Is the Toyota 4RUNNER more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?

Yes, the 4RUNNER leads by a large gap. It has about 1.5 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, while the CX-90 has 111.2. The CX-90's complaints include hybrid shutdowns, cars stuck in park, and steering that binds in turns. The 4RUNNER's main issues are steering shake and brake noise.

Which has more recalls, the 4RUNNER or the CX-90?

The 4RUNNER has more in total, with 17 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-90 has 13 across just 3 model years. That makes the CX-90's pace much faster. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy either one.

Which is cheaper to repair, the 4RUNNER or the CX-90?

The data covers the 4RUNNER only. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $514 a year, with 0.4 unscheduled shop visits and a 13% chance that a repair is major. There is no matching repair-cost figure for the CX-90, so a direct cost comparison is not possible.

What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-90?

Steering is the largest complaint area, with 80 reports and 5 crash-linked. The wheel binds, sticks, or locks at full lock, and none of the reports mention a confirmed fix. Hybrid electrical shutdowns come next, where cars lose power and will not shift out of park.

Are there safety concerns with the Toyota 4RUNNER?

Yes. Air bags have 24 complaints, 20 of them crash-linked. Some reports say front air bags did not deploy in serious collisions. Steering shake at highway speed is the top complaint. Also check for underbody rust and wiring damage, which some owners reported.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Mazda CX-90 vs Toyota 4Runner: Reliability Compared

Mazda CX-90

Mixed

More Reliable

Toyota 4Runner

Excellent

Reliability favors the Toyota 4RUNNER over the Mazda CX-90 by a wide margin. Owners filed far fewer complaints per vehicle sold, and the CX-90's hybrid shutdowns and sticking steering drive the gap. The CX-90 also packed its recalls into just three model years.

How Do the Mazda CX-90 and Toyota 4Runner Generations Compare?

Most 4Runners a shopper will see, model years 2018 to 2024, come from the long-running fifth generation (N280), sold in the US from 2010 and refreshed in 2013. The sixth generation (N500) is listed from the 2025 model year, so 2025 and 2026 cars are new designs with little time on the road. The CX-90 is a first-generation model (KK), sold since 2024. Every year available is an early-production year, and no later generation exists yet to point to as a fix. That matters most for 2024 and 2025 cars.

Verdict

The Toyota 4Runner is more reliable than the Mazda CX-90, scoring 80/100 vs 58/100.

Reliability favors the 4Runner by a large gap. Owners filed about 1.5 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 111.2 for the CX-90. The 4Runner's trouble is spread over steering shake, brake noise, and wiring faults. The CX-90's worst reports involve hybrid shutdowns, cars that will not shift out of park, and steering that sticks, often in the first weeks of ownership. The CX-90 also packed 13 recalls into only three model years.

Key Differences

1Toyota 4Runner has 109.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Toyota 4Runner scores 22 points higher in reliability
3Mazda CX-90 has 4 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

2Mazda CX-90

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2Toyota 4Runner

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Mazda CX-90 vs Toyota 4Runner: Which Is More Reliable?

Mazda CX-90 vs Toyota 4Runner at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Mazda CX-90	Toyota 4Runner
Reliability Score	58/100	80/100
Years Tracked	3	9
Total Recalls	13	17
Complaints per 10k Sold	111.2	1.5
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Mazda CX-90 and Toyota 4Runner?

Steering shake at 50 to 70 mph that tires and alignments do not cure is the top 4Runner complaint. The CX-90's steering problem is different and more dangerous: the wheel binds in turns, locks at full lock, or pulls toward the road edge, with 5 crash-linked reports. Only the 4Runner has a serious air bag pattern, with front air bags that failed to deploy in crashes. Only the CX-90 lists crash-linked forward collision avoidance and power train problems, including a missed warning before a rear-end hit and stalls in traffic. Its hybrid shutdowns also strand cars at very low mileage.

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

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

How Does Mazda CX-90 vs Toyota 4Runner Reliability Compare by Year?

Mazda CX-90 vs Toyota 4Runner year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Mazda CX-90	Toyota 4Runner	Edge
2026	72/1000R / 0C	84/1000R / 0C	Toyota 4Runner
2025	63/1002R / 21C	81/1001R / 36C	Toyota 4Runner
2024	38/10011R / 259C	79/1001R / 8C	Toyota 4Runner

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Mazda CX-90 scored 38/100 and the 2024 Toyota 4Runner scored 79/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Mazda CX-90 vs the Toyota 4Runner?

Choose the 4Runner if you want the lower-risk used buy and plan to keep it for years. Target 2021, which sits among its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Test drive at highway speed to check for wheel shake, and have the underbody checked for rust. The 2026 model has had little time to collect complaints, so do not read its clean record as proof. Consider the CX-90 only if you want its hybrid setup and can accept the risk. Its owner complaints are heavy for a model this young, and the worst ones involve shutdowns, no-start cars, and weeks waiting at the dealer. Avoid 2024, its weakest year. The 2025 model appears on both its strong and weak lists, so it is a mixed bet. Before buying any CX-90, check that every open recall is done and ask for service records covering the hybrid system and steering.

Mazda CX-90 vs Toyota 4Runner: Common Questions

Is the Toyota 4RUNNER more reliable than the Mazda CX-90?: Yes, the 4RUNNER leads by a large gap. It has about 1.5 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, while the CX-90 has 111.2. The CX-90's complaints include hybrid shutdowns, cars stuck in park, and steering that binds in turns. The 4RUNNER's main issues are steering shake and brake noise.
Which has more recalls, the 4RUNNER or the CX-90?: The 4RUNNER has more in total, with 17 recalls across 9 model years. The CX-90 has 13 across just 3 model years. That makes the CX-90's pace much faster. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy either one.
Which is cheaper to repair, the 4RUNNER or the CX-90?: The data covers the 4RUNNER only. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $514 a year, with 0.4 unscheduled shop visits and a 13% chance that a repair is major. There is no matching repair-cost figure for the CX-90, so a direct cost comparison is not possible.
What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-90?: Steering is the largest complaint area, with 80 reports and 5 crash-linked. The wheel binds, sticks, or locks at full lock, and none of the reports mention a confirmed fix. Hybrid electrical shutdowns come next, where cars lose power and will not shift out of park.
Are there safety concerns with the Toyota 4RUNNER?: Yes. Air bags have 24 complaints, 20 of them crash-linked. Some reports say front air bags did not deploy in serious collisions. Steering shake at highway speed is the top complaint. Also check for underbody rust and wiring damage, which some owners reported.

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Decided between Mazda CX-90 and Toyota 4Runner? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Mazda CX-90 and Toyota 4Runner

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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