Compare the2025 Mazda CX-90VS 2024 Nissan Pathfinder

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 Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder.

Both the CX-90 and Pathfinder have Rear Cross Traffic Alert, 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 Pathfinder’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-90 is safer than the Pathfinder:

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 Nissan 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, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 10 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

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

As tested in Motor Trend the CX-90 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Nissan Pathfinder (base engine):

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

The CX-90 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CX-90 Turbo S’ standard fuel tank has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pathfinder (19.6 vs. 18.5 gallons).

The CX-90 has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port which lock and unlock with the power locks. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a locking fuel filler door. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda CX-90 higher (6 out of 10) than the Nissan Pathfinder (5). This means the CX-90 produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pathfinder every 15,000 miles.

The CX-90 stops much shorter than the Pathfinder:

For better traction, the CX-90 has larger standard tires than the Pathfinder (265/55R19 vs. 255/60R18). The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Pathfinder (275/45R21 vs. 255/60R18).

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 Pathfinder’s standard 60 series tires. The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Pathfinder’s optional 50 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 Pathfinder. The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Pathfinder.

The CX-90 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pathfinder’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-90’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the Pathfinder (122.8 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The CX-90’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.7% to 48.3%) than the Pathfinder’s (55% to 45%). This gives the CX-90 more stable handling and braking.

The CX-90 Premium Plus handles at .85 G’s, while the Pathfinder SL pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-90 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Pathfinder Platinum (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-90’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Pathfinder’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-90 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pathfinder (8 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the CX-90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-90 PHEV Premium/Turbo S’ minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the Pathfinder Rock Creek (8.1 vs. 7.7 inches).

The CX-90 has 3.9 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more third row legroom than the Pathfinder.

The CX-90 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pathfinder uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the CX-90 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pathfinder. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

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 Pathfinder’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 Pathfinder’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The CX-90’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Pathfinder SV/Rock Creek/SL/Platinum.

The CX-90’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Pathfinder offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.