Compare the2024 Mazda CX-90VS 2024 Jeep Wagoneer

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-90 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Jeep Wagoneer doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The CX-90 Premium has a standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Wagoneer doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-90. But it costs extra on the Wagoneer.

The CX-90’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Wagoneer.

Both the CX-90 and Wagoneer have rear cross-traffic warning, but the CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S Premium has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Wagoneer’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the CX-90 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Wagoneer uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the CX-90 and the Wagoneer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Mazda CX-90 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Wagoneer has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 19 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

On the EPA test cycle the CX-90 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Wagoneer:

The CX-90 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Wagoneer can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mazda CX-90 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended on CX-90 PHEV for maximum performance). The Grand Wagoneer requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The CX-90 stops much shorter than the Wagoneer:

The CX-90’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Wagoneer’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-90 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Wagoneer.

The CX-90 Premium Plus handles at .82 G’s, while the Wagoneer Series II 4x4 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-90 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Wagoneer Series II 4x4 (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Mazda CX-90 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 to 1200 pounds less than the Jeep Wagoneer.

The CX-90 is 1 foot, 1.9 inches shorter than the Wagoneer, making the CX-90 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-90 is 5.1 inches narrower than the Wagoneer, making the CX-90 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The CX-90 is 7.4 inches shorter in height than the Wagoneer, making the CX-90 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the CX-90’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Wagoneer doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CX-90 easier. The CX-90’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31 inches, while the Wagoneer’s liftover is 34 inches.

The CX-90’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Wagoneer’s standard power windows’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

The CX-90’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Wagoneer’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Wagoneer’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The CX-90 Turbo S’ standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Mazda CX-90 outsold the Jeep Wagoneer by 6% during 2023.