Mazda CX-5 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2016 draws 6.33 complaints per run and the 2020 1.5, a 4.2-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 3 years of age, so 63.8% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 501 complaints, typically at 4.5 years.

Mazda CX-5 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Mazda CX-5 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2026	1.4	14	10	too new
2025	1.27	28	22	too new
2024	1.15	45	39	too new
2023	1.94	62	32	too new
2022	1.41	65	46	too new
2021	1.91	147	77	too new
2020	1.5	105	70	yes
2019	2.45	269	110	yes
2018	1.94	120	62	yes
2017	2.92	149	51	yes
2016	6.33	481	76	yes
2015	2.28	121	53	yes
2014	4.56	328	72	yes
2013	2.84	173	61	yes

ROWS 14·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2016 CX-5 asks a median $11,000, against $15,495 for a 2017, the next model year: about 29% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 4 Mazda CX-5 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2016, 2014, 2019; the three worth hunting are 2020, 2019, 2014.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Mazda CX-5 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	265	13%	covered
1 year	236	24.6%	covered
2 years	235	36.2%	covered
3 years	281	50%	you pay
4 years	253	62.4%	you pay
5 years	259	75.1%	you pay
6 years	178	83.9%	you pay
7 years	145	91%	you pay
8 years	106	96.2%	you pay
9 years	42	98.3%	you pay
10 years	24	99.5%	you pay
11 years	4	99.7%	you pay
12 years	7	100%	you pay

ROWS 13·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 36.2% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 63.8% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 36% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Mazda CX-5, the early trouble is Unknown Or Other and Power Train — reported at around 3.8 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine at 4.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Mazda CX-5 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	501	4.5 yrs	13	4
Electrical System	415	4.3 yrs	14	9
Unknown Or Other	324	3.8 yrs	18	1
Power Train	247	3.6 yrs	11	—
Exterior Lighting	212	3.1 yrs	1	—
Service Brakes	201	2.8 yrs	37	—
Visibility/wiper	130	2.3 yrs	—	1
Structure	119	1.7 yrs	7	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the CX-5's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota RAV4 draws 2.31, the Jeep Wrangler 4.69 and the Honda CR-V 3.7, against 2.73 for the CX-5.

FIG.05·Mazda CX-5 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the CX-5	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota RAV4	9,332	168	1996–2026
Jeep Wrangler	16,434	285	1986–2026
Honda CR-V	15,948	207	1997–2026
Tesla Model Y	388	100	2020–2026
Nissan Rogue	7,253	94	2008–2026
Kia Telluride	2,014	33	2020–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Mazda CX-5

Recalls33 campaigns Fuel economy38 mpg best Common problems2,211 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices2,423 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2013–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Mazda CX-5 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.73 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which CX-5 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2016, 2014, 2019. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2020, 2019, 2014. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do CX-5 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 3 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 4.5 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover CX-5 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 36.2% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 36% of the complaints here.

Is the CX-5 more reliable than the Toyota RAV4?

No: 2.73 complaints per production run for the CX-5 against 2.31 for the Toyota RAV4.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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