Mazda CX-9 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2008 draws 3.85 complaints per run and the 2013 1.55, a 2.5-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 85% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Service Brakes, with 388 complaints, typically at 5.4 years.

Mazda CX-9 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Mazda CX-9 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2023	1.3	13	10	too new
2022	1	10	10	too new
2021	1.86	39	21	too new
2020	1.27	19	15	yes
2019	1.68	52	31	yes
2018	2.35	127	54	yes
2017	1.71	60	35	yes
2016	1.88	96	51	yes
2015	1.21	35	29	yes
2014	1.3	52	40	yes
2013	1.55	65	42	yes
2012	2.05	199	97	yes
2011	1.76	144	82	yes
2010	3.39	149	44	yes
2009	1.67	55	33	yes
2008	3.85	158	41	yes
2007	1.76	58	33	yes

ROWS 17·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2008 CX-9 asks a median $4,500, against $3,800 for a 2009, the next model year: 18% more, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 7 Mazda CX-9 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2008, 2010, 2018; the three worth hunting are 2013, 2011, 2016.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Mazda CX-9 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	42	3.2%	covered
1 year	69	8.4%	covered
2 years	87	15%	covered
3 years	119	24%	you pay
4 years	152	35.4%	you pay
5 years	186	49.5%	you pay
6 years	166	62.1%	you pay
7 years	154	73.7%	you pay
8 years	152	85.2%	you pay
9 years	74	90.8%	you pay
10 years	42	94%	you pay
11 years	32	96.4%	you pay
12 years	18	97.7%	you pay
13 years	16	98.9%	you pay
14 years	11	99.8%	you pay
15 years	3	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 15% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 85% 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 37% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Service Brakes at 5.4 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Mazda CX-9 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Service Brakes	388	5.4 yrs	21	—
Engine	344	6 yrs	3	2
Power Train	149	6.5 yrs	3	6
Suspension	132	6.8 yrs	7	—
Air Bags	130	6.4 yrs	16	—
Unknown Or Other	117	4.9 yrs	4	—
Electrical System	79	5 yrs	1	4
Steering	56	5.9 yrs	6	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the CX-9'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 2.01 for the CX-9. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Mazda CX-9 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the CX-9	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
Mazda CX-5	2,211	33	2013–2026
Nissan Rogue	7,253	94	2008–2026

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-9

Recalls55 campaigns Fuel economy26 mpg best Common problems1,482 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices1,230 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2007–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Mazda CX-9 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.01 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which CX-9 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2008, 2010, 2018. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2013, 2011, 2016. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do CX-9 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Service Brakes, typically at 5.4 years, followed by Engine.

Will the warranty cover CX-9 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 15% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 37% of the complaints here.

Is the CX-9 more reliable than the Toyota RAV4?

Yes: 2.01 complaints per production run for the CX-9 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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