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Your vehicleHome›Mazda›CX-5› 2018
Mazda · Compact SUV

2018 Mazda CX-5

Gas Diesel
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
79 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3
Complaints19 crash · 1 fire · 6 injured reported 351
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 29 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas and diesel compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the CX-5 2WD, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 351 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Mazda CX-5 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Mazda CX-5 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
CX-5 2WDGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl253128$2,400
CX-5 4WDGas4WD2.5L 4-cyl243026$2,600
CX-5 2WDDieselFWD2.2L 4-cyl turbo283129$3,300
CX-5 4WDDiesel4WD2.2L 4-cyl turbo273028$3,400

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39777, 39781, 40521, 40522.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
CX-5 2WD, CX-5 4WD7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
CX-5 2WD, CX-5 4WD1 / 10California LEV-III LEV160 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 160All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2.5 L
Engine configurationIn-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower187 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain4x2
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Grand Touring, Sport, Touring). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length179.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.4 in
Height66.1 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Track, front63.0 in
Track, rear63.0 in
Curb weight3,318–3,657 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear57/43 to 59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 2.0L FWD 4-door SUV, 2.5L AWD 4-door SUV, 2.5L FWD 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2018 CX-5
Other years The 2026 CX-5 Recalls Mazda recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

5321K
121,038 vehicles 86% reported repaired
Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail. Risk Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V875000 reported Nov 12, 2021 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Engine

3719F
262,220 vehicles 93% reported repaired built Oct 3, 2017 – Apr 23, 2019
Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall. Risk An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash. Fix Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V497000 reported Jun 27, 2019 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

2718F
682 vehicles 94% reported repaired built Apr 11, 2018 – Apr 27, 2018
Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation." Risk If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. Fix Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V426000 reported Jun 25, 2018 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific CX-5

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Mazda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Mazda’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Mazda CX-5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2018 Mazda CX-5

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this CX-5 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
351complaints filed

19 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 6 injuries · 0 deaths reported

25 per 10,000 built · Mazda reported 143,041 CX-5 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 14 · 2019: 34 · 2020: 14 · 2021: 22 · 2022: 51 · 2023: 44 · 2024: 73 · 2025: 55 · 2026: 44

Most-cited components

Engine → 182
Unspecified 58
Power Train 42
Fuel/Propulsion System 39
Service Brakes 33
Electrical System 29

In depth: engine problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Intermittent airbag or seatbelt fault warning. Every couple days over past 7days while driving at highway speed light comes on. Display says fault in passenger airbag or seatbelt. Once car is shut off warning stops and is erased. No passengers are in the seat at the time. Even if buckle seatbelt in empty seat warning can appear.
Air Bags at 22,245 miles May 14, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11207590
Vehicle went into limp mode while passing on two lane road. Cause was determined to be wrong logic in PCM for cylinder deactivation. This worng logic caused low oil pressure in the lifter during deactivation which in turn caused the rocker arm to become dislodged rendering the associated valve inoperable.
Engine at 9,500 miles May 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11205743
I just use my car around town...putting less than 10,000 mi a year on the car. This problem has happened several times. I mentioned the problem to the dealership when I bring the car in for service, & they return the car saying they didn't find a problem???
Service Brakes Mar 26, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11191696
First noticed in a shopping center parking lot. I was distracted by something and did not put car transmission shift control in park. I touched engine start/ stop switch and engine turns off as it should. I proceeded to exit the car and noticed it rolling away.
Electrical System at 3,000 miles Feb 9, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11175874
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Cx-5. While pulling into a parking space at 5 MPH, the vehicle accelerated on its own while the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle drove over a median and crashed into another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was filed.
Vehicle Speed Control at 650 miles Feb 4, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11174332
Sudden windshield cracking 11-14-2018 our 2018 Cx-5 has 7500 miles and driving at night with very little traffic on the freeway in southern california the windshield just cracked from the center down approx. 5 inches , there is no sign that it was hit by a stone or rock .
Visibility/Wiper at 7,500 miles Nov 15, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11151718

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Mazda itself: 35 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 36 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 24 per 100,000 built. Every CX-5 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 15k

miles, typically

Half the 81 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 3,000 and 40,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 33
10k–20k 13
20k–30k 7
30k–40k 7
40k–50k 3
50k–60k 5
60k–70k 2
70k–80k 2
80k–90k 4
90k–100k 1
100k–150k 3
150k + 1

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Engine2928,0000.56×
Service Brakes156,9500.24×
Fuel/Propulsion System1235,0001.1×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: engine (0.56×), service brakes (0.24×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2019 model years the Mazda CX-5 ranks 32 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 0.79× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 16,000 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV FWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 3 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Mazda warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 634
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-11
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 597 service bulletins, 29 warranty extensions, 8 others

Most often about: Engine, Equipment, Electrical System, Power Train, Structure.

  • SA-041-26a Service bulletin
    2026-09-11 · Electrical System
  • DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Example
  • 01-010-26 Service bulletin
    2026-08-10 · Engine
  • This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 01-012/22 10/06/22 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit accumulation of dried coolant (1) around the water pipe (2). This is caused by a gap between the housing and pipe due to a press fitting during the manufacturing process. The accumulated coolant is solidified and plugs the gap in high
  • SA-041-26 Service bulletin
    2026-06-19 · Engine
  • This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the elec
  • 01-008-26 Service bulletin
    2026-05-01 · Power Train
  • This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 01-008/23 06/05/23 Some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the engine compartment and oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner. This may be caused by insufficient sealing at the drive belt auto tensioner damper when the auto tensioner fully operates under both high ambient temperat
  • SA-031-26 Service bulletin
    2026-04-30 · Structure — Body
  • DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may require the replacement of a damaged VIN plate or vehicle certification label. To obtain a replacement VIN plate (bulkhead-mounted and visible through the lower-left area of the windshield), contact DAG (Dealer Assistance Group) using VIN Plate Request Form available on One Mazda. To obtain a replacement vehicle certification label (located on the B􀀀pillar or front do
  • SA-029-26 Service bulletin
    2026-04-21 · Engine
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Servic
  • SA-026-26 Service bulletin
    2026-04-16 · Engine
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued M-Tip(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. MT-002/19 09/30/19 and 12/19/19 DESCRIPTION If an engine assembly is replaced after a catastrophic internal mechanical failure, clean the intake manifold internally before installing a replacement engine assembly. If the intake manifold is not cleaned properly, the replacement engine may f
  • SA-023-26 Service bulletin
    2026-04-11 · Fuel/Propulsion System
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued M-Tip(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. MT-003/22 03/02/22 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about a tapping or knocking noise coming from the rear seat after fuel fill. The concern will likely occur if the fuel tank is overfilled (more fuel is added after the fuel pump nozzle shuts off automatically) or filled up normally

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0126
P0126 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine36 bulletins
P061B
P061B on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine12 bulletins
P0524
P0524 on Mazda →		Engine oil pressure has been measured below the safe limit.Engine9 bulletins
C1001
C1001 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Forward Collision Avoidance7 bulletins · 1 owner report
U3000
U3000 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →8 bulletins
P055F
P055F on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
P2B61
P2B61 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
P3400
P3400 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
B14F0
B14F0 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Forward Collision Avoidance5 bulletins
P0780
P0780 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train5 bulletins
P0842
P0842 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train5 bulletins
P0847
P0847 on Mazda →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train5 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Mazda CX-5 failed the emissions check on 1.4% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.6% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%).

New York inspections 1.4%

failed emissions

5,812 initial inspections of 5,694 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2018 CX-5Every 2018 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check1.4%3.0%5,805
Failed the safety inspection2.6%1.9%5,812
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.21%0.22%5,812
Miles driven a year9,58410,002odometer at inspection
Average odometer79,31182,833odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

CX-5 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2026 A 0 16 26 mpg2025 A 0 28 28 mpg2024 A 0 45 28 mpg2023 A 0 66 26 mpg2022 A 0 65 26 mpg2021 A 0 148 28 mpg2020 A 0 107 28 mpg2019 B 2 272 29 mpg2018 this page C 3 351 29 mpg2017 A 1 150 27 mpg2016 C 4 511 29 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 CX-5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Mazda CX-5. The most serious on file is 21V875000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Mazda CX-5 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (79/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Mazda CX-5, the best EPA combined figure is 29 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Transport Canada measured it at 179.1 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.1 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,318–3,657 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Owners have filed 351 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mazda CX-5, most often about engine, unspecified, power train. Of those, 19 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 6 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 runs 1 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III LEV160, California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 160, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

The manufacturer has filed 634 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Mazda CX-5, most often covering engine, equipment, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-11. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Mazda CX-5 failed the emissions check on 1.4% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.6% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations4 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates4 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls3NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints351NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings4 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins634NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2026 CX-5 The CX-5 model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Mazda recall on file All campaigns filed against Mazda vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this CX-5 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API