Is the Ford Explorer 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 far fewer recalls. The Explorer wins only on shop-visit frequency. Both models still earn a good reliability standing.

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

The Explorer, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 117 recalls across its nine model years, against 6 across the CX-9's six model years. The Explorer's rear camera recalls also draw complaints about repair parts being unavailable.

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

The CX-9. Independent repair-cost data estimates $539 a year for the CX-9 and $732 for the Explorer, about $965 less over five years. The CX-9 goes to the shop more often, at 0.6 unscheduled visits a year against 0.2.

What is the most common CX-9 problem?

Engine trouble leads the owner complaints. Owners describe coolant leaks at the cylinder head near the exhaust manifold, which lead to overheating and limp mode. Excessive oil consumption also appears, with one report of a quart needed in under 3000 miles.

What goes wrong with the Ford Explorer most often?

Power train complaints are the largest group. Owners report slamming or skipped gears, sudden downshifts, and cars that lose power while driving. Structure problems follow, such as trim coming loose at highway speed. Engine failures are fewer but costly, with replacement quotes of $11,000 to $12,000.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9: Reliability Compared

Ford Explorer

Good

More Reliable

Mazda CX-9

Good

The Mazda CX-9 beats the Ford Explorer on reliability, with lower repair costs and far fewer recalls. Both rate good, but the gap is clear. The Explorer visits the shop less often, yet its failures run costlier and more serious, including engine and shifting problems.

How Do the Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-9 Generations Compare?

Late cars of the fifth-generation Explorer, which ran from 2011 to 2019 with a facelift for 2016, make up the 2018 and 2019 model years. The sixth generation ran from 2020 through 2023, and its first two years, 2020 and 2021, are the weakest on the page. The generation list ends at 2023, so 2024 and later cars have had less time to gather complaints. The CX-9 is simpler to place. Its second generation began in 2016 and ran through 2024, so every year from 2018 to 2023 belongs to one design.

Verdict

The Mazda CX-9 is more reliable than the Ford Explorer, scoring 76/100 vs 67/100.

A clear edge goes to the Mazda CX-9. Both land at a good standing, but the CX-9 costs less to repair each year, has a lower chance of a major repair, and has far fewer recalls. The Explorer does make fewer unscheduled shop visits. Its weakness is severity, with harsh shifting, engine failures, and sudden power loss, several tied to crashes. CX-9 owners file more complaints per vehicle sold, so it is not trouble free.

Key Differences

1Mazda CX-9 costs $193 less per year to repair
2Mazda CX-9 has 111 fewer total recalls
3Mazda CX-9 scores 9 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Ford Explorer

—

4Mazda CX-9

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9: Which Is More Reliable?

Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Ford Explorer	Mazda CX-9
Reliability Score	67/100	76/100
Years Tracked	9	6
Total Recalls	117	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.8	15
Annual Repair Cost	$732/yr	$539/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.6/yr
Major Repair Risk	14%	10%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2023 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	6

What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-9?

Harsh or erratic shifting, cars that lose power or shut off while driving, and engines that fail outright, sometimes at low mileage, dominate Explorer complaints. Loose trim, such as an A-pillar molding blowing off at highway speed, adds to the list. Every Explorer problem area has crash-linked reports. CX-9 complaints focus on coolant leaks at the cylinder head that cause overheating and limp mode, plus oil consumption. Its engine and electrical complaints have no crash-linked reports, though a few brake, power train, and steering reports do.

Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9 common problem areas comparison
Component	Ford Explorer	Mazda CX-9
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	5.7Average
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.1Low	2Low
POWER TRAIN	1.6Low	1.2Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	1.5Low
STRUCTURE	1.1Low	0.3Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	0.7Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.4Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
SEATS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
Chest Clip	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Ford Explorer or Mazda CX-9?

Independent repair-cost data puts the CX-9 at $539 a year against $732 for the Explorer. That gap is $193 a year, or about $965 over five years. A repair on the Explorer is also more likely to be major, at 14% against 10%. The CX-9 goes the other way on frequency, with 0.6 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.2 for the Explorer. Expect more trips with the Mazda, but smaller bills.

How Does Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9 Reliability Compare by Year?

Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Ford Explorer	Mazda CX-9	Edge
2023	71/10012R / 84C	81/1000R / 12C	Mazda CX-9
2022	65/10021R / 208C	81/1000R / 9C	Mazda CX-9
2021	62/10022R / 354C	77/1001R / 35C	Mazda CX-9
2020	54/10029R / 1066C	78/1001R / 19C	Mazda CX-9
2019	69/1004R / 252C	73/1002R / 52C	Mazda CX-9
2018	64/1005R / 651C	66/1002R / 125C	Mazda CX-9

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Ford Explorer scored 71/100 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 Ford Explorer vs the Mazda CX-9?

Choose the CX-9 if you want the lower bill and fewer surprises. It costs less to repair and carries a lower chance of a major repair. Target 2022 or 2023, its strongest years, and remember newer cars have had less time to collect complaints. Skip 2018 and 2019, the weakest. Ask whether the cylinder head coolant leak or heavy oil use has ever been addressed, since owners say Mazda turned down goodwill requests for that repair. Choose the Explorer if fewer trips to the shop matter most and you accept the risk of a costly failure when something does go wrong. Avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. The 2024 and 2025 models rank strongest, but they are new, so that standing says little about how they will age. Before buying any Explorer, confirm that the rear camera recalls and any engine recall for that VIN are finished, because owners report long waits for parts.

Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-9: Common Questions

Is the Ford Explorer 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 far fewer recalls. The Explorer wins only on shop-visit frequency. Both models still earn a good reliability standing.
Which has more recalls, the Explorer or the CX-9?: The Explorer, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 117 recalls across its nine model years, against 6 across the CX-9's six model years. The Explorer's rear camera recalls also draw complaints about repair parts being unavailable.
Which costs less to repair, the Explorer or the CX-9?: The CX-9. Independent repair-cost data estimates $539 a year for the CX-9 and $732 for the Explorer, about $965 less over five years. The CX-9 goes to the shop more often, at 0.6 unscheduled visits a year against 0.2.
What is the most common CX-9 problem?: Engine trouble leads the owner complaints. Owners describe coolant leaks at the cylinder head near the exhaust manifold, which lead to overheating and limp mode. Excessive oil consumption also appears, with one report of a quart needed in under 3000 miles.
What goes wrong with the Ford Explorer most often?: Power train complaints are the largest group. Owners report slamming or skipped gears, sudden downshifts, and cars that lose power while driving. Structure problems follow, such as trim coming loose at highway speed. Engine failures are fewer but costly, with replacement quotes of $11,000 to $12,000.

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Decided between Ford Explorer 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 Ford Explorer 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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