Is the Mazda CX-50 more reliable than the Honda Passport?

No, the Passport comes out slightly ahead. Both rate good, but owners filed 11.6 complaints per 10,000 Passports sold against 27.4 for the CX-50. The CX-50 has a much shorter record, so its picture may change as more owners report problems.

Which has more recalls, the CX-50 or the Passport?

The Passport has more. Federal recall records show 29 across its eight model years, against 6 across the four CX-50 model years. The Passport has been on sale longer, so recalls have had more time to pile up. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls.

What are the most common problems on the Honda Passport?

Electrical complaints lead, mainly the engine failing to restart after idle-stop shuts it off at a light. Phantom braking, transmission shifts into neutral, and front rotors wearing out within a few thousand miles follow. One owner reported a $7,700 out-of-warranty transmission repair.

Is the Mazda CX-50 front suspension a concern?

Yes, it deserves a close inspection. Several owners report front lower ball joints and control arms failing. In the worst cases the joint pulled out of the control arm and the wheel nearly separated. One failure caused a complete loss of control, and one repair waited nearly two months for parts.

Which model years of each should I avoid?

Avoid the 2023 and 2025 CX-50, its weakest years, and the 2019 and 2020 Passport, its weakest. For the CX-50, 2024 is a stronger pick. Newer years of either model have had less time to collect complaints, so inspect any car carefully.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Honda Passport

Good

Mazda CX-50

Good

A slight edge goes to the Honda Passport over the Mazda CX-50, because owners file complaints about it at less than half the rate. The CX-50 has far fewer recalls, but its short record includes serious suspension and false-braking reports.

How Do the Honda Passport and Mazda CX-50 Generations Compare?

Every CX-50 on the used market comes from a single first generation. It launched for 2023, and Mazda updated it for 2025, so 2023 and 2024 cars are the pre-update versions. The record is short, and 2026 has had the least time to collect complaints. On the Passport side, the third generation ran from 2019 through 2025 and was facelifted for 2022. A fourth generation began with the 2026 model year. Most used Passports you will see are third-generation cars, and the facelift splits them into earlier and later groups.

Verdict

The Honda Passport is more reliable than the Mazda CX-50, scoring 74/100 vs 70/100.

A slight edge goes to the Passport. Both rate good, but owners file complaints about it at well under half the rate they file about the CX-50, even though the Passport has been on sale far longer. The Passport does carry many more recalls and some serious reports, including transmission shifts into neutral and stalls after idle-stop. The CX-50 has a short record, so its numbers could still move. The gap is small, and the choice depends on which problems you can live with.

Key Differences

1Mazda CX-50 has 23 fewer total recalls
2Honda Passport has 15.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Honda Passport scores 4 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Honda Passport

—

1Mazda CX-50

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Passport	Mazda CX-50
Reliability Score	74/100	70/100
Years Tracked	8	4
Total Recalls	29	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	11.6	27.4
Year Wins	4	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Passport and Mazda CX-50?

False automatic emergency braking and front suspension failures define the CX-50's worst reports. In several cases a lower ball joint pulled out of the control arm and the wheel nearly separated, and one failure caused a complete loss of control. Its crash-linked reports sit in brakes, electrical and suspension. The Passport's problems are more varied. Owners report the engine not restarting after idle-stop, phantom braking, a transmission that slips into neutral while driving, and front rotors that wear out within a few thousand miles. Every one of its five main problem areas has a crash-linked report, including engine and power train, which the CX-50 lacks.

Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50 common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Passport	Mazda CX-50
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.6Low	2.3Low
POWER TRAIN	1.2Low	2.9Low
SERVICE BRAKES	1Very Low	3.1Average
STRUCTURE	0.2Very Low	2.9Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.4Low	1.7Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.2Low	1.4Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	2Low
SUSPENSION	—None	2Low
SEATS	—None	1.1Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.6Very Low
ENGINE	0.7Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.6Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.5Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.1Very Low	—None
TIRES	0.1Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

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

How Does Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50 Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Passport	Mazda CX-50	Edge
2026	84/1000R / 0C	76/1000R / 0C	Honda Passport
2025	82/1000R / 11C	66/1003R / 21C	Honda Passport
2024	79/1001R / 12C	71/1001R / 26C	Honda Passport
2023	75/1004R / 24C	65/1002R / 49C	Honda Passport

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Passport scored 79/100 and the 2024 Mazda CX-50 scored 71/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Passport vs the Mazda CX-50?

Pick the Passport if you want the better overall complaint record and a longer history to research. Avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. The 2025 and 2026 cars look good on paper, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proven. Test the idle-stop restart and ask for the front brake and camera history. Owners quote $1,800 to $2,500 for a front camera fault. Pick the CX-50 if you want a newer vehicle with fewer recalls: 6 across four model years, against 29 for the Passport. Target 2024, one of its stronger years, and avoid 2023 and 2025, its weakest. Have a shop inspect the front ball joints and control arms, and test for false emergency braking on a drive. If you tow, read the owner reports about the trailer harness and the 1000 lb limit without a brake controller, which Mazda does not sell.

Honda Passport vs Mazda CX-50: Common Questions

Is the Mazda CX-50 more reliable than the Honda Passport?: No, the Passport comes out slightly ahead. Both rate good, but owners filed 11.6 complaints per 10,000 Passports sold against 27.4 for the CX-50. The CX-50 has a much shorter record, so its picture may change as more owners report problems.
Which has more recalls, the CX-50 or the Passport?: The Passport has more. Federal recall records show 29 across its eight model years, against 6 across the four CX-50 model years. The Passport has been on sale longer, so recalls have had more time to pile up. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls.
What are the most common problems on the Honda Passport?: Electrical complaints lead, mainly the engine failing to restart after idle-stop shuts it off at a light. Phantom braking, transmission shifts into neutral, and front rotors wearing out within a few thousand miles follow. One owner reported a $7,700 out-of-warranty transmission repair.
Is the Mazda CX-50 front suspension a concern?: Yes, it deserves a close inspection. Several owners report front lower ball joints and control arms failing. In the worst cases the joint pulled out of the control arm and the wheel nearly separated. One failure caused a complete loss of control, and one repair waited nearly two months for parts.
Which model years of each should I avoid?: Avoid the 2023 and 2025 CX-50, its weakest years, and the 2019 and 2020 Passport, its weakest. For the CX-50, 2024 is a stronger pick. Newer years of either model have had less time to collect complaints, so inspect any car carefully.

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How we score the Honda Passport and Mazda CX-50

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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