, and some cars lose power and crawl at 15 mph. The transmission can drop out of gear and slam back in. Headlights fog with water, and backup cameras flip or go black while owners wait for recall parts. The Mazda's trouble sits in the engine: coolant leaks at the cylinder head cause overheating and limp mode, and some cars burn oil quickly. Crash-linked areas differ too. The CX-9 has two in service brakes, including an electronic parking brake that let go in gear. The Journey has none in brakes, but has one each in electrical, backup camera, and lighting.

Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9 common problem areas comparison
Component	Dodge Journey	Mazda CX-9
ENGINE	0.8Very Low	5.7Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	4.6Average	1.5Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	2Low
POWER TRAIN	1.2Low	1.2Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.9Very Low	0.7Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	1.2Low	0.2Very Low
STEERING	0.8Very Low	0.4Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	1.1Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.8Very Low	0.2Very Low
SEATS	0.7Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.3Very Low	0.3Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.5Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	0.2Very Low
TIRES	0.1Very Low	—None
Chest Clip	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	0.1Very Low

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Dodge Journey or Mazda CX-9?

Independent repair-cost data puts the Journey at $562 a year and the CX-9 at $539. That is $23 a year, or about $115 over five years, so cost alone should not decide this. The Journey needs unscheduled shop visits 0.3 times a year, half the CX-9's 0.6. When a repair does come, 12% of Journey repairs are major, against 10% for the CX-9.

How Does Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9 Reliability Compare by Year?

Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Dodge Journey	Mazda CX-9	Edge
2020	77/1001R / 61C	78/1001R / 19C	Mazda CX-9
2019	78/1001R / 92C	73/1002R / 52C	Dodge Journey
2018	68/1006R / 223C	66/1002R / 125C	Dodge Journey

Best years to cross-shop: The 2019 Dodge Journey scored 78/100 and the 2020 Mazda CX-9 scored 78/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Dodge Journey vs the Mazda CX-9?

Pick the CX-9 if you want the lower complaint rate and the smaller chance of a big repair bill. It also gives you six model years to shop. Target 2022 or 2023, the strongest years in the data, and be careful with 2018 and 2019, the weakest. On any CX-9, ask for proof of coolant system work and watch for overheating warnings, since cylinder head leaks are the top engine complaint. Pick the Journey if you want fewer trips to the shop and can accept the electrical risk. The 2019 is the strongest year listed, and the 2018 is the weakest. The 2020 shows up on both the strongest and weakest lists, so judge each car on its own history. Before you buy, test drive for stalling, hesitation, and rough shifts. Also confirm that the headlight and backup camera recall repairs were completed, because owners reported waiting on parts.

Dodge Journey vs Mazda CX-9: Common Questions

Is the Dodge Journey more reliable than the Mazda CX-9?: No, the CX-9 has a slight edge. Both rate good, but the CX-9 drew 15 complaints per 10,000 sold against 18 for the Journey. It also has a lower yearly repair cost and a smaller chance of a major repair. The Journey needs fewer shop visits.
Which has more recalls, the Journey or the CX-9?: The Journey has more per model year. Federal recall records show 8 recalls across its 3 model years, 2018 to 2020. The CX-9 has 6 across 6 model years, 2018 to 2023. Check any car's VIN to confirm that recall repairs were done.
Which costs less to repair, the Journey or the CX-9?: The CX-9 costs slightly less. Independent repair-cost data shows $539 a year for the CX-9 and $562 for the Journey, a difference of about $115 over five years. The Journey does need fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.3 a year against 0.6.
What goes wrong most often on the Dodge Journey?: Electrical faults lead, with 97 complaints. The most serious is sudden stalling while driving, with power steering dropping out. Smaller repeat problems include door locks that ignore the fob, backup cameras that go black or flip, and a frozen touch screen. Transmission and headlight fogging complaints follow.
What are the common engine problems on the Mazda CX-9?: Coolant leaks at the cylinder head, near the exhaust manifold, are the main one. They lead to overheating and limp mode, which holds the car to around 30 mph. Some owners also report burning a quart of oil in under 3,000 miles. Engine complaints total 95.

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Decided between Dodge Journey and Mazda CX-9? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Dodge Journey 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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