Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?

Yes, by a clear edge. The Grand Cherokee has a good standing and the CX-90 a mixed one. Owners filed 6.8 complaints per 10,000 Jeeps sold against 111.2 for the Mazda. The Jeep still has serious transmission, steering and engine complaints, so inspect any used one closely.

Which has more recalls, the Grand Cherokee or the CX-90?

The Grand Cherokee has more in total, with 97 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-90 has 13 across 3 model years. The Jeep has been sold far longer, so its count has had more time to build. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls.

What are the common Jeep Grand Cherokee problems?

Transmission trouble is the main power train complaint, with harsh shifts, slipping and full replacements. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 shows camshaft and rocker arm wear, with ticking and misfires. Electrical reports include sudden acceleration while parking, and the electric power steering can cut out without warning.

Which Grand Cherokee and CX-90 model years should I avoid?

For the Grand Cherokee, avoid 2018 and 2022, its weakest years. For the CX-90, avoid the 2024, its weakest year. The 2025 appears on both the strongest and weakest lists, so inspect it carefully. The 2026 has had the least time to collect complaints, so treat its clean record cautiously.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Good

Mazda CX-90

Mixed

The Jeep Grand Cherokee comes out ahead of the Mazda CX-90 on reliability, with a clear edge. Owners filed far fewer complaints per car sold for the Jeep. The CX-90 draws many early hybrid and steering reports, though the Jeep has serious transmission and brake problems of its own.

How Do the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mazda CX-90 Generations Compare?

Overlapping generations make the Jeep's years harder to read than the Mazda's. The fourth generation, WK2, ran from 2011 to 2022, so the 2018, 2020 and 2022 cars belong to it. The fifth generation, WL, began with the 2021 model year, which means 2021 and 2022 overlap and a shopper should confirm which version they are looking at. The CX-90 is a first-generation KK car that started with the 2024 model year. Every year you can buy is early in its cycle, so no redesign separates the better years from the worse ones.

Verdict

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is more reliable than the Mazda CX-90, scoring 66/100 vs 58/100.

Reliability favors the Grand Cherokee, with a clear edge. Its standing is good, while the CX-90 is rated mixed. The deciding fact is the complaint rate: 6.8 per 10,000 sold for the Jeep against 111.2 for the Mazda. The Jeep has real problems, including transmission and engine failures, but the CX-90 draws far more complaints per car sold, and many arrive in the first days or miles of ownership.

Key Differences

1Jeep Grand Cherokee has 104.4 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Mazda CX-90 has 84 fewer total recalls
3Jeep Grand Cherokee scores 8 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Jeep Grand Cherokee

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1Mazda CX-90

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90: Which Is More Reliable?

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Mazda CX-90
Reliability Score	66/100	58/100
Years Tracked	9	3
Total Recalls	97	13
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.8	111.2
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	1

What Are the Common Problems With the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mazda CX-90?

Jeep complaints center on sudden acceleration in parking maneuvers, transmission failures (harsh shifts, slipping, full replacement), electric power steering that cuts out, and camshaft and rocker arm wear on the 3.6L Pentastar V6. Brake complaints are the most crash-linked, at 18. The CX-90 has no crash-linked brake area. Its trouble is hybrid shutdowns with "electrical leakage detected" warnings, cars that won't shift out of park, and a steering wheel that binds in turns. The CX-90 also has a crash-linked collision-avoidance area, where the system gave no warning before an impact. The Jeep list has none.

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90 common problem areas comparison
Component	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Mazda CX-90
STEERING	0.6Very Low	31.8High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.2Low	17.5High
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	11.5Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	8.7Above Avg
POWER TRAIN	0.7Very Low	8.3Above Avg
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	6.8Average
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	6.4Average
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	4Average
SERVICE BRAKES	0.5Very Low	2.8Low
STRUCTURE	—None	1.6Low
SUSPENSION	0.2Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—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 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90 Reliability Compare by Year?

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Mazda CX-90	Edge
2026	70/1002R / 0C	72/1000R / 0C	Mazda CX-90
2025	75/1003R / 59C	63/1002R / 21C	Jeep Grand Cherokee
2024	66/10020R / 204C	38/10011R / 259C	Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee scored 66/100 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs the Mazda CX-90?

Choose the Grand Cherokee if you want the better overall record and can inspect a car before you buy. Target 2020, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2022, its weakest. Have a shop check the transmission, the steering, and the 3.6L engine for ticking or misfires. Ask whether the touchscreen has been replaced. Newer years such as 2025 rate well, but they have had less time to collect complaints. Consider the CX-90 only if you want its hybrid setup and accept the risk. Owners report shutdowns within days of purchase, and dealers often can't find the cause, so cars sit for weeks. The 2024 is its weakest year. The 2025 appears on both its strongest and weakest lists, and the 2026 has had the least time on the road. Test drive for any sticking or notchy steering in left turns before you sign. Ask whether any hybrid warnings have appeared.

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Mazda CX-90: Common Questions

Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?: Yes, by a clear edge. The Grand Cherokee has a good standing and the CX-90 a mixed one. Owners filed 6.8 complaints per 10,000 Jeeps sold against 111.2 for the Mazda. The Jeep still has serious transmission, steering and engine complaints, so inspect any used one closely.
Which has more recalls, the Grand Cherokee or the CX-90?: The Grand Cherokee has more in total, with 97 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-90 has 13 across 3 model years. The Jeep has been sold far longer, so its count has had more time to build. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls.
What goes wrong with the Mazda CX-90?: The biggest area is steering, where the wheel binds or feels notchy in turns, with 5 crash-linked reports. Owners also report hybrid shutdowns with "electrical leakage detected" warnings, sometimes within the first miles. The driver-assist system can also switch itself off with a "front radar obstructed" message.
What are the common Jeep Grand Cherokee problems?: Transmission trouble is the main power train complaint, with harsh shifts, slipping and full replacements. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 shows camshaft and rocker arm wear, with ticking and misfires. Electrical reports include sudden acceleration while parking, and the electric power steering can cut out without warning.
Which Grand Cherokee and CX-90 model years should I avoid?: For the Grand Cherokee, avoid 2018 and 2022, its weakest years. For the CX-90, avoid the 2024, its weakest year. The 2025 appears on both the strongest and weakest lists, so inspect it carefully. The 2026 has had the least time to collect complaints, so treat its clean record cautiously.

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More Mazda CX-90 comparisons

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How we score the Jeep Grand Cherokee 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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