Mazda
Mazda CX-5 years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2016, 2018 and 2019. Best years: 2022.
The 2016, 2018 and 2019 Mazda CX-5 draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 510 complaints (46 for each year on the road), 2018 has 350 complaints (39 for each year on the road) and 2019 has 270 complaints (34 for each year on the road), against a median of 16 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is headlights (88 reports).
- 1,975complaints
- 9recall campaigns
- 9model years with a page
Newest report Sep 27, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2016
Most reported: headlights (88 reports, median 40,000 miles) and brake wear (69 reports, median 29,133 miles).
2018
Most reported: misfire (130 reports, median 57,000 miles) and oil leak (63 reports, median 53,000 miles).
2019
Most reported: misfire (103 reports, median 50,000 miles) and oil leak (67 reports, median 50,000 miles).
Best years
2022
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2016 has the most complaints of any Mazda CX-5 year here: 510 of 1,975 (26%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Infotainment leads in 3 of the 9 model years and has the most reports overall, 289. Pooled across the years, half of the 84 owners who gave a mileage for infotainment were under about 47,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 6% of Mazda CX-5 complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2020, 13 of its 107 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- None of the 8 model years where owners report infotainment has a recall on the same system.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2019 at 244 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 210. So far in 2026, 164 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: Lord of the Wings© from Toronto, Canada, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Second generation (KF)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 148 | 15 | 1 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (49) | 21,000 |
| 2018 avoid | 350 | 39 | 3 | Check engine light or misfire (130) | 38,000 |
| 2019 avoid | 270 | 34 | 2 | Check engine light or misfire (103) | 36,000 |
| 2020 | 107 | 15 | 0 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (39) | 29,000 |
| 2021 | 147 | 24 | 0 | Burns oil or oil level rises (42) | 11,000 |
Photo: Oq10pass, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
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Third generation (KM)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | new | 0 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (10) |
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2022 (63), 2023 (63), 2024 (44), 2025 (27).
Year by year
2026 Mazda CX-5
14 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: infotainment (10 reports). No recalls.
2021 Mazda CX-5
147 owner complaints, 24 for each year on the road (1.6 times the model median). Most reported: oil consumption (42 reports, median 7,500 miles), misfire (14 reports) and oil leak (12 reports). 9 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. No recalls.
2020 Mazda CX-5
107 owner complaints, 15 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (39 reports) and brake wear (14 reports). 10 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. No recalls.
2019 Mazda CX-5 avoid
270 owner complaints, 34 for each year on the road (2.1 times the model median). Most reported: misfire (103 reports, median 50,000 miles), oil leak (67 reports, median 50,000 miles) and infotainment (53 reports, median 30,000 miles). 7 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 21V-875 on the fuel system and 19V-497 on the engine.
2018 Mazda CX-5 avoid
350 owner complaints, 39 for each year on the road (2.5 times the model median). Most reported: misfire (130 reports, median 57,000 miles), oil leak (63 reports, median 53,000 miles) and infotainment (46 reports). 19 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 21V-875 on the fuel system and 19V-497 on the engine.
2017 Mazda CX-5
148 owner complaints, 15 for each year on the road (0.9 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (49 reports, median 9,500 miles), stalling (16 reports, median 60,000 miles) and brake wear (14 reports, median 10,300 miles). 5 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 1 recall: 17V-744 on the trailer hitches.
2016 Mazda CX-5 avoid
510 owner complaints, 46 for each year on the road (2.9 times the model median). Most reported: headlights (88 reports, median 40,000 miles), brake wear (69 reports, median 29,133 miles) and windshield (41 reports, median 7,000 miles). 31 reports involved a crash and 13 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 20V-063 on the exterior lighting and 16V-644 on the structure.
2015 Mazda CX-5
123 owner complaints, 10 for each year on the road (0.7 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (12 reports, median 51,100 miles) and windshield (11 reports, median 7,000 miles). 11 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 16V-644 on the structure and 16V-203 on the steering system.
2014 Mazda CX-5
306 owner complaints, 24 for each year on the road (1.5 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (68 reports, median 60,000 miles), dead battery (60 reports, median 65,000 miles) and infotainment (52 reports, median 70,000 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 16V-064 on the fuel system and 16V-644 on the structure.
Recalls that cover several model years
On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
The affected vehicles have a fuel filler pipe that may rupture in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.
The affected windshields have a bracket mounted on the inside to hold a laser sensor or LIDAR device for the Smart City Brake Support system.
The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Compare the CX-5 with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- CX-5 vs Toyota RAV42014 to 2021
- CX-5 vs Honda CR-V2014 to 2026
- CX-5 vs Volkswagen Tiguan2018 to 2026
Questions
What Mazda CX-5 years should you avoid?
The 2016, 2018 and 2019 Mazda CX-5 draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 510 complaints (46 for each year on the road), 2018 has 350 complaints (39 for each year on the road) and 2019 has 270 complaints (34 for each year on the road), against a median of 16 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is headlights (88 reports).
What are the best years for the Mazda CX-5?
The 2022 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 63, or 13 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Mazda CX-5?
Infotainment, with 289 reports across the 9 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2017, 2020 and 2026.
How many recalls does the Mazda CX-5 have?
9 recall campaigns cover the Mazda CX-5 model years 2014 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 16E-002 on the visibility, covers 3 model years.
How many Mazda CX-5 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
6% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2020 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for infotainment on the Mazda CX-5?
No. None of the 8 model years where owners report it has one on the same system.