Is the Hyundai Palisade more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?

Yes, the Palisade has a clear edge. It draws 31.7 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 111.2 for the CX-90. The CX-90's main reports involve hybrid shutdowns, binding steering, and stalls, while the Palisade's top issues are brakes, seat belts, glass, and rear shocks.

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

The Palisade has more in total: 33 across seven model years, versus 13 across three for the CX-90. The Palisade has been on sale longer, so its count had more time to grow. Spread across the years, the two are closer than the totals suggest.

What is the most serious problem with the Mazda CX-90?

Steering is the largest area, with 80 complaints and 5 crash-linked. Owners say the wheel sticks or binds in turns, or pulls toward the road edge. None of the reports mention a confirmed fix. Hybrid shutdowns that need a tow are also common.

What goes wrong most often on the Hyundai Palisade?

Service brakes lead with 317 complaints. The ABS can activate over bumps or gravel, and the car keeps rolling at low speed. Seat belt buckles that unlatch, cracking windshields, and failing rear self-leveling shocks follow. The 2020 and 2021 model years are the weakest.

Should I buy a 2024 CX-90 or a used Palisade?

The Palisade is the safer pick. The 2024 CX-90 is among the weakest CX-90 years, and the model is young with a high complaint rate. If you choose a Palisade, avoid 2020 and 2021 where you can, and check seat belt recall status.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Hyundai Palisade

Good

Mazda CX-90

Mixed

Reliability favors the Hyundai Palisade over the Mazda CX-90, and the edge is clear. Owners report problems with the CX-90 at a much higher rate, and its worst reports involve hybrid shutdowns and steering that binds, while the Palisade's top complaints are mostly less disabling.

How Do the Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-90 Generations Compare?

Two generations of the Palisade appear in the data. The first ran from the 2020 to 2025 model years and received a facelift for 2022. The second generation, with a facelift listed for 2023, runs through the 2026 model year. The earliest first-generation years, 2020 and 2021, are the weakest. The CX-90 is a first-generation model that covers only the 2024 to 2026 model years. Every example you can buy used is therefore from the same design, and none has a long track record. The newest years have had the least time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Hyundai Palisade is more reliable than the Mazda CX-90, scoring 65/100 vs 58/100.

Reliability favors the Palisade, and the edge is clear. Owners file far fewer complaints per vehicle sold, and its worst problems, like windshield cracks and worn rear shocks, usually leave the car drivable. The CX-90's worst reports involve a hybrid system that shuts the car down, sometimes within days of purchase, and steering that binds in turns. Dealers often could not find the cause. The Palisade has more recalls in total, but it also covers seven model years against three.

Key Differences

1Hyundai Palisade has 79.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Mazda CX-90 has 20 fewer total recalls
3Hyundai Palisade scores 7 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Hyundai Palisade

—

1Mazda CX-90

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Palisade	Mazda CX-90
Reliability Score	65/100	58/100
Years Tracked	7	3
Total Recalls	33	13
Complaints per 10k Sold	31.7	111.2
Year Wins	2 (1 tied)	0 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-90?

Brakes, seat belts, glass, and rear shocks drive the Palisade's complaints. Its ABS can kick in over bumps and let the car roll past stops at low speed, and 15 of those brake complaints are crash-linked. Seat belt buckles also unlatch while driving. The CX-90's problems hit drivability. The hybrid system shuts down with "electrical leakage detected" warnings, and the car then will not shift out of park. Steering binds or sticks in turns, with 5 crash-linked reports. Driver-assist shutoffs and stalls in traffic round out its list. Both models have crash-linked electrical complaints.

Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90 common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Palisade	Mazda CX-90
STEERING	0.9Very Low	31.8High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.1Low	17.5High
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	11.5Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2.2Low	8.7Above Avg
POWER TRAIN	1.6Low	8.3Above Avg
ENGINE	1.4Low	6.8Average
SERVICE BRAKES	5.3Average	2.8Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	3.7Average	4Average
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	6.4Average
SEAT BELTS	3.9Average	—None
STRUCTURE	1Very Low	1.6Low
SUSPENSION	2.3Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.7Very Low	—None
TRAILER HITCHES	0.4Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

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

How Does Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90 Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Palisade	Mazda CX-90	Edge
2026	72/1002R / 23C	72/1000R / 0C	Tie
2025	70/1003R / 139C	63/1002R / 21C	Hyundai Palisade
2024	63/1005R / 304C	38/10011R / 259C	Hyundai Palisade

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Hyundai Palisade scored 63/100 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 Hyundai Palisade vs the Mazda CX-90?

Pick the Palisade if you want the lower risk of a surprise breakdown and need three rows of seats. Expect to deal with a few known annoyances: pebble-prone windshields, rear shocks that may fail again after the first replacement, and a seat belt buckle recall where parts were on back order. Test the brakes over bumps and rough pavement before you buy. The 2020 and 2021 model years are the weakest, so lean toward later years, and check that any 2025 or 2026 car has no open recall work. Consider the CX-90 only if its style or driving feel matters more than reliability, and only with a warranty you trust. Its complaint rate is high for a young model, and the hybrid shutdowns can leave a car at the shop for weeks. The 2024 model year is among the weakest. Later years rank better, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proven. Drive it through some left turns and confirm the steering moves freely, and check for open recalls.

Hyundai Palisade vs Mazda CX-90: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Palisade more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?: Yes, the Palisade has a clear edge. It draws 31.7 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 111.2 for the CX-90. The CX-90's main reports involve hybrid shutdowns, binding steering, and stalls, while the Palisade's top issues are brakes, seat belts, glass, and rear shocks.
Which has more recalls, the Palisade or the CX-90?: The Palisade has more in total: 33 across seven model years, versus 13 across three for the CX-90. The Palisade has been on sale longer, so its count had more time to grow. Spread across the years, the two are closer than the totals suggest.
What is the most serious problem with the Mazda CX-90?: Steering is the largest area, with 80 complaints and 5 crash-linked. Owners say the wheel sticks or binds in turns, or pulls toward the road edge. None of the reports mention a confirmed fix. Hybrid shutdowns that need a tow are also common.
What goes wrong most often on the Hyundai Palisade?: Service brakes lead with 317 complaints. The ABS can activate over bumps or gravel, and the car keeps rolling at low speed. Seat belt buckles that unlatch, cracking windshields, and failing rear self-leveling shocks follow. The 2020 and 2021 model years are the weakest.
Should I buy a 2024 CX-90 or a used Palisade?: The Palisade is the safer pick. The 2024 CX-90 is among the weakest CX-90 years, and the model is young with a high complaint rate. If you choose a Palisade, avoid 2020 and 2021 where you can, and check seat belt recall status.

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How we score the Hyundai Palisade 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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