Ford Maverick vs Honda Ridgeline
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 2,992real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Ford Maverick or Honda Ridgeline?
Verdict from 2,992 NHTSA complaints
Ford Maverick wins this comparison overall. Ford Maverick comes out ahead on 3 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 415% lower complaint rate. The Honda Ridgeline edges ahead on crash-involvement rate.
Head-to-Head Metrics
Lower is better on every metric. Bar length = relative magnitude. ✓ = winner.
Ford Maverick wins by 415%
Honda Ridgeline wins by 123%
Ford Maverick wins by 130%
Ford Maverick wins by 877%
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
Official NCAP star ratings — government crash test data. Most recent rated model year.
Ford Maverick
2024 model yearHonda Ridgeline
2026 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Rate per 10K Sold — Year by Year
Lower line = fewer complaints relative to vehicles sold that year. Crossovers reveal which model improved (or got worse) over generations.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ford Maverick vs Honda Ridgeline — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Ford Maverick or the Honda Ridgeline?
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Ford Maverick wins this comparison overall. Ford Maverick comes out ahead on 3 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 415% lower complaint rate. The Honda Ridgeline edges ahead on crash-involvement rate. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Should I buy a Ford Maverick or a Honda Ridgeline?
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On reliability data alone, the Ford Maverick is the safer bet — but the actual condition of the specific car matters far more than the model average. Check the VIN of any vehicle you're considering for accident history, title issues, and odometer rollbacks.
What problems do the Ford Maverick and Honda Ridgeline share?
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Top complaints for the Ford Maverick: Transmission / Drivetrain, Electrical Faults, Engine Problems. Top complaints for the Honda Ridgeline: Electrical Faults, Airbags, Engine Problems. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Ford Maverick or the Honda Ridgeline?
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Across all model years, the Ford Maverick has 410 NHTSA complaints and the Honda Ridgeline has 2,582. Normalized for sales volume (complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold), the Ford Maverick has the lower complaint rate. Raw counts can mislead — a 2× more popular model will naturally collect 2× more complaints. Detailed normalized comparison: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/compare/ford/maverick/vs/honda/ridgeline
Which is safer in a crash, the Ford Maverick or the Honda Ridgeline?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Ford Maverick 7.8% vs Honda Ridgeline 3.5% — the Honda Ridgeline has the lower crash rate. NHTSA NCAP star ratings (frontal, side, rollover) for both models are also shown on the comparison page. Note: the per-VIN history matters more than the model average — a salvage-title car of any model carries higher crash exposure than the median.
Does the Ford Maverick or the Honda Ridgeline have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Ford Maverick 1.00% vs Honda Ridgeline 2.30%. The Ford Maverick has the lower reported fire rate. Fire complaints are a relatively rare but important safety signal — they often correlate with electrical-system or fuel-system defects. Check specific recall campaigns at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/ford/maverick and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/honda/ridgeline
What years of the Ford Maverick are worse than the Honda Ridgeline?
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The comparison page renders a year-by-year head-to-head table — for each model year (where both models have data), it shows complaint count or per-10K rate side by side and marks which model fares better that year. Buyers cross-shopping a specific model year should always check the year-level VinItel pages: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/ford/maverick/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/honda/ridgeline/{year}.
Where does this Ford Maverick vs Honda Ridgeline comparison data come from?
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All complaint, crash, fire, and fatality data comes from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) consumer-complaint database — the same source insurance regulators and the federal government use. NCAP star ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. Sales-volume normalization (per 10K sold) uses US annual vehicle sales. Data refreshes every 6 hours. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Related Reliability Comparisons
Other head-to-head matchups buyers cross-shopping the Maverick or Ridgeline also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-05-04 from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.·Source: NHTSA ODI
A model average can't see the car you're buying.
Even the Ford Maverick has cars with hidden accidents, salvage titles, and odometer rollbacks. Check the VIN before you buy — full report $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: