Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-7
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Ford Explorer
- Total complaints
- 34,267
- Avg per model year
- 857
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 116
- Most complained year
- 2002 (3,294)
Top problems: Power Train, Structure, Steering
Mazda CX-7
- Total complaints
- 1,130
- Avg per model year
- 188
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 6
- Most complained year
- 2007 (528)
Top problems: Air Bags, Engine and Engine Cooling, Suspension
Complaints by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer | Mazda CX-7 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 822 | 39 | ||
| 2011 | 1,195 | 153 | ||
| 2010 | 115 | 155 | ||
| 2009 | 33 | 64 | ||
| 2008 | 148 | 191 | ||
| 2007 | 208 | 528 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.