Compare the2025 Mazda CX-90VS 2024 Dodge Durango

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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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 Dodge Durango doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CX-90 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Durango doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mazda CX-90 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Durango doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

With its standard Smart Brake Support, the Mazda CX-90 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Dodge Durango, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	CX-90	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH	-23 MPH	No Slowing
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	-33 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	No Warning
37 MPH Low beams	-26 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.5 sec	No Warning

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 Durango 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S has standard Rear Smart City Brake Support that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Durango doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the CX-90’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

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 Durango and is not available with SXT.

The CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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

The CX-90’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Mazda CX-90 is safer than the Durango:

	CX-90	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	68	119
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	22 cm	26 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Femur Force R/L	.2/.2 kN	5.3/2.5 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	6%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.4/.34	1.53/.59
Tibia forces R/L	1.4/.9 kN	1.9/1.4 kN

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 Durango is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the CX-90 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. With 69 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Dodge.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Dodge is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 14 places higher in reliability than Dodge.

Engine

The CX-90 has more powerful engines than the Durango:

	Torque
CX-90 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid	332 lbs.-ft.
CX-90 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid	369 lbs.-ft.
CX-90 Turbo S 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid	369 lbs.-ft.
Durango 3.6 DOHC V6	260 lbs.-ft.
Durango 3.6 DOHC V6	260 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the CX-90 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Dodge Durango:

	CX-90	Durango V6	Durango V8
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	8 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	16.1 sec	15 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.8 MPH	86.9 MPH	93.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
CX-90
	AWD	3.3 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/28 hwy
		Turbo S 3.3 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/28 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy

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

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-90’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Durango doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the CX-90’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Dodge only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Durango V6.

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-90 stops much shorter than the Durango:

	CX-90	Durango
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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 Durango SXT’s standard 60 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 Durango SXT. The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Durango.

Suspension and Handling

The CX-90 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CX-90 flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-90’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the Durango (122.8 inches vs. 119.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-90 is 3.2 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango.

The CX-90 Premium Plus handles at .85 G’s, while the Durango GT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-90 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-90’s turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Durango’s (38.1 feet vs. 41 feet).

Passenger Space

The CX-90 offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry up to 7.

The CX-90 has 1.4 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear legroom, .4 inches more rear shoulder room and 2.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-90’s cargo area is larger than the Durango’s in almost every dimension:

	CX-90	Durango
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	96”	20”/50”/83”
Max Width	49.8”	49”
Min Width	43.7”	42.5”
Height	30.4”	36”

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CX-90 Premium’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Durango doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The CX-90 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-90’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The CX-90’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Durango’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or 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 Durango’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-90’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Durango’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-90 Turbo S has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Durango doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the CX-90 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Durango doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S has standard front air conditioned seats and the CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Durango doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

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