Is the Honda Pilot more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?

Yes, by a large margin. The Pilot's standing is good and the CX-90's is mixed. Owners filed 9.1 complaints per 10,000 Pilots sold, and the CX-90 rate is many times higher. The Pilot has serious issues of its own, but the CX-90 shows more problems early in ownership.

Which has more recalls, the Pilot or the CX-90?

The Pilot has more in total, with 51 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-90 has 13 across 3 model years. The Pilot has simply been on sale longer, so the raw count says less than the complaint rate, which still favors the Pilot.

What goes wrong with the Mazda CX-90?

Steering is the largest complaint area, with 80 reports and 5 crash-linked. The wheel binds or sticks in turns, and none of the reports mention a confirmed fix. The hybrid system also shuts the car down with electrical leakage warnings, sometimes in the first days of ownership.

What are the most common Honda Pilot problems?

Electrical faults lead, with 632 complaints. The infotainment screen goes blank or shows "Network Communication Lost," and the backup camera goes with it. Other reports cover transmission shudder around 50,000 to 60,000 miles, stop/start failing to restart the engine, and some engine failures.

Which Honda Pilot years should I avoid?

Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest years in the data. The 2023 year ranks among the strongest. The 2026 year also ranks well, but it has had little time to collect complaints, so treat it with caution. Check the fuel pump recall status on any Pilot you consider.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Honda Pilot

Good

Mazda CX-90

Mixed

Ahead by a wide margin, the Honda Pilot beats the Mazda CX-90 on reliability. Pilot owners file far fewer complaints per car sold. The CX-90 draws steering and hybrid shutdown reports, and it has only three model years of history.

How Do the Honda Pilot and Mazda CX-90 Generations Compare?

Fourth-generation Pilots began with the 2023 model year and received a facelift for 2026. The third generation ran 2016 to 2022 and got a refresh for 2019, and the 2019 and 2020 years from that generation are the weakest in the data. Most used shoppers will land in 2018 to 2022 third-generation cars or the 2023 and newer fourth generation. The CX-90 is a first-generation model, so every year you can buy is an early build. Early years of a new design often carry the most teething problems, and that fits the hybrid shutdowns and steering reports owners filed.

Verdict

The Honda Pilot is more reliable than the Mazda CX-90, scoring 68/100 vs 58/100.

Reliability clearly favors the Honda Pilot, and the gap is large. Its standing is good, while the CX-90 is mixed. The deciding fact is the complaint rate: 9.1 complaints per 10,000 sold for the Pilot, and many times that for the CX-90. The Pilot has real faults, including infotainment blackouts and some engine failures. But its record spans nine model years. The CX-90 has had three years on the road and already shows steering binding and hybrid shutdowns.

Key Differences

1Honda Pilot has 102.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Mazda CX-90 has 38 fewer total recalls
3Honda Pilot scores 10 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Honda Pilot

—

1Mazda CX-90

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Pilot	Mazda CX-90
Reliability Score	68/100	58/100
Years Tracked	9	3
Total Recalls	51	13
Complaints per 10k Sold	9.1	111.2
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	3	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Pilot and Mazda CX-90?

Blank infotainment screens that take the backup camera with them, stop/start no-restart events, and a transmission that shudders around 50,000 to 60,000 miles define the Pilot. Engine failures are rarer but serious, including connecting rod bearing cases. The CX-90 profile is more alarming early on. Steering that binds or sticks in turns has 5 crash-linked reports, and the Pilot has no steering category. CX-90 owners also report hybrid shutdowns with "electrical leakage detected" warnings, sometimes within the first 25 miles, and cars sitting at the dealer for weeks.

Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90 common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Pilot	Mazda CX-90
STEERING	0.2Very Low	31.8High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.4Low	17.5High
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.6Very Low	11.5Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.1Low	8.7Above Avg
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	8.3Above Avg
ENGINE	1Very Low	6.8Average
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	6.4Average
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	4Average
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	2.8Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	1.6Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.6Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None

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

How Does Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90 Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Pilot	Mazda CX-90	Edge
2026	81/1000R / 0C	72/1000R / 0C	Honda Pilot
2025	71/1004R / 111C	63/1002R / 21C	Honda Pilot
2024	72/1006R / 82C	38/10011R / 259C	Honda Pilot

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Pilot scored 72/100 and the 2024 Mazda CX-90 scored 38/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Pilot vs the Mazda CX-90?

Pick the Pilot if you want the safer bet on a used midsize SUV. Aim for 2023, the first fourth-generation year and one of its strongest, and avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. Check that the fuel pump recall work was done, since owners reported dealers lacking parts. Test the infotainment screen and stop/start on a drive, and budget for a possible front camera replacement, which dealers quote at roughly $1,700 to $2,000. Consider the CX-90 only if you value its design and accept the risk. Its strongest years are 2026 and 2025, but 2026 is too new to have collected many complaints, so do not read its clean record as proof. 2024 is among the weakest years, and 2025 appears on both lists. Whichever year you shop, test the steering in left turns at moderate speed, confirm the hybrid system has no stored warnings, and check every open recall. Avoid a car that has already spent weeks in a shop.

Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-90: Common Questions

Is the Honda Pilot more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?: Yes, by a large margin. The Pilot's standing is good and the CX-90's is mixed. Owners filed 9.1 complaints per 10,000 Pilots sold, and the CX-90 rate is many times higher. The Pilot has serious issues of its own, but the CX-90 shows more problems early in ownership.
Which has more recalls, the Pilot or the CX-90?: The Pilot has more in total, with 51 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-90 has 13 across 3 model years. The Pilot has simply been on sale longer, so the raw count says less than the complaint rate, which still favors the Pilot.
What goes wrong with the Mazda CX-90?: Steering is the largest complaint area, with 80 reports and 5 crash-linked. The wheel binds or sticks in turns, and none of the reports mention a confirmed fix. The hybrid system also shuts the car down with electrical leakage warnings, sometimes in the first days of ownership.
What are the most common Honda Pilot problems?: Electrical faults lead, with 632 complaints. The infotainment screen goes blank or shows "Network Communication Lost," and the backup camera goes with it. Other reports cover transmission shudder around 50,000 to 60,000 miles, stop/start failing to restart the engine, and some engine failures.
Which Honda Pilot years should I avoid?: Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest years in the data. The 2023 year ranks among the strongest. The 2026 year also ranks well, but it has had little time to collect complaints, so treat it with caution. Check the fuel pump recall status on any Pilot you consider.

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More Mazda CX-90 comparisons

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How we score the Honda Pilot and Mazda CX-90

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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