Is the Honda Ridgeline more reliable than the Nissan Frontier?

No. The Frontier has a slight edge. It drew 92 owner complaints against 919 for the Ridgeline, and its recall count is lower. The Ridgeline still has a good standing, but its engine and backup camera problems appear more often than anything on the Frontier list.

Which has more recalls, the Ridgeline or the Frontier?

The Ridgeline has more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across 9 Ridgeline model years and 9 recalls across 7 Frontier model years. Check any specific truck's VIN with a dealer or federal lookup to see whether recall repairs were completed.

What is the biggest problem with the Nissan Frontier?

Rolling away while in Park is the main pattern in the power train complaints. Three of those reports involve a crash, with one injury. Some owners said dealers had no parts for the recall repair. Confirm that work is finished before you buy.

What goes wrong with the Honda Ridgeline backup camera?

The wiring harness to the tailgate cracks, frays and snaps where it bends as the tailgate opens. The screen goes black or works only on and off. Failures cluster between roughly 26,000 and 50,000 miles, and one camera failure is tied to a crash.

Which Ridgeline and Frontier years should I avoid?

On the Ridgeline, avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. On the Frontier, avoid 2024, which is among its weakest. The Frontier's 2021 is its strongest year, so start your search there.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier: Reliability Compared

Honda Ridgeline

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Frontier

Excellent

Nissan Frontier edges out Honda Ridgeline on reliability, with far fewer owner complaints. Engine failures weigh on the Ridgeline. The Frontier's main worry is trucks rolling away in Park, and owners filed 92 complaints against 919 for the Ridgeline.

How Do the Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Frontier Generations Compare?

The refresh for 2021 is the key dividing line for used Ridgeline shoppers. The second generation ran in the US from the 2017 model year through 2023, so the 2018 to 2023 trucks you will likely see split into pre-refresh and refreshed groups. The weakest Ridgeline years, 2019 and 2020, both came before the refresh. The 2026 model is listed among the strongest years, but it is the newest and has had the least time to collect complaints, so that standing says little yet. A 2021 to 2023 truck gives you the refreshed design with more time on the road behind it.

Verdict

The Nissan Frontier is more reliable than the Honda Ridgeline, scoring 80/100 vs 77/100.

Reliability favors the Frontier by a slight margin. Owners filed far fewer complaints about it relative to sales, and federal records show fewer recalls across its model years. The Ridgeline still rates well, but its owner complaints include engine failures that left drivers stranded and a rear camera wiring problem that shows up again and again. The Frontier is not trouble-free. Its roll-away-in-Park reports are serious. Even so, the lower overall volume of problems gives it the edge.

Key Differences

1Nissan Frontier has 26 fewer total recalls
2Nissan Frontier has 13.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Nissan Frontier scores 3 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Honda Ridgeline

—

3Nissan Frontier

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Ridgeline	Nissan Frontier
Reliability Score	77/100	80/100
Years Tracked	9	7
Total Recalls	35	9
Complaints per 10k Sold	14.2	0.7
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	3	4

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Frontier?

Complaints about the Ridgeline center on a cracking tailgate wiring harness that blacks out the backup camera, erratic automatic high beams, and connecting rod bearing failure that can end with total power loss at highway speed. Transmission judder and hard shifts also appear. Crashes are linked to its electrical, engine and power train areas. Frontier complaints are fewer and more scattered. The main pattern is trucks rolling away in Park, with crashes and an injury reported. Its air bag area also has a crash-linked report with two injuries. The Ridgeline's air bags are not a main problem area.

Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Ridgeline	Nissan Frontier
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.6Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	1.8Low	—None
ENGINE	1.6Low	—None
POWER TRAIN	1.3Low	0.2Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.3Low	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.8Very Low	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	0.8Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.5Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.4Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.2Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
STEERING	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None

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

How Does Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Ridgeline	Nissan Frontier	Edge
2026	86/1000R / 2C	77/1001R / 2C	Honda Ridgeline
2025	85/1001R / 42C	84/1000R / 0C	Honda Ridgeline
2024	85/1001R / 41C	77/1003R / 14C	Honda Ridgeline
2021	75/1005R / 90C	84/1000R / 0C	Nissan Frontier
2020	70/1007R / 158C	78/1002R / 20C	Nissan Frontier
2019	65/10010R / 222C	80/1001R / 31C	Nissan Frontier
2018	70/1006R / 153C	79/1002R / 25C	Nissan Frontier

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Ridgeline scored 85/100 and the 2021 Nissan Frontier scored 84/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Ridgeline vs the Nissan Frontier?

Pick the Frontier if you want the lowest chance of dealing with repeat shop visits. Owners filed very few complaints, and the repair-cost data points to a low yearly bill. Target 2021, its strongest year, and avoid 2024, one of its weakest. If you buy one, confirm that any recall repair for the roll-away problem has been done, since some owners said dealers lacked parts. Pick the Ridgeline if you prefer its midsize truck package and can accept more risk. Avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. Before buying any Ridgeline, test the backup camera while opening and closing the tailgate, try the automatic high beams, and listen for knocking at a cold start. Ask for records showing any engine or wiring repairs. Walk away from a truck with an unexplained engine noise, because the engine failures in the complaints ended in replacement, sometimes at the owner's cost.

Honda Ridgeline vs Nissan Frontier: Common Questions

Is the Honda Ridgeline more reliable than the Nissan Frontier?: No. The Frontier has a slight edge. It drew 92 owner complaints against 919 for the Ridgeline, and its recall count is lower. The Ridgeline still has a good standing, but its engine and backup camera problems appear more often than anything on the Frontier list.
Which has more recalls, the Ridgeline or the Frontier?: The Ridgeline has more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across 9 Ridgeline model years and 9 recalls across 7 Frontier model years. Check any specific truck's VIN with a dealer or federal lookup to see whether recall repairs were completed.
What is the biggest problem with the Nissan Frontier?: Rolling away while in Park is the main pattern in the power train complaints. Three of those reports involve a crash, with one injury. Some owners said dealers had no parts for the recall repair. Confirm that work is finished before you buy.
What goes wrong with the Honda Ridgeline backup camera?: The wiring harness to the tailgate cracks, frays and snaps where it bends as the tailgate opens. The screen goes black or works only on and off. Failures cluster between roughly 26,000 and 50,000 miles, and one camera failure is tied to a crash.
Which Ridgeline and Frontier years should I avoid?: On the Ridgeline, avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. On the Frontier, avoid 2024, which is among its weakest. The Frontier's 2021 is its strongest year, so start your search there.

More Honda Ridgeline comparisons

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More Nissan Frontier comparisons

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Decided between Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Frontier? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Frontier

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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