Mazda CX-5
Every model year 2016–2026: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
_Auto_Zuerich_2025_DSC_3493.jpg){kind=link}
Every Mazda CX-5 model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Gas | A | 0 | 16 | — | 26 mpg | |
| 2025 | Gas | A | 0 | 28 | ★★★★★ | 28 mpg | |
| 2024 | Gas | A | 0 | 45 | ★★★★★ | 28 mpg | |
| 2023 | Gas | A | 0 | 66 | ★★★★★ | 26 mpg | |
| 2022 | Gas | A | 0 | 65 | ★★★★★ | 26 mpg | |
| 2021 | Gas | A | 0 | 148 | ★★★★★ | 28 mpg | |
| 2020 | Gas | A | 0 | 107 | ★★★★★ | 28 mpg | |
| 2019 | Gas Diesel | B | 2 | 272 | ★★★★★ | 29 mpg | |
| 2018 | Gas Diesel | C | 3 | 351 | ★★★★★ | 29 mpg | |
| 2017 | Gas | A | 1 | 150 | ★★★★☆ | 27 mpg | |
| 2016 | Gas | C | 4 | 511 | ★★★★☆ | 29 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2022 is the cleanest CX-5 year we hold, and the 2016 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
Which Mazda CX-5 years reported which system early
Source: NHTSA complaints, odometer at reportEarliest on the record: 2018 service brakes complaints at 0.24× the mileage of same-age vehicles (median 6,950 miles). Latest: 2019 engine at 0.74× (31,000 miles).
Each cell is that model year’s median odometer when owners reported the system, divided by the median for the same system across every make’s complaints on the same model year. under 0.67× reported early; 1.5× or more late; a dash means too few readings. When problems get reported, not how often — complaint counts are in the table above. Across the whole fleet: which systems go first.
What owners filed about the Mazda CX-5, by system
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsEvery system, every year →The systems the federal record is deep on for this nameplate: the complaints per model year, the mileage owners reported them at, and every recall, investigation and manufacturer bulletin filed under the heading — each one linked, none a failure rate.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2026: best combined mpg 28 → 26; 3 → 1 EPA configurations
- 2024: best combined mpg 26 → 28; 2 → 3 EPA configurations
- 2022: best combined mpg 28 → 26; 4 → 2 EPA configurations
- 2021: 3 → 4 EPA configurations
- 2020: dropped diesel; best combined mpg 29 → 28; 6 → 3 EPA configurations
- 2019: 4 → 6 EPA configurations
- 2018: added diesel; best combined mpg 27 → 29; 2 → 4 EPA configurations
- 2017: best combined mpg 29 → 27; 3 → 2 EPA configurations
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 CX-5 vs Toyota RAV4 · Compact SUV | RAV4 +2.1 |
In the studies
Source: computed from the same record, method on each pageCommon questions about the Mazda CX-5
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Mazda CX-5 year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2022 CX-5 comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade A (100/100), 0 recalls and 65 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Mazda CX-5 years should I avoid?
No CX-5 model year carries a D or F Safety Signal or a standing advisory. The ranking page orders every year on recalls and complaints per year on the road, and says why.
How many recalls does the Mazda CX-5 have?
Across model years 2016–2026, NHTSA has posted 10 recall campaigns for the Mazda CX-5. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.